NWT

[Weekender]

The co-anglers obviously enjoy the experience that they are receiving, otherwise they would not be signing up and spending their money on it. It is treated more so as a learning experience than it is a guided fishing trip..

 

[SerchforPerch]

I pre-fished with 3 different pros over the week leading up to the tournament, 2 of which stayed at my home for 10 days. I opted to not handle a rod for those days either to maximize the potential to learn, and boy did I ever. I filled in a lot of voids in my FFS game. All 3 of the guys finished in the top 12 and all of them ended up catching their fish for the tournament in under 18' of water and as shallow as 6. I don't disagree that some were deep as I did see it myself, but the entire field was not. The number of fish on the east end spread through the water column is staggering right now and it's really cool to be out there fishing. Jerk baits in 6' with these full-of-fire walleye is an awesome change of pace to the usual bottom bouncer or jig bite going on out deep as per years past.

Many of these Co's are also here to learn. Kristen Meyers, the CO for Issac the last 2 days was doing just exactly that and now has her 2nd iron trophy of the season and has made a lot of money doing it as well as bragging rights to being the first woman to win on the CO side in NWT history. Yes, it's a crapshoot on the Pro draw, but the wealth of knowledge gained is pretty incredible and you could tell by the questions she asked on the livestream, that she was perfectly content to be doing just that.
Nearly every Pro is having their CO do some sort of fishing if they choose to want to, so it's not like they can't, but you can expect to not be given first chance at the fish unless you are lighting it up, meaning if you have one on the screen and are getting ready to cast at it, the pro is likely moving on without you, you just adapt and keep plugging away.

Sounds like some big changes coming to the NWT with rumors all about, but I won't be surprised to see the co-angler becoming even more of a marshal, as per the rules, than a co-fisherperson. They now have a top 80 field locked in for 2027 knowing full well they may or may not get to even hold a rod.

Curious what more your learned that you already didnt know?

 

[Bauer]

Interesting info. Curious if you think a person would have any luck fishing that shallow bite if you didn't have FFS to locate the fish? In other words, would just cruising along casting the shallows be a fool's errand (for me)?

The common denominator seemed to be rock tips along the main lake

 

[Sluggo]

No bigger fool than one that does not try. Done it for years and years long before the advanced electronics. With the advent of side imaging it only made it easier to find targets to throw at.

Congrats. You are one of the few individuals I know that has had luck catching walleyes on Sak casting cranks in the shallows in August. Hats off to you!

 

[Kurtr]

Watching a couple of those guys up shallow throwing jerk baits catching fish was wild

 

[risingsun]

Congrats. You are one of the few individuals I know that has had luck catching walleyes on Sak casting cranks in the shallows in August. Hats off to you!

I guess I didn't realize you were talking about cranks. My bad. Jigs/nedrigs/worm/plastics for me.

 

[SLE]

Many of these Co's are also here to learn. Kristen Meyers, the CO for Issac the last 2 days was doing just exactly that and now has her 2nd iron trophy of the season and has made a lot of money doing it as well as bragging rights to being the first woman to win on the CO side in NWT history.

And this is the problem of what the co has become in the NWT. From a learning standpoint, it's a fantastic way to expand and hone your skills as an amateur. Hell most of the co's are better fishermen and women than I am; but to crown one a champion, collect a trophy and fat check because you happened to draw the right pro does nothing for the sport.

As someone that is competitive, it completely turns me off. To me this is worse than the "Everyone gets a trophy". If it's about learning, then all three days should've been random draw with a different pro, not line them up by order for the 3rd day so both #1s, #2s, ect. end up together and or potentially ending up with the same pro for multiple days; and then at the end, just put all the names in a hat and draw for the money because that's basically what they are doing anyway. There's zero part of this "competition" as a coangler that has anything to do with competitive fishing, and last I checked this is a fishing tournament at the highest level, yet all you have to do to be crowned a winner or champion as a co angler is pay the entry fee and show up, and that's just not right. With this being exposed at the highest level, it's an eye opner for those casual folks that tuned into this tournament.

It's hard to argue that FFS has become the demise of the co. As an angler that wants to get better, learn from the best sticks on the water, or learn the ropes of the NWT in hope of competing as a pro, its a good program and certainly helps keep the NWT going with new entrys and fisher people that may want to compete at this level. However, from a spectator side and competitive fishing standpoint, the NWT has to find a better way for the co's to compelte or ad something substantitive to be crowned a winner.

 

[SerchforPerch]

I pre-fished with 3 different pros over the week leading up to the tournament, 2 of which stayed at my home for 10 days. I opted to not handle a rod for those days either to maximize the potential to learn, and boy did I ever. I filled in a lot of voids in my FFS game. All 3 of the guys finished in the top 12 and all of them ended up catching their fish for the tournament in under 18' of water and as shallow as 6. I don't disagree that some were deep as I did see it myself, but the entire field was not. The number of fish on the east end spread through the water column is staggering right now and it's really cool to be out there fishing. Jerk baits in 6' with these full-of-fire walleye is an awesome change of pace to the usual bottom bouncer or jig bite going on out deep as per years past.

