I am fishing in my first NWT tournament as a co-angler. 
What are some of the “rules” that should be followed. What equipment does the co bring, if any. Do I help pay for bait and gas? Anything else? Any help is appreciated. Thanks
This was written by a BASS Tourney Angler, but should be pretty much the same:
Rookie Tourney Angler Tips
I know Dale, he is a great guy and followed this myself. 
Chris Tuckner also wrote about his experience as a CO. Good read.
http://www.idofishing.com/forum/showflat.php/Number/697649/fpart/1/competitive-fishing-as-a-coangler
Ask a bunch of questions when you first meet up with your pro. He/she will tell you the game plan and what to expect. I’ll tell you one thing for sure. Put a $100 bill on the dash of his truck first thing in the morning and the day will go good from there! 
-J.
I sent you a PM
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I am fishing in my first NWT tournament as a co-angler.
Maybe best put here by Pete Harsh several years ago and I would echo his words if I was still playing the game( after 26 years of it):
Please review the following:
Be on time in the morning at the designated location. That is the first consideration we will give each other.
Expect to have a good time fishing with me. You and I are now fishing partners for the day. Relax and enjoy our fishing as much as I intend to. That does not mean we won’t work hard while doing so. You will be suprised how hard you will work to keep up with this old man in the boat. Hustle will be the name of the game, at least untill we put our first 50 lbs. in the boat. I like to discuss fishing, fishing, fishing and hunting related subjects. I do not care to help you solve the worlds problems, your relationship problems or problems at work. Do not cloud up my head with those subjects and try to concentrate on the fishing yourself.
The world will not end if you make a mistake in my boat. Unlike the Pope and a few of the other Pro Walleye Fisherman, you nor I am infallible. Should a mistake happen and it will, we will quickly move beyond it and continue to concentrate on the job at hand. (No matter who makes it.) I am not known for getting too excited in the boat.
Bring a positive winning attitude. Do not bring a hangover. This could be one of the best days of your life. Show up sick from being hungover or intoxicated from illegal drugs and I assure you this will not be one of the best days of your life.
Bring a WATCH. If you don’t care if we get in on time, I do! Don’t break my concentration by depending on me to tell you what time it is all day long. I will watch the time but you need to keep track of the time also.
Mother Nature is not a good Momma. Expect the worst from her. If you have a tendency to get seasick take dramamine ahead of time. Dress for the worst case scenario, by 9 a.m. it could be our reality. Bring good raingear, extra warm dry clothes including gloves. A life jacket is provided unless you want to bring your own. Bring any special lunch or beverages you require. I will have extra lunch and beverages also.
We will review saftey, starting and operation procedures prior to going out in the morning. I will show you how to use the radio and where emergency equipment is stowed also at that time.
During the course of the day I will show you various things I have learned to enhance our chances, your responsibility will be to keep that information confidential untill after the end of the tournament. Failure to do that could get you disqualifed. Don’t put me in that position.
Pete Harsh
After fishing as both when I was doing tournaments….in my prechild days. 
Here are some things to consider….
If you can’t back a trailer in extremely well make sure the boater knows this and can have someone else lined up to help him, holding things up at a landing tournament morning is extremely frustrating for everyone.
Treat the boaters and their boats with the upmost respect. Don’t make a mess, don’t step on the rails and if you are unsure where to step to get in just ask. Ask where the boater wants you to put your gear.
Ask your boater the night before if there is anything you should or shouldn’t bring. Life jacket, snacks, water, whatever. Bring just the necessities.
When I fished as a coangler I would bring chewy granola bars for a snack during the day, they were quick to eat and no mess. I always had a couple extra and offered them up when ever I had one. Always water to drink, if it spilled no biggie, I’ve seen coanglers spill coffee/pop, yes it cleans up but how would you feel if someone hopped in your truck and spilled coffee all over the place. I actually had a co-angler one time that brought a big bag and a cooler and then spent more time eating than fishing during the day.
Chipping in for gas and bait is really appreciated, it’s expensive to prefish and participate in tournaments. If for some reason you choose not to chip in, just walk away, I actually had a co-angler tell me he would have chipped in for gas but my check was going to be bigger than his so he didn’t feel he needed to.
