Limit First or 5 Bites?

Sinjin Kim · Post by **Sinjin Kim** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:41 am

There were two articles featured on the home page of this site. The first article suggested most tournament anglers should use tactics that catch numbers and hope to catch a kicker fish in the mix.

On the flip side of things, Gary Dobyn's article suggested the complete opposite. In his article, he mentioned "fishing chicken" resulted in a downward spiral in his tournament placings.

So let me ask, do you go after a limit first and then seek a kicker fish with swimbaits, big jigs, deepwater C-Rigging with larger plastics etc...?

Or, are you looking for 7-8 bites a day.

I understand lakes such as Mead is all about catching a limit, but my question pertains to our SoCal reservoirs and northern bodies of water such as the Delta and Clear Lake.

I know there is going to a lot of "it depends" replies, but I am merely speaking in general. You pre-tournament (the night before approach). If there were fish feeding on the top, you bet I would go for a quick limit and then fish deeper for larger fish.

ash · Post by **ash** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 6:46 am

Sinjin,

My buddy and I were talking about this the other day after a tournament I could have gone up to second if I would have made the choice to go find limit fish. This just isnt my style of fishing. I want the best 5 bites I can get and work areas that are condusive for this. I primarily stick to the jig with the philosophy of my Three Jig fish beat your 5 dropshot fish.

The downside is sometimes I dont get first place, the upside is I am usually in the top five! (I fish a large clube tournament of 25 boats) I enjoy fishing this way it suites me.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule - but typcially for me if its a tough day I want the BEST bite I can get if its a wide open day I want the BEST 5 I can get. Sometimes its Saturday hero, Sunday Zero....but no regrets!

Bassin · Post by **Bassin** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 8:04 am

Thanks for a great Thread Mr. Kim!

Here in my (limited) knowledge is the way I would think of it....

As I am looking at it, there are three categories:

Front of the boat (Boater)

Back of the boat (Non-boater)

And Team Event.

For the front of the boat: in a Pro/am type event I would think that one would be targeting both a Kicker fish and a limit at the same time. This would depend ofcourse on his(or her) pre fish. Meaning he(or she) might have "practice" knowledge of big fish in that particular area. Then with that knowledge, he or she would be throwing big baits for those "5 bites".

Now for the back of the boat: in a pro/am type event I would think that going for a limit would be top priority.

Team events: I have always been told and read that the most successful teams out there use a system of one guy goes for the Kicker fish and the other goes for a limit.

Oldschool · Post by **Oldschool** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 8:20 am

Your best chance to catch a big bass is to fish for them when they are the most active, then target the esaier to catch school size, when the big bass are less active. The timing should correspond to basses activity level, not the time of day.
How you determine what actvity level the bass are in, on that particular lake during whatever seasonal period it may be, requires time on the water. What lure and presentation you choose to use depends on how deep the bass are feeding and what prey they are targeting.
My old saying is that you must fish for big bass to catch them consistantly, has proven to be true for a very long time. The key for a tournament fisherman is knowing when to fish for them. For a trophy bass fisherman the choices are a lot easier.
Tom

big_gorilla · Post by **big_gorilla** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:43 am

Sinjin,

Let me start off by asking you this. How many tournaments are won without a limit? Not to many. It does happen, but not to often.

I have often said that I will put my five against anybody's fish and let the chips fall where they may. Once I get my five in the boat I will work on upgrading it with different baits whether it be jigs, crankbaits or swimbaits.

Lots of people think drop shottting catches small fish but you would be surprised to see how many big fish are caught on a drop shots.

What this really boils down to is fish your strengths. Like Hawghunter said he like to fish a jig and everybody knows jigs catch big fish. Fish hard and keep any open mind and you will never have any regrets.

Nice thread!

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:45 am

swing for the fences...

Ray L. · Post by **Ray L.** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:25 am

Depends on the lake, time of year on down the line.
Clear Lake 5 bites
Delta 5 bites
Pyramid limit with a kicker
D.V.L. 5 bites
Castaic 8 to 9 fish usually puts you in the money. A lot of fish usually means a small limit
Havasu 7 big bites for me is all I want
Mead, limit
As you can see a lot depends on the lake, time of year, species you are targetting on down the line.

wccjanel · Post by **wccjanel** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:53 am

After my experience, and that's all I have to base anything on, I have come to the following conclusions:

1. Don't quit your day job to go on tour with "Pay-to-Play" type of tournaments.
2. Since you listened to number 1, you have a day job, so go for it. It's like Final Jeopardy - you came in with nothing - so bet it all.
3. If you already quit your day job, don't have one, or you ignored number 1, fish for a check. Do whatever you are comfortable with to ensure that you are in contention for money from somewhere; big fish, top 10%, bonus from sponsors, whatever. Don't leave the water without some form of money. Remember you don't have any other income.
4. Assess where you are. Some lakes you can catch that fifth fish in the final hour, some you have to have a limit by 11:00AM. This can also be by season, not just by location. Lake Mead; you usually need a starter limit. Clearlake; you need five big bites. Although I believe in fishing to the last minute, that does not mean I always want to. There's a fine line between drama and stress.
5. If you fish for broke, be willing to accept that sometimes you get broke.
6. When Gary Dobyns speaks, I listen. What he says may not apply to me, but he knows what he is talking about.

Just the opinion from a guy that had to sell off his rig to save his house, because he went for the win where he should have fished for money.

God Bless,
James

DanWarme · Post by **DanWarme** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:32 am

Depends on the water, time of year, weather conditions, yada, yada, yada.

The basis of my decision is this: What is the bite like?
If everybody is catching fish, a limit ain't gonna do much for you. You need quality and you need as much time as you can get to target them.

On the other hand is the bite miserably bad? Have seen tournaments where 5 little ones will get you a check or even 1st place.

Is the lake famous for big stringers? I weighed 5 for 15# at clear lake one day and was in the bottom 10 of the field. (Luckily I redeamed myself the next day.)

Bottom line is there is a time and a place for everything. that's why versitility is mandatory to do well in tournaments anymore. The days of the one trick pony are long gone for long term tournament
success. It will boil down to who makes the best decisions through out the season combined with talent.

If you are fishing the west in late march through early may, you can figure that most guys are on the fish and it will take heavy weight to do well. Conversely, if it is the dead of winder and you have cold muddy water to fish, there are going to be a lot of goose eggs on the board. My advice to start is play the averages. What will it take to win? 25-35# or more? Then what good is that little limit going to do you?

6# put you in the running? Then it becomes a little trickier. One good fish could do it, or 5 squeekers. Which are you more likely to do that day on that body of water at that time of year? Mead? go for the limit. Castaic or the delta, a single bite is very doable, although neither of those bodies of water get won with 6 pounds usually.