Tournaments - How have you done/experiences? (Braggers needed!)

[Fishaholic]

I will be entering my first fishing tournaments this summer (A couple very modest bass tourneys and one of the ontario fishing kayak tourneys). I am curious to your experiences and who has been lucky/skilled enough to hit it big! Please, brag away!!! No boost is too big!!

1. Best finishes? Technique that carried you?

2. Won any great prizes?

3. Interesting tourney experiences/thoughts?

[Rod Caster]

My first and only tourney was a bass/walleye combo on Stoney Lake. I was invited onto someone elses boat. On our way back from pre-fish on Friday, the driver lost his lower-end on a stone. Tourney over...never entered one again.hahahaha

[lew]

We fished a couple on-line musky tournaments a few years ago, mostly against American teams, and did very well. The tournies ran from May till November and we fished once a month and the losing team from each group was eliminated.

 

The 1st year we beat out 45 other teams and came in 1st place, and the 2nd year we fished against 60 teams and came in 4th place.

 

There were no prizes other than bragging rights and it was a blast.

[OhioFisherman]

I fished in bass tournaments for 30 years, from 10 boats to 150 boats, every one was fun and different. I finished anywhere from first in some smaller tournaments to last, each though was a challenge.

 

I knew the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, JK, and also had a part in one where none of us er... experts caught a legal sized fish!

 

If I couldn't count on the fish? I could usually count on some laughs!

[glen]

Save yourself. Kick yourself in the stones until you forget about entering.

[Fishaholic]

Save yourself. Kick yourself in the stones until you forget about entering.

 

Hahaha, I'm looking at very low key tourneys. $50 buy in types. No expectations, although I do feel anyone can luck out on "biggest fish" prizes. I think I'd like the atmosphere/challenege and would be a good opportunity to learn from those who are more seasoned. I do imagine it is a bit of a zoo... perhaps the kayak tourneys will end up more appealing!

 

Lew, congrats!! That is some serious success! You should give big $$ musky tourneys a try!

 

 

[Tayzak15]

I am undefeated in my fishing tournament career

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have never entered a tournament LOL

[Twocoda]

2001 chinook chantry classic...1st place salmon and 4th place trout 30ish thousand in prizes

2001 owen sound salmon spectacular 4th place salmon prize board worth 3 or 4 hundred

2002 17th place salmon -prize board worth 3-4 hundred

2003 1 place salmon on kids day....trophy and a bicycle for my friends 4 year old son... he got the prizes i won his heart

2004-2006 lots of rods reels lures clothes etc ...nothing significant

2007 Fish kincardine salmon derby....20th place trout ....prize board worth the extreme hangover

2008 Fish Kincardine Salmon Derby...1st place salmon ...split 5 k with partner and a bunch of other prizes worth 3ish hundred

2008 - present...rods reels tackle etc

 

the secret to winning for me is to NOT try to win anything ...because when your fishing ...your already winning...anything else is just an unexpected bonus

 

im not much of a bragger so ill leave out the river stuff...

Edited April 7, 2013 by Twocoda

[Fishaholic]

Twocoda,

Nice success!! you don't happen to run a charter do you? 100% agree on the if you are fishing you are already winning!!

[Twocoda]

Twocoda,

 

Nice success!! you don't happen to run a charter do you? 100% agree on the if you are fishing you are already winning!!

 

 

 

nope....i dont like to mix biz with pleasure....i left out a very important one...last year was my first time playing along with the OFC touney....ended up in second place by a few inches....but made some kool friends...so another victory....i see your rather new ...next year sign up...you wont regret it...

Edited April 7, 2013 by Twocoda

[Old Ironmaker]

Twocoda,

 

Nice success!! you don't happen to run a charter do you? 100% agree on the if you are fishing you are already winning!!

 

 

 

Toucoda hit the nail on the head, it's not the fish catchin' it's the fishin'

 

In 2010 when I upsized the boat was able to get out to 7 mile reef here where the big girls hang out. Entered the 3 week Walleye tourney here and boated trophy bass for 2 weeks. Then entered the 1 day Bass tourney and you guessed it, 10lb, 7oz walley........

 

The rest aren't memorable except the fun, which is priceless.