If you are using his gear make sure it is set up for you before you leave the dock in the morning, switching reel handles and stuff like that. Switch them back at the end of the day.
As the co angler….I let my boaters know exactly what my level of fishing was, don’t let pride get in your way be honest. If he has an option that works to your strengths it is that much better for both of you.
As the boater I asked what my coangler was good at and how they felt about the kind of fishing I was planning on for the day. By that I was able to provide the needed guidance to help them/us out.
It is okay to offer suggestions but don’t push the issue, I had a co-angler that questioned me all morning and finally I asked him what the odds were of us catching fish on “his spot”(he prefished by himself) and his reply was 50/50….we were on Leech, I told him you could throw a dart and have a 50/50 shot at catching a walleye on Leech which at least kept him quiet.
The biggest thing for me was if you sign up to fish a tourny take it seriously, focus on fishing, having a fun day on the water and do your best that is all a boater can really ask.
Forgot one other important thing…..tell the boater to give you a couple minutes notice if he is thinking about moving, that gives you time to get your gear stowed, lifejacket on, whiz or whatever so he isn’t waiting on you.
Great info guys, Just the kind of stuff I’m looking for. A couple of my buddies are first timers to so they will be following the thread also.
Good info guys, can’t help but think it’s great stuff for a ride-along with anybody. Nothing here but common courtesy that should be extended to any boater jerr
If the co-angler catches a fish, is it his? Or, does the boater claim it? I could see in some situations, like trolling break lines, where boat control catches the fish. Is it, if my rod catches the fish, it goes to my bag?
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If the co-angler catches a fish, is it his? Or, does the boater claim it? I could see in some situations, like trolling break lines, where boat control catches the fish. Is it, if my rod catches the fish, it goes to my bag?
You share the catch – the weight counts for both of you. That part is different than it is in Bass tournies.
I’ve often thought, putting together a letter like Pete Harshes letter to give the pro when you meet him could work well.
You could include things like – how well you can back in a boat, what you will plan to bring on board, maybe ask them to talk loud when speaking to you for things like – let’s reel up, pull the anchor, fishing instructions. Tell them the presentations you are good at, and be humble enough to let them know where you lack confidence in presentations. Let them know what you may need help with, and what you can do for them. Also add your cell phone number, in case they want to get in touch with you before the day starts, or after it ends. I’m sure there is more, but it could be effective to just write it down, and hand it to them.
In the NWT – the fish that are caught by both the Co-Angler and The Boater are counted together in the same bag – or tournament weight.
I know it has been said before – but hard work and focus go a long way! And approaching the experience as one to learn from, usually seems to be the best approach.
Also – Homemade cookies always work with me!
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Also – Homemade cookies always work with me!
Dean??
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In the NWT – the fish that are caught by both the Co-Angler and The Boater are counted together in the same bag – or tournament weight.
I know it has been said before – but hard work and focus go a long way! And approaching the experience as one to learn from, usually seems to be the best approach.
Also – Homemade cookies always work with me!
If I could fish with you, I’d bring all the cookies you wanted.. 
Al
HEY!
Everyone has had good pointers. I always showed up wearing my rain gear and all layers I might need. I would bring granola bars, a couple waters, and a gatorade. Start the day by asking the boater if they have any questions for you or if you can do anything.
My first co-angler event the boater told me the night before what we would be doing. I had never done it and I told him that. A short lesson the next day and 50+ fish to practice with, I learned a new technique and cashed a check.
If you want to make a boater mad, suggest things they could do different. It is against the rules for one and as the captain of the boat it drives me nuts when people second guess me. Don’t talk about fishing information with any other anglers.
If you lose a fish or mess up a net job, learn from it and move on.
Still no one has answered the original question of bringing your own rods and tackle, or is that a personal preference left up to the discretion of the pro?
Is it like a golf bag that can only have so many clubs? Is the boat limited on how many rods can be in it?
You can’t bring rods, reels, or tackle. That should be right in the rules. You have to use what they give you.
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You can’t bring rods, reels, or tackle. That should be right in the rules. You have to use what they give you.
Is there any particular reason for that?
Pay for gas and stay out of the way.
