Tournament Tips

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Jonnysig
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Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:01 pm

Tournament Tips

Post by Jonnysig »

I cant take it anymore. I read every article I can find, watch every show on tv and I still struggle. I'm not saying I want all the answers because thats not it. I know that if I want to be a better fisherman I have to put in the work. But what I am tired of is trying to find the education through writings and recordings and still feeling lost. So I figured who better to ask than the fisherman themselves.

I have been fishing tournaments for a few years now mostly as a back seater. This is my first year as a boater and man what a difference. Making decisions on your own can get tricky. I am at a slight disadvantage because I have a small boat, small motor, old school depth finder, etc... not complaining. Absolutely love my first rig. Its a great starter. Anyways like I said first year fishing as a boater and I am certainly struggling. I thought I would ask everyone what their best bit of advice would be for a beginner tournament fisherman. I mainly have trouble finding the fish. Do you guys have any good info youd like to share that you picked up in your beginning years? I made a deal with myself that I would study bass biology more to better understand where they might be throughout the year.

Anyway if you could give a first time tournament boater one piece of advice what would it be???

Thanks dudes!
jc351
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by jc351 »

Where do you fish mainly?
Jonnysig
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by Jonnysig »

Live near CFW so naturally I spend some time there. Perfect example. Found nice schools of fish that were big and fat and eating a jig real good. Thought I was on to something good and then I was never able to find them again. Tried shallower, deeper, secondaries, etc... Completely lost them. I realize thats fishing and just the way it is. But I want to get better at maybe re-locating them and staying on them better.

To answer your question our club fishes CFW, Bullards, Folsom, Clear Lake, and Oroville mostly.
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Austen
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Location: San Carlos, CA

Re: Tournament Tips

Post by Austen »

One thing i have learned fishing tournaments this year is fish your strengths ! Just because you hear fish are being caught on dartheads and tubes doesn't mean you have to throw em . Stick with the baits YOU are comfortable with and that you think you can get em with. Confidence is huge on tournament day.

just my .02
littlebailey
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Location: Lake Casitas/ Havasu/ Clearlake

Re: Tournament Tips

Post by littlebailey »

I know in my first few years the key for me was to just go fishing. I tend to over think a lot of details thru out the day and if i just settle down and keep my line wet everything starts to fall into place. This is what i do the day before a derby. I make a plan of what i think is going happen for the first half of the day. I stick to that plan no matter what goes on. Weather, watching people catch em, whatever it may be stick to your plan and give it time. If i cant get anything to transpire or even get a clue about what they are doing on that given day by noon, ill abandon ship and start covering water with a favorite bait. A bass is a bass and to over think gets you in trouble most of the time. Stay calm, stick with your plan and cross your fingers. Its fishing and they dont always bite, but the guys that can make them bite set themselves apart from the field. Good luck!
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Rod Martin
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by Rod Martin »

lot of time on the water. When I lived on the water, I won a lot(even as a backseat). I got busy with life and started doing less fishing. It showed in a hurry.
Dont beat your fish up with to much time on them with the same baits you plan on throwing on game day.
And with a small boat fish smarter , less running , more fishing. When I had a large boat big motor I could fish don pedro from one end to the other, move a lot and still have a lot of hook in the water time. With a small boat pick a smaller part of the lake to concentrate on and fish it as if it were the whole lake, if not sometimes you end up chasing your tail.

Good luck with your fishing
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Jonnysig
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Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:01 pm

Re: Tournament Tips

Post by Jonnysig »

Thanks everyone for all the good info so far. I really like the idea of picking a part of the lake and fishing it completely. Like its a small lake itself.
J. Walker
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Location: Ukiah, CA

Re: Tournament Tips

Post by J. Walker »

I started fishing tournaments a few years ago and also started in a small boat. I got started primarily fishing spotted bass lakes - Shasta & Oroville and my biggest challenge (and still is) is going from there to Clear Lake or the Delta. Completely diffrent water and fish and always felt like I was chasing them and could never stay on them.

