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

[anders]

1998 - 1st Wawa Salmon derby

 

Last 2 years won big fish on during pre-tournament derby

[ohhenrygsr]

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?

 

 

Hey Minnow,

 

I started tournament fishing when I was 18, Thought I knew everything boy was I wrong lol. I started with my local B.A.S.S chapter as a non-boater learned a lot from every boat I hopped into. There is a lot of smaller tourney's around the Kawartha areas. Check out Ontario Out of doors, they will host a couple of fun tourney's through out the year.

 

I found out quickly that having multiple rods will cut down on tying lures, Having a culling system is great so you know which fish to cull.

 

My best advice is keep your line in the water as much as possible and eat between runs lol. Always stay hydrated!!! I usually scout out my fishing spots prior to tourney time and label them ABC... I do a loop of all my spots and continue to do it throughout the day. Hope this helps

[Harrison]

If you enter high money tournaments with the expectations of having fun and learning the system / gaining experience in a T environment, while most likely dontaing all your entry fees, expenses, and time for the first couple years - you are ahead of the game IMO. Anything else is a bonus.

 

Like Garnet said, it is WORK. Fun Work, but work. Harder you work the better you are.

 

The guy beside me in my avatar is arguably one of the best tournament anglers in Canada and others I know and fished with who are always near the top (Garnet included) work their butts off year round.... on and off the water!

 

Tournaments are meant to be fun, .. once that stops... so should tournaments. They are not a means to put food on your table.

 

Once my girls get a bit older and I can invest the proper amount of time to be competitive agian, I'll be back in the game.

Edited April 9, 2013 by Harrison