Many of these Co's are also here to learn. Kristen Meyers, the CO for Issac the last 2 days was doing just exactly that and now has her 2nd iron trophy of the season and has made a lot of money doing it as well as bragging rights to being the first woman to win on the CO side in NWT history. Yes, it's a crapshoot on the Pro draw, but the wealth of knowledge gained is pretty incredible and you could tell by the questions she asked on the livestream, that she was perfectly content to be doing just that.
Nearly every Pro is having their CO do some sort of fishing if they choose to want to, so it's not like they can't, but you can expect to not be given first chance at the fish unless you are lighting it up, meaning if you have one on the screen and are getting ready to cast at it, the pro is likely moving on without you, you just adapt and keep plugging away.

Sounds like some big changes coming to the NWT with rumors all about, but I won't be surprised to see the co-angler becoming even more of a marshal, as per the rules, than a co-fisherperson. They now have a top 80 field locked in for 2027 knowing full well they may or may not get to even hold a rod.

It also got me thinking about the role of the co-angler. Other than netting fish and hand feeding the “pro” a fresh nightcrawler, what meaningful role does the co-angler really have?

In professional golf, the caddie is expected to provide insight, read conditions, discuss strategy and help the player approach the next shot. In this format, it doesn’t seem like there’s much opportunity for the co-angler to contribute that kind of insight — or that the pro is necessarily looking for it. sure do get a badass participation trophy though.

But the bigger takeaway watching the "pros" live streamed for me was the fishing itself. These guys are absolutely covered in sponsorships promoting the latest and greatest fish-catching technology and then you watch a tournament get won by sharpshooting fish on FFS with a simple jig and nightcrawler.

 

[guywhofishes]

Interesting info. Curious if you think a person would have any luck fishing that shallow bite if you didn't have FFS to locate the fish? In other words, would just cruising along casting the shallows be a fool's errand (for me)?

Pitch bites are Sluggo’s dream come true.

 

[Kurtr]

It has been the same for the last 20 years. Co anglers never had any input on what to do they maybe reeled a fish in depending on if the pro trusted them with the net or not. You know what your getting into as a co angler its more or less gambling you draw the right pro and get to learn how to catch more fish

 

[OL Deadeye]

I think you guys are missing is the Gal makes really good Sammys and Coffee so all the Top Pros want her on their boat.

 

[shorthairsrus]

B.A.S.S. completely eliminated co-anglers from the Bassmaster Opens and Elite Qualifier (EQ) series starting in 2025 due to declining participation, fairness concerns, and the heavy reliance on forward-facing

The same thing will go on with NWT --- if they do not make the move someone will.

As search states above--- they covered from head to toe with sponsorships -- those sponsorships are going away. The $ going to social media and less to sponsor tournaments/pros. If i am a lure company i have seen the decline in income and i am spending less money. You have heard it on the bass side ---- KVD they are all starting to squeak. NWT will need to follow BASS and MLF re FFS to keep people interested. If your new to the sport or FFS --- but i am not and it bores me to watch.

This past tournament BASS and NWT were on the same days. Both you seen was backs of the anglers. But BASS had the NWT beat by both numbers of fish and weight for 5 day limits. Smallys no less. Day two i would of told a couple of the NWT anglers to focus on smallmouth to see if they could pickup some viewership.

 

[Traxion]

Co anglers will be around as long as there is demand. If you don’t like it, don’t sign up. It surely helps the series stay viable financially and the co anglers get to learn. I would be stressed as hell netting fish for them personally, but each to their own. I do agree that crowning a winner with the current setup is a little far fetched to me. But again, sign up if you want.

As for the comments about the gal and sandwiches, it sure shows where we’re at in the outdoors world. With declining participation I think it’s incredibly cool to see a gal who is interested enough to make that commitment. I’ve got a wife and two daughters who like to fish and are pretty good at it. I guess I’m in a different world where I don’t see them as sandwich makers.

The guys who are doing it right are like Hjelm. He’s tied in with solid sponsors, has an average joe way about him, but is in the right place and number of times on social media. He’s not everywhere selling everything. Just has his face on products he uses and has success. Some guys are trying too hard on social media and trying to make it a business. I really respect those that are mid profile and speak via results. The guys getting 80th each tourney but and all over selling shit don’t do much for me.

The NWT needs better coverage. It’s crazy to see how anglers have had to build the show themselves, via YouTube or live streaming. Tour level gold and such is awesome but the series needs to support the anglers more on their own to grow the sport.

 

[Kurtr]

I could care less about bass fishing but i have watched more this year because of ffs it makes it interesting vs watching some guy blind cast docks.

I watched more nwt than ever one because i have known Beau since he was born and he is a great kid that puts work in to be one of the best and watching them target big fish on ffs is interesting