My best advice is study the water, spend as much time as possible on the water and throw what you have confidence in on that body of water. Have a game plan, but don't be afraid to abandon the plan when you fish for hours without a bite. Try not to get frustrated, I've screwed myself up in the head too many times doing this, if you do it's game over.
FATGUY
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by FATGUY »

when i was younger a fisherman gave me a quick line that just about covers everything

GO EARLY..STAY LATE .. that covers it ..
ChuckP
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 1:09 pm

Re: Tournament Tips

Post by ChuckP »

This is mostly philosophy, but it is important.

The last cast of the day should be made with the same intensity as the first cast!!
Know your limitations. Pace yourself. Stay 100% until last cast of the day.
Do what works for you all day.

You MUST focus on how to adjust as your priority.
Think only about how to do your best under the current conditions. You can't change conditions.
First, get your mind right. Then adjust.
It will usually be a different every time, so think it through.
There is a way.
The only reasonable goal is correct execution.

The day after a tournament, whether you did well or not, review how you did looking for mistakes to correct.
Never allow yourself to be trapped by result oriented thinking.
Actual outcome may not depend on how well you executed.
Luck is always a major factor in this sport.
Ask only "did I do everything correctly considering?".
If the answer is yes then there is nothing more to think about. You did well.
Richard - Sonora
Posts: 254
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Swimbaits Changed The Whole Equation!!

Post by Richard - Sonora »

While I am not a swimbait fisherman by and large, I have been directly affected by those who are. Typically, the guy who does not heave (yes, heave) swimbaits and is efficient and effective with the other techniques stands to be overshadowed by the one-bite folks.
Consider this....... Say you found areas that hold fish, chose those offerings that got bites, adjusted techniques and presentations as the day progressed, put a limit in the box and, if possible, culled up your total weight. You get to the weigh-in and get beat by a fellow who got one bite all day! Who was the better fisherman that day? I think I know!! Bet you do, too.
Moral - be content with your own personal performance. If you put yourself in the right places and perform you will both put fish in the boat and achieve considerable satisfaction.
And......when you are able to beat the one-bite guys by sustained, effective use of multiple techniques, you will prove yourself to others.
It happens. I know the feeling well.
Richard - Sonora
Kevin Evans - Kap
Posts: 610
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Location: Santa Clara, CA

Re: Tournament Tips

Post by Kevin Evans - Kap »

littlebailey wrote:I know in my first few years the key for me was to just go fishing. I tend to over think a lot of details thru out the day and if i just settle down and keep my line wet everything starts to fall into place. This is what i do the day before a derby. I make a plan of what i think is going happen for the first half of the day. I stick to that plan no matter what goes on. Weather, watching people catch em, whatever it may be stick to your plan and give it time. If i cant get anything to transpire or even get a clue about what they are doing on that given day by noon, ill abandon ship and start covering water with a favorite bait. A bass is a bass and to over think gets you in trouble most of the time. Stay calm, stick with your plan and cross your fingers. Its fishing and they dont always bite, but the guys that can make them bite set themselves apart from the field. Good luck!
+1,Thats my approach even alot today because of my lack of tow and not be able to prefish.

Kap
You cant fix stupid, but you can vote it out...
SJL
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by SJL »

I think fishing as a non boater in a pro am style tournamnet provides the quickest learning curve. I fished pro am's as a non boater for 4 years and wished I would have fished for 10.

Fishing Shasta and Oroville is completely different than fishing Clear lake or the Delta. You can easily draw some of the best spotted bass fishermen in the state during these events. You get an inside look at their equipment, baits, and most important their mental approach to each situation. The strategies you can learn at a spot lake can typically be applied to other spotted bass lakes in California. Knowing where to find spotted bass during various weather patterns and seasons is a big part of the puzzle. Don't get overly focused on baits, keep it simple and focus on catching. Pick your favorite spotted bass bait (dart head, tube, DS) and just catch. From there you can fine tune things, develop a pattern and so on. I often fish with friends who don't have much spot experience and they always try to fish the lake like they are fishing for LM. Spots and LM are a different breed.