[Garnet]

Top 5% Bass Tournaments all time in Ontario 30 years. Won walleye and Crappie tourmaments. Tiring to win a pike tournament just to say I did then I'm going to win a carp tournament just to say I did.

 

To win you really need to just want it. If you arn't winning you aren't working hard enough.

[fish_fishburn]

Was about 10 yrs ago and was into tourney fishing pretty heavy. A buddy calls me on a friday afternoon and asks if I want to fish a local tourney on the weekend (2 day tourney). I'm a largie, hes a smallie fisherman. Decide to do it so a big panic friday evening to get ready. Sitting on the water before blast off and he says call it what are we going after. I call largies. They were on. after day one we were in second place down by 1.5 lbs fishing against 100 teams.

 

Day 2 at blast off I figured boats would be following us so we headed in the opposite direction on the river until things settled down then took off to the same spot we fished the day earlier. Sweet no one there and had the whole 50 acre bay to ourselves. They were on again and had the first fish in the well in 10 minutes. Had our limit in 2 hrs then spent the rest of the day culling ounces. One hour to go and I tell my buddy to throw his bait by a rock that looked really fishy. He does and bamm he gets bit and we put a 5.5lber in the boat. were jumping up and down hi fiving, it was amazing. Pack up our stuff and head to the weigh in a half hour run away.

 

Half the field had already weighed in before us and we went into 1st place and also 1st place for big fish. The team that was ahead of us on day one waited to be last to weigh in and the suspense was killing us as we sat in the beer tent. Then they finally weighed in and ended up about 4 lbs behind us. We won. After 20 yrs of fishing this tourney we finally did it. 1000.00 for big fish of the day and 10,000.00 for finishing first. Still remember it like it was yesterday. The beer flowed free that night.

[Rich]

Go with your gut.

 

Ignore the other anglers.

 

Look at the lake as a new lake every time, and pretend you're the only boat there.

 

Where you think there is bass, there is. Find a way to catch them. Don't move until you're you've exhausted every technique you can think of.

 

Have confidence in every cast.

 

Good luck!

[mike rousseau]

I just started focussing on tournaments....

 

It is a whole different way of fishing and mentality....

 

I love it.. Love the pressure.... Love the reward... Love the learning...

 

And it feels good knowing you did it better xxxx other anglers that day...

 

In the limited tournaments I've fished I've always been in top 10 and most I was top 5.... But I'm working really hard to consistently be in the top 3... I think once your winning money more often then not.... Then your doing really well...

[beagle dad]

fished many bass and walleye tournaments over the years in the kawarthas since the OV BASS TOURNAMENTS back in the 80's

have won my share of both

I can assure u that since the 1 day tounaments started that some luck is involved

but luck has nothing to do with the fact that same guys are top ten week after week

practice,lure where the fish are when they are there..you will do well if you follow this

just remember your chances go way down if you hook fish too close to tournament day

[Luke V.]

For me I think tournaments are all about attitude and preparation.

Studying the body of water weeks in advanced. Watching the weather and forecast and then actually practicing on that body of water.

The more prep the more confidence you can have that the fish will b where you think they are.

It's all about knowing that you can get bit on the very next cast and that fish will be a game changer

 

For my limited tournament experience I placed 2nd of 25 just 8oz behind the winner and I had big fish last fall out on Erie

 

My first I bombed. New water no practice placed in 25th of 50

 

This year I will be doing 10-15 tournaments all from the back of other people's boats.

Should be a great learning experience!

 

Good luck (sometimes that's what it comes down too)

[Fishaholic]

I can assure u that since the 1 day tounaments started that some luck is involved

beagle,

 

That is why I'm targeting one day tourney's this year! While I'm working hard at getting better, I know I don't have a chance to win big in any sizeable/multi day/multi fish tourney... yet.

 

Luke,

Are you a member of a bassmasters? Friends?How are you doing 10-15 tourney's from the back of other people's boats? Is there an easy way to become a co-angler? What a great learning opportunity.

 

[bigmac1984]

Look at joining a local club. I got my start in tournaments a few years ago in the CBAF, its really cheap to enter tournaments, and if you don't have a boat you get paired up with someone. You fish all kinds of lakes, and for a non-boater, the fee is only $100 ($40 to enter the tournament, $60 for the non-boater fee). If you are a boater, the $60 that the non-boater pays covers your entry.

