By Derrek Stewart, 10/12/11, re-edited/updated 1/22/24
AAA / Co-Angler Checklists are guidelines meant to help someone new to tournament fishing as an amateur/AAA/Co-Angler in draw tournaments. In draw tournaments, Pro-division anglers are paired randomly with Amateur-division anglers, also known as AAA or Co-Anglers.
Both anglers fish these events from the Pro's bass boat. Generally, the Pro fishes from the front deck, and the AAA utilizes the back deck. This article is not about the art of catching fish from the back of the boat. That aspect of amateur tournament fishing is worthy of an entirely separate article.
Staging before take-off on the California Delta, all the possibilities are before you and about to unfold.
This piece outlines tasks you must manage before, between, and after the casts. The goal is to help a new AAA prepare and highlight what to expect from these events, making for a smooth tournament experience. A successful day goes beyond the catch; success is the best way to get you to return for another event.
Not all draw tournaments are the same. Some events use a shared weight format, and others do not. Much of the etiquette transcends all draw tournaments; some are strictly unique to the shared weight program. Below is an outline of how an amateur might approach a Pro/Am tournament featuring a shared weight system.
I am using the Pro/Am shared weight contests as the model because this format has the highest potential for cooperation between the Pro and the AAA. In this format, you and the Pro are fishing for the same five-bass limit. The two of you for the day are a team, and at the end of the day, the weight of the catch applies to both anglers.
Look up the tournament organization you have chosen to fish with online.
Find the link to the Pro-Am tournaments. You will find event dates, entry forms, sign-up deadlines, entry fees, rules, and everything you need to know. If you have questions, the tournament director's contact information will also be listed.
If you know a Pro angler who will fish the event, you can link with that person in most organizations for the entry sign-up. A Pro and a AAA linked together will, for most circuits, not all, guarantee each other's entry. If you are entering without a linked Pro, it is a good idea to register early and check the status of your entry before traveling.
You never know who you might draw, bass legend Rick Clunn, two-time U.S. Open Champion, and his draw partner awaiting take-off at the WON Bass U.S. Open, Lake Mead.
Okay, your entry is confirmed, and you are ready to take advantage of a unique situation. You are about to fish with a high-level angler, sometimes the highest. You will be behind this person all day as they go about the business of winning. Regardless of your skill level, the opportunity to learn will be all around you. For about the fee of a one-day guide trip, you participate in two full days or more of on-the-water exposure with separate Pros. These events are a great learning experience and lots of fun!
Pre-Event Meeting
Every organization will have an official meeting, typically the evening before the first day of competition. Rules, flight schedules, check-in times, and pairing announcements occur. All anglers are required to attend.
What to Accomplish at the Registration/Pre-tournament Meeting
• Most circuits send text messages to your cell phone with pairings, your Pro's cell number, boat flight, and flight check-in time for the following day of competition.
• After the pairing announcement, meet your next day's draw.
• Ask what the Pro wants you to rig. Not every Pro will have an answer to this question. Those who know how to utilize a AAA to their advantage will.
• If the Pro asks you to rig tackle that you do not have, let them know. That way, they can bring it for your use or adopt another plan.
• Establish your morning meeting place and time.
• At no time during an event is it permissible to discuss the Pro's plan, fishing locations, fishing techniques, and lures with another Pro or AAA angler. It is not only against the rules but also disrespectful and not cool.
Pre-Event Preparation
The official meeting is over. You have met and discussed the game plan for the next day with your Pro partner. Now, it is time to arrange everything for the next day. Use your time efficiently; the morning wake-up alarm is approaching fast.
• If you haven't already, obtain the appropriate fishing license(s). You can do this on your cell phone. Be aware of fisheries that cross state lines. You will need a separate license or stamp added to an existing permit to fish legally when you cross a state line. Please don't take chances; it is better to have and not need it than to need and not have it. Without the required fishing licenses, you risk disqualification. Tournament officials can tell you precisely what is required.
• Pick up cash for the next day's shared boat fuel costs. It is customary to share fuel, oil, and ice expenses. The more the outboard engine operates, the more you should expect to pay. Usually, if a Pro knows they will make a long run, they tell you prior. Expect about $40 to $50 for limited, shorter runs. You might need more cash at big lakes with long runs.
• You will need to bring your own Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
• Rig and pack gear as soon as possible; this includes food, drinks, clothing, fishing license, and life jacket. Travel compact and light, but be prepared for the weather and water conditions.
• Wind, large lakes, and big waves mean wet weather gear even during a sunny, hot summer day.
• Be prepared for sun and eye protection; multiple days on the water creates a lot of exposure.
• An experienced AAA will carry, on average, only five to six rods. Too many rods will get in the way of each other. You have a narrow slot between your seat and the boat's gunnel.
• Be prepared to have your remaining gear at your feet (see photo below). Boats with dual consoles make for tighter gear space.
• Treat yourself to an excellent dinner.