With that said, the same theory above holds true when you focus on fishing for LM's on CL or the Delta. Imagine drawing a pro partner at CL who is on a wide open big swimbait bite. The knowledge you can obtain is priceless. Or if you draw a guy on the delta who is consistently on 30 lb bags. Even some of the industries guides can't give you this instruction.

It sounds easy but without time on the water to dial in the mentality, confidence and mechanics, the lessons learned may be lost. I can attest that I used to fish every week 2-3 times a week. That time on the water had me so confident and my mind was right. Now I get on the water maybe 2 times a month and I always feel I am starting back at ground zero!
mike at robo
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by mike at robo »

Don't listen to dock talk !!!! Or if you do do exactly the opposite , that would be the real bite . But seriously , when I go fishing ruler number one ... HAVE FUN !!! Sounds simple but it is the way I start every trip . Try a new technique , a different lure , bring a different sandwich ! Be open minded about what's going on around you . Another thing is fish with as many different people as you can . To this day every time I fish with someone different I learn something NEW ! No matter there skill level . Take something away from every trip you take . I've learned a lot from some of worst fishing days . There isn't a single piece of advice I can give you , but if I had to pick one technique it would be.worm fishing . Day in day out they catch more fish than any other bait . Drop shot , Texas rig , split shot , c- rig , catching fish does a lot for your confidence and helps with feel for other baits . Good luck !!!!!!!
elfish16
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by elfish16 »

biggest tools I've found to help me is fishing calmly and have fun! don't get all tensed up and emotional when fishing. I did that the last couple years and it killed me. If a bite wasn't transpiring as I'd like I'd get worked up and then fall apart.

Set yourself up with a couple techniques you can catch fish on no matter what, a drop shot, split shot or jig...and always have those in the back of your mind as your fall backs.

Like Littlebailey said in his post, if you have a game plan, stick it out until it doesn't work. Then fall back on your go to baits and go to spots.

catch 5 to stay alive!

Have fun and be relaxed...ignore the other anglers out there. its all about you and the fish. You can't stop what the other boats are doing, so don't let them catching fish get in your head. Stick to your guns and you will catch them!
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mrobinett
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by mrobinett »

Try fishing some night tournaments or go out at night. I'm just a mid level tournament fisherman who is in the money now and then. By fishing at night, your senses get much more honed as to what your bait is actually doing or not doing.It doesn't matter whether your worming or cranking, any little subtle feel that's different means something. For me, that has carried over to day tournies as to what the baits are doing or not doing.
jloo283
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by jloo283 »

Last year was my first year as a boater. I fished about 20+ tournaments, 13 in my club, the Alemeda sherrif's, one WRL delta wine, 4 Hook, one Pro teen, and few more fun ones I can't recall. I've won a few, placed high enough in some, and lost most of them. I kept notes of every outing and found the following to be true.

1) When I won or placed high, my notes show I went out 2-3 times a week, one of which was just a day or two prior to the tournament. I had a written game plan developed the day before based on all the outings and research (weather, fishing reports, tides, etc...), knew exactly where I was going to go, how I was going to fish, what I was going to use where, how long I was going to stay at each spot, etc... On the day of the tournament, most of my predictions came true, found a fish or 2 from each spot, limiting early, which kept me confident and focused, culled, and hence the good results.

