Mastering the Art of Co-Angling: The Ultimate Guide to Preparing for a Bass Tournament
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- In this video, Mike Iaconelli shares his expert insights on how to be a successful co-angler in bass tournaments. Drawing from his own experience as a co-angler, he covers everything from the basic tackle and how to carry it, to the mindset and attitude needed to succeed in the back of the boat. Mike also provides valuable advice on selecting the right rods and reels, and offers a handy rule for packing your bag: lures that cover the top, middle, and bottom of the water column. Don't miss out on this must-watch video for anyone considering co-angling!
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I love fishing as a coangler in tournaments. I always looked at them as a guided fishing trip to learn and watch how different anglers fished. I even shared the boat with Jordan Lee in his college days. All that with a chance to win some cash if you have a good day. The best day I had learning I didn't catch a fish but fished with Marshal Deacons on Guntersville and learned so much by him having a tough day.
How did it go?
YESSSSS - the folks at home (me) have been asking for this for a LONG TIME.
FOR THE FOLKS AT HOME
I have fished 132 BFLs as a coangler and always had a blast. I have a system that insures a successful and respectful day on the water. I place all I carry into the back storage and have it set up to get to specific lures quickly. This maximizes floor space for my angler to walk on if he needs to chase a caught fish around the boat. I bring 6 rods that are set up to use multiple lures. I normally cast parallel with my angler. We usually cast at a 45 degree angle to the boat while we are moving at a decent speed. That way we don't go too far past our lures and get hung up. If we go slow enough then I cast out to the side or back. Its all relative to speed. But I NEVER fish over his head or near his spot until I know he has moved on. It doesn't matter if he takes 10 minutes to retie and the boat gets turned around. Common sense and decency won't allow me to cast to water he hasn't touched and I know is about to continue to.
Here are my rod setups that might help other coanglers minimize what they carry (another problem anglers complain about) -
1. Spinning (15# Braid to 8# Tatsu) - Drop Shot (Roboworm, Wacky Senko, TRD, Minnow)
2. Spinning (10# Fluoro) - Weedless Wacky Hook (Senko, Trick Worm, Finesse Worm, Neko Rig, nose hooked Fluke or paddle tail, Swimming Worm}
3. Spinning (12# or 15# Fluoro) - Shaky head (Worm, Brush Hog, Crawfish, etc.), Finesse Crankbaits and Jerkbaits (ie. Rapala Shad Rap)
4. Baitcaster (8 foot with 10# Fluoro on a Lew's BB1 5 speed and Speed Snap) - Squarebill, Lipless and other hard swimming baits
5. Baitcaster (7'4" MdHvy with 15# line) - Tie on Chatterbaits, Spinnerbaits, Magdraft, Swimbaits, etc.
6. Baitcaster (Short 6'10" Hvy with 15 or 20# line for Skipping) - Tie on Jigs, Swimjigs, Swing Jigs, Magdraft, etc.
*Use 3 Tag Knot for tying Fluoro
The voice of experience, valuable information, thank you Mike.
It worked!!!! Fished from the back of the boat all day. Fish different baits from my boat partner, threw into areas he overlooked, focused on what he was doing and put my limit of 5 in the boat. Thanks Mike!!!!
I know you are covering a lot in this vid, and thank you for it. I gotta add, have some rain gear jammed in that pack. I don’t leave without it. Especially here on the upper Chesapeake. Weather will turn in a heartbeat!!
Man thanks Ike! For me this is possibly the most informative video on the tube! If Ike says to do y’all better listen!🎣
This is some of the greatest information ever provided. Ive never seen any information on this topic. Ive always wondered how co anglers worked.
As a boater and a coangler this was a very informative video. Spot on.
HAHA, my spirit animal is a Co-angler! Been working on my medium sized backpack setup for bank and Yak fishing, this was very helpful.
It's getting in the tournaments and everything that's really helps I really appreciate it like, I love your content and intuition
Nice unboxing mister😍😍😍👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Great video!!!! Fishing my first tournament in 2 weeks. A bunch of great tips. Keep em coming Ike
I really needed this video last week but this will help me moving forward. Thanks Ike!
IKE great video 📹 thanks for sharing 🎣 👍
Awesome advice. Thanks for posting.
This information is very helpful! Have a tournament in May
Thanks I really enjoyed that video because I fish more times than not in the back of the boat 🎣🎣
Excellent video and so good on how you broke down each aspect. The section on packing lures that cover all depths is so simple. I think so many co anglers overthink the waters they are fishing. I am guilty of it too. We get focused on what the boater might tell us at the pre-meeting and never consider that they might change their mind the next morning. I always had 2 deep diving crankbaits in my bag and they came in handy during a tournament where the boater decided we were fishing deep ledges and structure. Deep cranked all day and caught some big bass. I was prepared that time. Didn't always happen that way though 🤣
Thank you VERY much. This was extremely helpful.
This was so helpful. I plan to use this year to start honing and dialing in my skills technique by technique so that next year, I can start fishing tournaments as a co-angler. This was a great source of knowledge!