 

There are also regular meetings which you learn and talk to some of the best anglers in Ontario who come and do guest speaking. Its alot of fun and the people are great, always willing to help.

[musky_hunter]

Look at joining a local club. I got my start in tournaments a few years ago in the CBAF, its really cheap to enter tournaments, and if you don't have a boat you get paired up with someone. You fish all kinds of lakes, and for a non-boater, the fee is only $100 ($40 to enter the tournament, $60 for the non-boater fee). If you are a boater, the $60 that the non-boater pays covers your entry.

 

There are also regular meetings which you learn and talk to some of the best anglers in Ontario who come and do guest speaking. Its alot of fun and the people are great, always willing to help.

+1 for CBAF, great guys and you learn fast.

[grt1]

When the Red Lake Fall Classic was first announced I wanted to participate in some way, so I joined the organizing committee. I spent 5 years on that and it was extremely rewarding and frustrating. It was rewarding by getting to meet a pile of new anglers and learning some of their secrets to catching big fish and it was frustrating in the way the local business community would not support it .

 

After the time on the organizing committee, I started fishing the tournament and have had a number of partners. I have had a great time fishing with new friends and my family members during the tournament. I have a competition for bragging rights with my oldest son as to who finishes the highest in the standings (I've never beat him) and the whole season leading up to the tournament every guy you meet on the lake one of the questions asked is "are you doing the tournament this year?"

 

Even though it costs $350 to enter and probably another equal amount for gas and minnows on the tournament days, I find it a relatively cheap ways to meet and make fishing friends.

[jedimaster]

I have fished a bass series for the last 3 or so years and have fished a number of one off type tournaments prior. We have won several, had big fish a few times and even come close to getting skunked. The one piece of advice I would give is if you are a patient person, focus on getting your limit consistently. When you can locate, present and boat fish in the right size you will then be set to start culling.

Typically I would hit a few big fish spots right off the bat. If blast off is 7am, We will have moved on from big fish spots before 9am. If we hit a couple good ones 3+pounds first off we will stick around and wok that pattern. If anything goes wrong at the beginning we will focus on getting our limit. Once we hit our limit we will then make a game time decision weather to go back to our big fish spots or continue on. If it looks like a tough day on the water sometimes getting 5 2 pounders is all it takes to get you in the money. Several times we have culled fish in the dyeing seconds to get us in the money. This will happen a fair bit. Don't give up. If you have your limit you have a chance until the final second. Make every second count. Keep a bait in the water at all times. I have caught 4 and 5 pounders while dead sticking and having a pee break, lunch break, retying another lure etc... I have even heard of guys hitting the big fish on a spinner bait hanging off the side of the boat.

Don't be afraid to change it up during a tournament if you have caught anything. Once tourney we won we didn't have a single fish by 11am. We made a few changes and hit water we were sure had fish and before we knew it we had 15 pounds in the boat.

[Luke V.]

beagle,

 

That is why I'm targeting one day tourney's this year! While I'm working hard at getting better, I know I don't have a chance to win big in any sizeable/multi day/multi fish tourney... yet.

 

Luke,

Are you a member of a bassmasters? Friends?How are you doing 10-15 tourney's from the back of other people's boats? Is there an easy way to become a co-angler? What a great learning opportunity.

 

Yes. I am a member of the St. Catharines bassmasters.

We have 9 club tournaments this year plus there are lots of open tournaments on Lake Erie I hope to be fishing with friends.

 

Enter as a non-boater, random draw to be paired with a boater.

Some tournaments are single events (biggest 4 fish) some are team (5 fish between you and your boater) and we are doing one mixed bag tournament (3 largemouth 2 smallmouth)

 

Lots of fun. Great people. Great connections

Tight lines

[LeXXington]

I do a couple tournaments a year. Best I did was (2nd) in Fish Kincardine Salmon derby nice payout .

 

Love the challange, working your skills and the rush of putting a big fish in the box.

 

You have to be dedicated, prepared and willing to work to win.

[ohhenrygsr]

Save yourself. Kick yourself in the stones until you forget about entering.

LOL Oh Glen