2) The ones I did bad, my notes show I went out just once a week, typically the weekend prior, did not have a written game plan, didn't throughly do my research, confused about where to start, what to use, how long to stay at each spot (or leave), not getting the right results on the day of, not catching a limit early and in some cases not even catching any for a long time, feeling anxious, fishing too fast, not confident, unfocused. I remember thinking Where are they, what should I do next, should I leave, stay, let me try this and that, oh no I've only got 1.5 hr left, only got one so far, etc... throughout the day. By the end of the day, I must have tried just about everything in my boat, covered a lot of water without any bite from most spots, maybe stumbled upon a barely keeper right before the weigh-in. I actually went blank 2 of the 20+ tournaments (did catch some short fish though) after having done all this the entire day!

So that's been my experience as a first year boater that I documented. I think it applies to any water or condition, regardless of the level of tournaments and the anglers you're fishing against.

James
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Gary Dobyns
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by Gary Dobyns »

Lots of great advice here. SJL really hit some great points. Keep things fun and fairly simple. I think many anglers make it too hard. They over think at times. Also know, some days the fish simply win and you have a tough day. Not sure where you live but I'm in Yuba City. Maybe we could do lunch one day ( on me ). I'm pretty familiar with the bodies of water you spoke about.
kmah
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Ken Mah 1st in line for lunch

Post by kmah »

Sign me up for lunch with Dobyns.
topdawg2700
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by topdawg2700 »

I feel the same way this guy feels....thanks everyone for the info. Can't wait to get out more and start trying to apply all this advice. Oh and sign me up too for lunch with Gary...lol. He's a great guy ...met and talked with him a few times at the shows.

Thanks again everyone.
Jonnysig
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by Jonnysig »

Sorry for my late response, work was hell today but Wow! Thank you everyone for all the great advice. I will definitely put it to use. Im not after money. Not at all. im Just after having fun and being a better bass fisherman. So again thank you guys. It was just what I was looking for.

Gary, the very laptop that i am typing on is the home for a few fishing stickers. The biggest and my favorite just so happens to be your Dobyns Rods decal that I got last year. Having said that, how could I possibly in a million years turn down a lunch with you. Im in man! no question. And I am right in your neck of the woods. I am in the Air Force and work at Beale so I am very familiar with Yuba City. Lived there for 2 years. It would be an honor. Name the place and time and I will be there. Hey and if you were by any chance interested I could give you a tour of the Air Force flight line and all the amazing aircraft that keep our skies safe.

Thanks again Gary!

And thank you guys very much for the info. Feels good to know that people still care enough to share with strangers.
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Gary Dobyns
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by Gary Dobyns »

The offer does not expire. I can do it any day next week except Tuesday. Anytime the week after and so on. Give me a yell at the shop 530-671-1989 Look forward to lunch and talking fishing.

I would love to see the base. That would be cool as heck. We'll talk about it at lunch. Look forward to it. Give me a yell!!
Jonnysig
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by Jonnysig »

You got it Gary. I look forward to it also.

Topdawg, thanks for chiming in. Good to know I am not alone. All the members in my club are really good. Dont get me wrong I learned a TON from them as a non boater. I still learn from them and I love the guys. But man are they good. Tons of experience. i guess in the end fishing with them and against them will only make me better. I sometimes get discouraged having put so much research into a lake, or the game plan and then having it not work out. Kind of makes me question the game plan I chose period. Having said that I would really like to adopt what most of the guys mentioned which is to just go fish and relax.

For those of you guys who just go fish w/o killing yourself with research, do you understand bass enough to have an idea where they might be, what they might be doing on any given day??? I feel like I know where bass should be but I am usually wrong :D Is there anything I can do to better my knowledge of where the fish will be? I realize LM and spots will act and live differently. Let me ask in an example. You launch at Oroville, waters 52F, semi-clear, and its partly cloudy. With these conditions do most of you have enough experience that you know exactly where and how youre gonna fish? With these conditions how do you make your choices? Start shallow and work your way deep? I dunno. Guess I am rambling questions at this point. Sorry. Think I need to go fishing... 8)
topdawg2700
Posts: 173
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by topdawg2700 »

I hear ya Jonny....I'm getting better...but slowly..lol...but at least I'm making some progress. I look forward to this year getting a lot more time on the water which will help. I too have the desire to become a really good fisherman and make good decisions onthe water ....but I don't have any desire to fish at the pro level...lol even if I got that good. I truely enjoy fishing my club and maybe a couple of extra small tournaments during the year.