Help when asked, otherwise keep your mouth shut. ( During the day and about the fishing )
No GPS of spots.
Enjoy and learn as much as you can.
Dog
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Pay for gas and stay out of the way.
Help when asked, otherwise keep your mouth shut. ( During the day and about the fishing )
No GPS of spots.
Enjoy and learn as much as you can.
Dog
Which is why I would never even consider fishing with one.
Anyone that would treat me like that in their boat can 
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You can’t bring rods, reels, or tackle. That should be right in the rules. You have to use what they give you.
Is there any particular reason for that?
I found this in the NWT Rules:
“10. Boat operation
Pros will have control of boat operation and waters to be fished. Pros must provide all presentation equipment such as downriggers, planer boards, side planers, rods, reels, bait, line and terminal tackle for their own use and the use of their co-angler partners. With the exception of two rods and reels, co-anglers are not permitted to bring tackle into their pro’s boat without permission from the pro.”
I personally would prefer the co uses my gear – but have allowed them to bring a favorite rigging or jigging rod along – when it was compliant with the rules.
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Pay for gas and stay out of the way.
Help when asked, otherwise keep your mouth shut. ( During the day and about the fishing )
No GPS of spots.
Enjoy and learn as much as you can.
Dog
Keep your mouth shut, really. I hope I don’t end up with a pro like that. It will definitely ruin my interest in doing any more tournaments.
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Pay for gas and stay out of the way.
Help when asked, otherwise keep your mouth shut. ( During the day and about the fishing )
No GPS of spots.
Enjoy and learn as much as you can.
Dog
Keep your mouth shut, really. I hope I don’t end up with a pro like that. It will definitely ruin my interest in doing any more tournaments.
Yep. If someone told me that I would never fish another tournament again. That is NOT how it goes 99% of the time. I doubt there is a pro on the NWT circuit right now that would tell you to stay out of the way and shut up.
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HEY!
Didn’t I bring cookies last time we went?
Maybe not…I’ll correct that next time.
I looked into the pro am thing a ways back and I think there’s a lot of horror stories that get blown up well past what happened.
You talk to the guys who actually do it and most will say the Pro was a decent person, a lot depends on your attitude also.
Go with an open mind and ask all the questions you want before you actually hit the water, things will go much smoother imho
Al
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Pay for gas and stay out of the way.
Help when asked, otherwise keep your mouth shut. ( During the day and about the fishing )
No GPS of spots.
Enjoy and learn as much as you can.
Dog
Which is why I would never even consider fishing with one.
Anyone that would treat me like that in their boat can
I actually had this happen. It pretty much killed my enthusiasm for tournaments at the time.
Now before you jump in and say I probably deserved it, I’ll let you in on something else about this same guy. He was considered one of the favorites going in. His first day didn’t go to well and he had no shot at getting into the final round on day 3. (this was back in the days of the RCL)
I was pumped to fish with him knowing that he was a local with a great reputation for catching fish.
Over the phone we arranged to meet at the boat landing of day 2 and he was an hour late. We were the last boat thru the boat check by a good 5 mins and as he passed by the pier, he hit it with the side of his boat, which did some damage to his fiberglass and he blamed me for not preventing it. (I was tying up lines as directed by him and didn’t see it coming) Not to mention that if you actually drive like a pro, you wouldn’t hit the pier to begin with.
Anyway, as the day went on, he became a lot less grumpy. Probably because we had a pretty good day on the water and he actually moved up to the low 40’s and cashed a check.
Despite that one instance, as I look back, 95% of the pro’s I fished with that year were great guys to fish with and I did indeed learn something from every single one of them. And Mr. Grumpy, I actually learned one of the most valuable fish catching techniques I’ve ever used from him. That technique is still paying off to this day.
My take from all that, no matter the profession, there’s good and bad out there and that holds true even for professional fishermen. But by far, most of them were not only fun to fish with, but more than willing to share info and answer questions. It most definitely made me a better fisherman in the long run.
Sometimes you just have to take a bad experience for what it is and move on. In this case, I think the pro just had a bad first day and it got the better of him.
Anyone thinking about fishing as a co-angler, I’d say go for it. Your chances of having a similar experience are pretty slim.
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