• Set morning alarm clocks and schedule wake-up calls. Some heavy sleepers may need to have a backup plan. Depending on how far you stay from the launch site, most days start between 4:00 and 5:00 am.
• Get as much sleep as possible.
Often, a Pro will empty the compartment box behind your seat for your gear but don't count on it. Your space is the passenger seat, the cockpit floor directly in front of your seat, and the passenger rod slot. That's it, and if the boat features dual consoles, it is even tighter. Less gear has many advantages. Versatility is the key to limiting rods and equipment.
Competition Day Before Launching
The alarm is ringing; you are already awake and excited if you are like me. A day full of prospects awaits you.
• Be on time and ready to go when you meet your draw. Don't show up, and you still need to organize your equipment.
• Bathroom breaks are nonexistent once you are on the water.
• Handle or help with as many pre-launch general tasks as possible, such as boat preparation, launching, and truck and trailer parking. The Pro will tell you if they want to accomplish certain things independently.
• Tell the Pro if you are not comfortable performing these functions. It is okay if you are not, but the tournament is not where to learn or practice.
• If you're launching your Pro, turn the headlights off when facing up the launch ramp. When on the ramp's incline, facing uphill at the water's edge, your headlights can 'blind' another driver using their mirrors as they back down in front of you.
• After launching and parking the Pro's truck and trailer, turn off the headlights (essential for older vehicles), lock the truck, and manage the Pro's keys wisely while in your possession. Secure the keys in a closed pocket before going near the water.
• I always get the truck and trailer at the end of the day, so I keep the keys unless asked or on the rare occasion a pro wants to launch the boat themselves. If the Pro happens to ask for the keys, hand the keys to them and never toss them. It would be best to avoid a mishap that results in the keys falling into the water.
• Discuss landing net operations and how it telescopes before you begin to fish. Let the Pro know if your netting experiences are limited or unsure. It is better to discuss this before the critical moment arrives. If your net skills are limited, it is okay, and if the Pro must handle it by themselves, they will be fine; communicate effectively.
Competition Day on The Water
Let's go.
Take-off time: there's no turning back now. Establishing a focus and a commitment to catch fish will serve you well.
Safety
• Be aware of wet, slippery, or icy walking and stepping hazards, especially at the dock. For your safety, of course, but also at the end of the day if you are handling fish. I couldn't face my Pro draw if I slipped and dropped the weigh bag, allowing the catch to escape into the water. Mishaps like this never happen with a small bag of keepers, only with big kickers, multiple kickers, and a Pro in contention.
• Do not allow your hooks to come near anything you don't want them hooking, like the boat seats. Lure covers will prevent rod tangles and torn seats. The number one complaint I hear from Pros concerning AAA anglers is boat damage.
• If you hook your Pro's face on the back cast, knock him out with your fists before attempting to remove the hooks. Ah, just kidding. I needed to check if you were still with me, but be careful!
Lure wraps avoid boat damage and prevent rods from tangling.
Be a Team Player
• Learn to fish and wear your life vest all day. You will get in and out of your seat much quicker. An inflatable life vest makes wearing it all day easier.
• Learn the Pro's queue for when they will pull up the trolling motor and make a run. If the Pro doesn't have one, ask them to give you a 'heads up' just before they are ready to move.
• Be in your seat with your gear secured and ready to go before the Pro when this queue happens. You don't want the Pro to have to wait on you. Getting in my seat quickly is why I leave my PFD on; it is also warmer in the winter.
• Stay out of the Pro's way when they move to and from the driver's seat and the front deck.
• Let the Pro go to the front deck first and make sure you know which direction they want to go before casting. It is not a good idea to cast into their targets first. You can do this if you wish to, but it will have a negative effect on how the Pro treats you and positions the boat from then on.
• Stay off the front deck unless invited, netting or playing a fish. If the Pro wants you up there, they will tell you.
• Learn the Pro's conversation pace and don't surpass it. Everyone is different, and some excellent fishermen are naturally quiet and may find your chatter distracting. You want the Pro to fish in their comfort zone, not yours.
• Before and after a run, I manage net storage before getting in and out of my seat.
• Handle fish in the bottom of the cockpit. The fishing decks are a terrible place to handle the catch; do not drop or allow a fish to flop overboard. Losing a landed fish is another moment I can't look the Pro in the eye.
• Stay out of the livewells unless asked to check on the fish. If you open a livewell lid, be aware that bass can jump out and flop to freedom if you're not careful. Keep the lid closed and the latch fastened.
• Demonstrate excellent netting skills. Again, remember, if your netting skills are limited, let the Pro know. The Pro will either coach you or net the fish on their own. You are not helping if you knock a fish off with the net. Just like slipping at the dock, only big fish get knocked off.
• Obey all tournament rules; stop fishing when the Pro culls the sixth fish.
• Trust in the suggestions made by the Pro and work with them.