I wish you great success and thanks so much for serving. It is people like you that allow us to live in a country that we can go fishing freely. May God bless you and your family. Oh and enjoy that lunch with Gary...TAKE NOTES..LOL...and feel free to share..LOL.. :mrgreen:

I could give him a tour of a Water Treatment Plant but that doesn't compare to your tour..LOL....

God Bless
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Terry Smith
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by Terry Smith »

Jonny what worked best for me is all the GREAT FRIENDS and co-fisherman that I have met on this website and from my tournaments. The info that they have shared with me has made me A better fisherman. Keep it simple and use baits that you are confident in.


Good luck and A chance to pick Gary's mind on fishing is A GREAT WAY TO START!!!!!!!!!!


Terry
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N.A.R
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by N.A.R »

Here is a couple things to keep in mind.

No preconceived notions
Remember 70% of the field is mentaly done by 11am.
EVERY and I mean EVERY team will go through some sort of adversity sometime throughout the day. Your not the only one.

The only thing you need to master from the internet....
http://www.bassmaster.com/vandams-6-season-bass-guide

Tony Richards
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Gary Dobyns
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by Gary Dobyns »

I'm getting hungry Jonny. You think I got this fat not eating :D :D Give me a call bud!! We'll talk fishing.
Ceaser
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Re: Tournament Tips

Post by Ceaser »

this may be a little late to chime in but... It sounds to me like you have only recently got a boat to start your own explorations. Small doesnt matter... when I was 17 I was in the hook line and sinker talking with Dee Thomas about fishing cuz i was just going out and he saw my 10 ft fiberglass boat in the vback of my El Camino. He asked if I fished tourneys and I said I would like too but I was gonna get a boat up grade first. He laughed and said "we'll.. a boats only as good as the fisherman standing in it" I still carry this piece of advice with me. Priceless. And as for being a boater in tourneys, if you have only recently got yourself in to the front seat, Your probably gonna struggle. Finding the fish and knowing how to adjust day to day is the hardest part of fishing. Making proper decisions and having confidence in YOUR own choices is what will make you successful. this only comes from time on the water FISHING.. not just tournament fishing. I learned alot when I got my rig adn could go out and not give a crap if I blanked all day. You learn from failure, even if its not what to do. Trying to scrap together a "decent" limit for points or something everytime out will only limit your scope of fish understanding. Hate to sound so definite cuz this is just my opinion, but I have noticed alot of new fisherman in it just to fish tournaments and they skip the "learning how to fish first" part.

"You get to the weigh-in and get beat by a fellow who got one bite all day! Who was the better fisherman that day? I think I know!! Bet you do, too."
I'd say the guy who won was the better fisherman that day... but maybe im just crazy.
"when you are able to beat the one-bite guys by sustained, effective use of multiple techniques, you will prove yourself to others."
so called One bite guys dont effectively use multiple techniques? :lol: Its probably best you leave the "heaving" for the big boys there ace.
is that glitter!? Nice boat tinkerbell!
Jonnysig
Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:01 pm

Re: Tournament Tips

Post by Jonnysig »

Sorry Gary, I will definitely call Tomorrow. Dont mean to keep you waiting. Started a brand new position today and didnt get a chance to even look at a telephone today. Im on it Tomorrow!!!

And again thank you everyone for all the advice and comments. I may save this post and reference it whenever I am struggling.
Jonnysig
Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:01 pm

Re: Tournament Tips

Post by Jonnysig »

I really learned something with this thread. Never should have put tournament tips in the subject. Maybe just fishing tips. After reading all this I think I need to worry a little less about catching fish for weigh in and just go fishing.
Thanks guys!
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