Choosing a Fishing Partner – Be Carful By Bernard Williams

I’ve often wondered how other fishermen select their fishing partners. Some of you have no choice; you got to take the wife, son or daughter. They can become great partners if they possess a few of the qualities I’ll mention below.

I interviewed a focus group of about 10 people. They all agreed on some of the qualities; some even came up with some I never realized. So here we go, this is what my candidates said.



David McWilliams, Professional Tournament Fisherman, said, “If your partner and you are not on the same page when it comes to pre-fishing, it’s not going to work. If they’re simply out there to Meat Fish, y’all better go your separate ways.” “Trust and honesty plays a major part in a team relationship. If your partner constantly lies, you don’t need that person as a friend or partner.”

Kim Gray, Tournament Fisherman, Professional Crappie Guide, Grenada MS., says, “Your partner needs to have your back. You should work together. You’ve got to agree to disagree and still get alone with each other. You got to believe in the team and teamwork. It’s got to be 100/100. 50/50 just don’t get it.” Kim’s business and tournament partner Vic Finkley says, “My partner is super, she has two-times the hand-eye coordination that I have. I’m 74 years old, Kim is 40; age makes a big difference. She can back a trailer faster and better than I can; she has the energy I don’t have. I’ve had tons of partners and she’s by far the best; she’s a blessing.”

Brad Taylor, Tournament Fisherman, Professional Crappie Guide, Greenville MS., says “You’ve got to be dedicated and willing to try new techniques. A good partner needs skills at reading fish behavior.”
Kenneth Middleton, MCC President says, “PARTNERship is the key-word. You should spell out upfront, what each person responsibilities. You should get a good understanding what your plans are for the season; will we compete for a title or just have fun fishing. Pick someone with a positive attitude; no second-guessing at the end of the day.”



Alabama Crappie Guide and Tournament Fisherman Brad Whitehead says, “Your partner should own his/her own boat, live close to you, and should have an opinion or idea when the fish are not biting.”
Lance Evans, Mississippi Guide and Tournament fisherman says, “A positive attitude is a necessity; have a love for the sport and have patience when the fish are not biting; age doesn’t matter. A good partner should be willing to fish under bad weather conditions.”

Jimmy Smith, Veteran Tournament Angler says, “Be dependable and split the expenses on each trip. A good partner should shake the winners hand and say congratulations regardless of your finish.”
Long-Time Bass and Crappie Tournament Fisherman Johnny Walker says, “You can’t have two dominate personalities on a team; just won’t work. Partners must serve other and respect each other. You’ve got to be able to follow each other’s gut feelings.”

Kent Driscoll, B’n’M Pro-Staff Manager, Veteran Tournament Angler says, “Be humble win or lose; be open minded and flexible, respecting each other’s opinion. Feed on each other’s strengths and weaknesses; be able to predict each other’s body language and next moves. Finally, be a true friend and have complete trust in that person.”

So there you have it; the pros have spoken. I will now share my comments and thoughts:

• A Positive Attitude – My partner, Don Terry of Jackson is a Professional Bass Fisherman and Crappie tournament fisherman. Every tournament his favorite saying is “Hey buddy, let’s go win this thing”. No matter what the weather or fishing conditions he always has an attitude that we can do well. He keeps me from panicking near the end of the day. “All we need is two more, we can do it”. That settles me down and keeps me focused on the task at hand.
• Carry Your Share of the Load – We split the expenses. We never keep score; if I’m short on funds or he’s short on a particular trip; the other person will take up the slack. I’ve gotten in his truck with less than $5 to my name; it never stopped the show. The same way with me; if he’s running low, I’ll take care of the expenses. We don’t take advantage of each other. The worst thing partners can do is try to keep score on what each contributes.

• Value Each Other’s Opinion – Sometimes our discussions (arguments) become heated; we never hit below the belt. We stay on point when discussing our fishing strategies. Don loves Long-Lining and Pulling Cranks and I do too; however there are times when the fish don’t want either of these strategies; when I explain my view, Don will make the adjustment. Being a veteran bass fisherman, he knows you need multiple tactics. We follow each other’s gut feelings.
• Develop a Lasting Friendship – A fishing partner should be your friend. You’re spending hours on the water and it needs to be enjoyable. Don and I joke and kid each other all day long. We enjoy each other’s company as much as we do the fishing. We don’t endanger each other; we believe it’s better to call the dogs one day and be able to fish another day. We value our friendship to the point sometimes our wives get a little envious.
• Honesty – My partner is one of the most honest guys I’ve ever met. We don’t believe in breaking any laws or rules. He has something called character; doing the right thing when no one’s looking. Don has distaste for poachers and poaching; his philosophy is the wildlife does not belong to a person; you have no right to over-fish, over-hunt or sell it. He has the upmost respect for the outdoors.
• Humility – A good partner should not be arrogant; they must have a certain amount of meekness and humility. You should be willing to shake the winner hand and congratulate them after a lost. Don says, “To be a good winner, you got to know how to be a good looser.”
• No Captain / 1^st Mate – We fish primarily out of my boat; we ride in his truck most of the time. When we’re fishing it’s our equipment. We never pull rank. This is very important to keep the team together. It’s true that’s there’s no “I” in TEAM. We serve each other. I’m 13 years younger than Don; I know he’s been a completive fisherman longer than I have. He has knowledge of situations that I’ve never encountered. I value his fishing skills to the highest.
• Forget the Small Stuff – My partner and I have at times gotten frustrated with each other. Kind of like most siblings do. Our solution is to go away and calm down; we’ll forget and forgive each other. It never comes up again. No apologies are needed; we just shake the dust off and move on. When I look back on what caused the frustration, it’s usually something so small it doesn’t make any difference.
• Don’t Talk Behind Each Other’s Back – If I have an issue with my partner; it’s with him and no one else. It does absolutely no good for me to tell someone else about our problems. We address them with each other and no one else.

I could go on and on but I think you get the picture. I’ve seen great fishing teams split up for trivial stuff. You’ve got to have thick skin; unimportant, insignificant, trifling or minor stuff must be thrown out the window for a good team to survive.

It’s kind of like a marriage; in order for a partnership or team to survive, both teammates must put forth effort, respect each other, and have each other’s back. So my advice to all when looking for a fishing partner; you need to learn how to be a good partner yourself before you can find one.

By Bernard Williams, Outdoor Writer & Photographer