Thanks Mike, I really enjoy your videos. I joined a bass club 2 yrs ago with nearly no knowlege other than videos like this. I evolved, and yes I agree..enough is enough. I roll with 2 spinning and 2 casting rods. two plano boxes with lures in a backpack with sunscreen, water, rain gear, goggles, cutters, pliers (hemostat), towel, baby wipes, phone, culling clips, pocket knife, wallet (fishing license,cash, car keys, etc) It all fits in a regular school style backpack. biggest challenge is breaking off leader on my spinning rods and having to tie a new one and guessing if I have enough of the one bait that happens to working well that day. Funny thing, I rarely use more than 6 or 8 different lures totalAon any given day, but have ..probably potential for 40 or 50. so, I'm still overpacking..just in case. As time goes on though, I am confident to bring less and less. Also, most boaters will share in a pinch. I'm always happy to pay back for lures used or lost if borrowed. You should mention co angler etiquette. I had no clue, and thankfully didn't step on any toes that I know of. Also, I learned how to handle a boat trailer. I think I'm one of the few coanglers in my club that does and I'm sure that's appreciated..hope so. sorry for the length of this comment, but I think this is a comonly overlooked important subject. carry on!
Thanks Ike, you da man! In 2 weeks I'm gonna be fishing my first BFL Hoosier division as a co angler. This video gave me some great insight and tips. Going finesse is probably the best advice you gave. Thanks buddy, very much appreciated!!
Great stuff. I won my 1st Mlf event of the yr. And struggled because I was thinking to much. But this helped me out
Awesome awesome thanks a lot for the bro-down
I love the coangler videos I’m fishing my first coangler tournament this year and I was just shopping for a life vest. You should do more of these. I think you should touch on confidence lures and fishing those skills that you are best at! Maybe you can name the video after me!
Great video
Thanks, Ike !!!
Just done my 1st boating event on Okeechobee. I brought 5 rods,1 bag 4plano 3700.and lunch and water. Spare clothes if necessary. Extra sunglasses, line and pliers.and a kvd worm.bag for plastics.
biggest thing I can say is don't get discouraged. it's hard fishing in a tournament ley alone on the back of a boat. also my backpack I can stuff 5-9 3600 series boxes
Me and my wife are going to try our first tournament ❤️ rent a bass boat is our plan at the tournament.. maybe our Jon boat wouldn't be legal but I wouldn't be scared
I have a camouflage tackle unit with a shoulder strap. It has 5 storage boxes and a spinnerbaits box. 4 sipper pouches, two on each side plus two extra pouches from a another canvas bag I had long time ago. One box I have lipples baits. Crankbaits, jerkbait and one with casting spoon and other baits
Very good video Mike! I fished from the back in tourneys for 3 years and you pretty much nailed it. I can only remember one really terrible day with a boater but I think he was just pissed because I was one short of a limit when he had to ask me what my trick was. 🤣. You were right, I was drop shotting in very dirty water but had dyed the tails on a bunch of 4” roboworms the night before after learning it was going to rain all night. I was also adding a small glass rattle inside the worm. He didn’t have any so I shared and we got along fine when he started catching. Ahh the memories. 😃👍🏼
Great ibfo. Any insight into being a marshal for the elites?
Great video. Considering trying co-angling in the spring and appreciate the info. While considering finesse baits, would you recommend compact reaction baits like minimal type chatterbaits or the compact spinnerbaits, when appropriate?
Ike can you do a video on how to start fishing bass tournaments and what to expect?
That's funny I'm from Louisiana and I'm not a fan of spinning reels lol 😅 but I'm trying to fish them more
Do you have to fish all the opens to fish the elite as co-angler.thank you ike and God bless and as always tight lines.
Elites do not have co-anglers. Highest they go is the opens!
Thank you Ike for the response.
What to do when your boater is LiveScoping 100 feet of water trolling motor on 80-90? Any suggestions???
And he sees the fish, flings to them before telling you anything, catches the fish, and then gloats! What do you do then?
Eat a sandwich lol
@@bobclark4183 yup agreed might as well lol 😂
Carolina rig and hope for the best. They don’t really care if you catch fish or not. The boater is not your friend. He’s there to catch fish, period point blank.
In all seriousness, in 100 ft of water, tie on a 2 1/2”-3” swimbait and swim it in different depths out the back of the boat or a great big walking top water. Good luck !
I do 3 spinning roads & 3 baitcasters
Thank you for the lesson... Question, how many boxes should you bring if you have a tackle bag instead of a back pack?...6?
Were you a co angler and still had a boat to go out and learn the waters? I’m still boatless for the time being. Going from the bank to the back of the boat in a couple MLF Phoenix series and a season of ABA.
Link for the Ike approved tackle bag?
mikeiaconelli.com/ikes_tackle_box.php?category=22
All my Tackle bags!!
you missed the part about glasses to help protect from whizzing treble hooks from the boat owners.
Advice for a BASS Marshall?
I understand exactly what you’re saying, however. How many rods do you have? How much tackle do you have? If it’s that easy, all you need is 2-6 rods as a angler. Correct? I’m not saying bring everything you own, but co-anglers do need some things.
What if he’s using ffs out in the middle of the lake chasing single fish?
100lbs? LOL. I doubt it is half that. I wonder how much his fish weigh when he holds them! XD
Ballpien hammer
What if your boater is catching them off of live all day. Catching single fish in curtain spots? Haha
Why don’t you try to be a co angler in a event
And duct tape
Dude that backpack isnt 100 lbs.. i flat bench the 100’s,,, one in each hand.. you moved that bag way to easy. 30lbs at the most.
Being a good co angler is the draw
Lol “anywhere from 2/6 rods” not just 2 or 3 but 2 OR 6 lol
Throw that beard back on Mike! Yer lookin like everyone's weird uncle that gulps air in the corner and burps it out of his nose!
LOL that bag weighs about 15 pounds and he says it weighs 100. LOL