Consideration
• When walking from the parking lot to the dock, if you cross mud or bird droppings, don't step directly into the boat. Take your shoes off as you step in. Rinse them in the water over the side of the boat. Once clean, then put them on. It is excellent and much appreciated if you avoid tracking muck into someone else's boat.
• Remember that even the best can have an off day. I suggest not being critical of a Pro who is not on fish. If you consistently perform better, ante up and fish as a Pro. Otherwise, it is just fishing and not world peace. Everyone is dealt a difficult hand at one point or another, so get through it and move on (see the very last tip on the After Weigh-In list).
• I never claim "I out fished my Pro." They took me to their water, and I caught fish based on their homework and efforts, so I prefer to show respect.
• Respect the equipment, locations, and techniques the Pro has shared with you.
• Do not spill your scent products on another person's boat. If you can't manage this, then don't bring them aboard. Again, boat damage is the number one complaint I hear from Pros concerning AAAs.
Tips
• When moving around the boat, do not step on any gear; pay particular attention to the Pro's rods on the front deck.
• With the lure hook secured, wrapping the running end of your fishing line around the rod blank and guides can help prevent tangles with your other rods.
• Keep your gear out of the Pro's way; this is easiest when you travel light.
• Handle your equipment smoothly and quietly; organization and packing light make this efficient. Making noise and loud talk can spook fish, especially in shallow water.
• Eat and drink between fishing stops when the big engine drives the boat. Pay attention to your crumbs and clean up. Don't waste fishing time; this is not a picnic.
Competitors racing to their opening spot through Lake Mead's Narrows. Anything lightweight and unsecured will blow out of the boat when traveling.
Time Management
• Wear a timepiece; do not assume the Pro knows the time remaining and when your flight check-in time is. I had to take out the flight schedule and show my draw that they were incorrect by 30 minutes. Taking this responsibility has avoided late check-in penalties for me many times. These penalties would have cost me money and an FLW top-10 finish. I can't stress this one enough.
• Some fisheries cross time zones, so be aware that cell phones and GPS units are not perfect timepieces. They can display time that is off by an hour. I use a reliable, non-digital, non-smartwatch that keeps accurate time, testing it before I go fishing.
• As time winds down, ask the Pro what time they want to leave for check-in, then monitor the clock for both of you so the Pro can maximize their focus on catching that last cull fish.
Goals
• Be prepared mentally and physically to remain in the best possible posture for every fishing moment until you return to the dock.
• Never give up; any well-placed cast has a shot at any time; it might be the only fish, the fifth fish, an upgrade fish, or even the biggest fish; keep fishing.
• Fish to the best of your abilities; that is all anyone can ask of you.
• Have fun and enjoy.
The author left with Pro partner Todd Woods and the final day winning fish. Woods led the Pro division's inaugural WON Bass Arizona Open wire to wire!
After the Weigh-In
AAA angler Aaron Heath with his WON Bass U.S. Open, Lake Mead, 5.75 lb. tournament big fish catch and a big smile. Heath knows how to maximize casts from the back deck!
The fish have been weighed and released. The two of you have caught them well, and everyone is happy. But there are a few items to take care of before relaxing.
• Trailer the boat from the ramp to the parking lot and always use extra caution when operating someone else's equipment.
• Give back any lures the Pro had you use.
• Remove your gear promptly from the Pro's boat.
• Offer to help with boat travel preparation and cleaning; you should at least remove your trash, so you might as well get all of it while at it.
• Pay for half of boat fuel expenses, ice, etc.
• Be cool, and remember you will see many of the same people again.
After the Weigh-In on Multiple Day Events
Tournaments require stamina and concentration. Multiple-day events are extremely physically and mentally demanding. As an angler, I find them one of the most challenging things I have ever done. Getting through your checklists efficiently and resting is essential. It will significantly affect your energy levels, especially in multiple-day tournaments.
• Contact your next-day partner as quickly as possible; always leave a message if you get voice mail.
• If you cannot reach your draw the day before, be on time at the launch site and locate the tournament director. Dead phones, lost phones, no phones, it happens. All will be fine.
• Repeat this process until the rest of the field has dropped out, and you are the only one standing!
• Settle in, learn, and, above all, have fun.
If one person reads these checklists and it helps with their experience, then I have met my goal. In these times, we need as much positive participation as possible. Anything that helps should be a common goal.
2010 AAA U.S. Open Lake Mead Champion Chris Ricci (arms raised) has the spirit!
Bass tournament fishing is a sport. A sport is an organized, competitive, entertaining, and skillful physical activity requiring commitment, strategy, and fair play. Remember this definition, and you will fit right in.
As a non-boater, if you are considering entering a draw tournament, these guidelines will serve you well in getting the most out of the occasion. Often, the little things will significantly impact how your day goes.
If you are a seasoned AAA or a Pro, there may be something you can add to these guidelines, and of course, anyone's comments and questions are very welcome. I hope to see you on the water.
