new to tourney fishing

[stratos]

hello, i am new to the tournament fishing, i was wondering if anybody had some first time advise?

[betursweetbass]

I've never fished in a tourament before, but my approach would most likely be as follows. I'd follow my usual patterns as far as what to use and where to look for fish. I would try not to worry about the time factor, and I'd try to stay focused on what I was doing. Don't rush or get sidetracked, try to think of the tourny as just another day with your fishing buddy, who you are trying to out fish. Relax and enjoy the day and concentrate on your fishing. I'm sure some of the guys here who do fish tourny's will have some good input for you....
Good Luck

[stratos]

thanks for the info, do you fish much lakes

[betursweetbass]

Fayette country reservoir near LaGrange Tx, and Summerville near Brenham, and Conroe. I usually target shallow water areas with trees or other structure. Weed beds also.

[stratos]

what about early spring, like March? Do you try to fish deep water drop offs, or do you stick with structure?

[betursweetbass]

I will fish areas that I have been sucessful with in the past first....if I'm not getting any bites in my favorite spots, I will move to other areas where I have caught fish before.....I do this throughtout the year....I very rarely fish more than 100 yards from shore unless, Im in a shallow bay or inlet. I stick with what I have confidence in, and rarely do I get skunked, but in all honesty, I would not believe this thinking would be prudent in tourny fishing. I fish for fun, and just being on a boat on the water is exciting and relaxing to me. Tourny fishing would not be something I would do on a regular basis, but I have thought about it a few times. If you have some time before your tourny, again, I'm sure some of the other guys will be able to give you their tried and true experiences that may help you get started. The best advice I can offer is to be confident and focused. Good Luck

[lizardsrule]

Be prepared for fast paced fishing. Bring something to eat and drink, and have a variety of baits/rigs you can use. Be prepared to be adaptable to the situation, and the driver. Fishing from the back is a lot more difficult than some people think. You must become skilled at watching your boaters casts, and try to hit some spots he missed. You aren't gonna always be able to fish to your strengths(ie if you love weightless plastics and he's throwing spinner and cranks you won't be able to go that slow, and vice versus). Just remember it's still fishing, and hopefully you will pay enough attention to the guy running the boat that you might learn a few things. Always remember it's his/her boat, so give it extra care while fishing from it. If you are outfishing him/her, offer them a bait that you're using if you have some to spare, and don't forget to give em gas money. HAVE FUN, and if it's cold I would reccomend getting a Motorcycle helmet for the fast runs.

Lizards

[betursweetbass]

OH...i forgot to add, when i do go to a lake I've never been to before, I look over the internet and my "Fishing Texas" book I got from Wally World. It list the hot spots and even tells what lures can be used in what season. I am not sure of the exact name of this book, but it is large and mostly red in color on the front page.....a large paperback found in walmart.

[bassnman30]

Alot of times the co-angler out fishes the guy in the front. The guy in the front has to worry about other things. As far as time prior to the tournament goes, you can adjust your drags, check your line or replace your line if it's old and possibly has frays. Make sure that you are taking the correct rods (no more than 6) Lower your tackle selection in a smaller box. Make sure that your confidence baits are there. If the guy tells you a day in advance (deep water,shallow water) make sure that you have some of these baits.
You may not sleep the night before the tournament due to anticipation !

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by bassnman30

Alot of times the co-angler out fishes the guy in the front. The guy in the front has to worry about other things. As far as time prior to the tournament goes, you can adjust your drags, check your line or replace your line if it's old and possibly has frays. Make sure that you are taking the correct rods (no more than 6) Lower your tackle selection in a smaller box. Make sure that your confidence baits are there. If the guy tells you a day in advance (deep water,shallow water) make sure that you have some of these baits.
You may not sleep the night before the tournament due to anticipation !

No offense intended, but the boater by far has the advantages over the backseater. He has control over where, what speed, the boat positioning, the targets "HE/SHE" wants to hit. If the back seater outfishes the front seater it's because of 1) He won't change baits/techniques he/she is using. 2) the presentation/color they are using is not what the fish want for whatever reason. 3) they are poor at picking locations to place their baits at.

The front seat has the coice of everything including the best spots to throw their bait at. So if the guy up front is getting outfished from the guy in the back he is hard headed, and not willing to change tactics IMO. I realize that once in awhile luck may come into play, and also the back seater could very well be a much better angler, but the wind is the only thing the boater really needs to worry about when fishing. And they still have the power of where, how fast and boat position to fish from. I realize the guy up front has to pay more attention the the boat and movements so they don't wreck, but there is no way, even with that IMO that the backseater has a advantage over the boater. Now everyone and their brother can disagree with me, but I fished outa the back and outa of the front enough to know there isn't any comparison.

Lizards

[bassnman30]

I won points champion as a co-angler two years ago.
I won points champion as a boater this past year.

[JB]

I too won pts champ 4 years in a row in the back..but both of you have solid arguements...and btw, each year I won by less than 1 lb total weight for 26 tournaments.

[BassMoJo]

If the guy up front is throwing a spinner / crankbait, the guy in the back should have a plastic or jig ready to throw on case the fish misses the spinner / crank ...but the both have there adv. and disad. you just have to work with what u are givin and not worry or complain about it !

[BPACA]

Mojo makes a great point...however...if you are fishing a pro am or some event where there isn't a combined weight and you throw in on a pros missed fish...he might kick you outa the boat...or say not another word to you the whole day....

[skeeter944]

I agree with mojo 100%,thats a good tourny veiwpoint.

[Hef]

Originally Posted by BPACA

Mojo makes a great point...however...if you are fishing a pro am or some event where there isn't a combined weight and you throw in on a pros missed fish...he might kick you outa the boat...or say not another word to you the whole day....

haha this ain't no joke. I watched a guy get dropped off at the nearest shoreline because he threw in on a guys missed fish. It was pretty funny to watch. Tourney director didn't like either one of the guys' actions.

[texasbasser]

Originally Posted by betursweetbass

my "Fishing Texas" book .

thats a great book! I was fortunate enough to meet and fish with the author, Russel Tinsley, in port aransas. That man is full of knowledge... I also use that book for new waters or fish.

[PowerBass]

Originally Posted by BassMoJo

If the guy up front is throwing a spinner / crankbait, the guy in the back should have a plastic or jig ready to throw on case the fish misses the spinner / crank ...but the both have there adv. and disad. you just have to work with what u are givin and not worry or complain about it !

I see that only working in buddy style tournaments. If I am running the TM, and im on front and my rider does somethign like that, without my permission, they are gonna have a hot headed boater. I could just as well drop my rod, and grab another to throw in there. More often then not, the rider isnt competing against the boater, so I normally would say throw in, but in small club T's they do, and I wouldnt appreciate it happening. Just like I wouldnt turn around and throw on a fish they missed.

[BPACA]

Yeah...I heard a storry about a pro...guy caught a 7 pound bass behind him...the pro didn't talk to him the rest of the tournament and a tournament that he amazingly had gotten paired with him again in for the whole tournament..this is no lie....There are rules where you cannot throw past the line inbetween the back and the front...disqualification happens in some tournaments for this....If you put out 7 grand on a tourney and some guy threw in on your fish .....you'd be pissed.

[BPACA]

If someone did this to me.....they might get back boated for a while in a tournament.....no lie...I think its one of those rules that people just understand...lol.

[PowerBass]

It is normally a gentlemans rule, and just plain sportsmanship. I would never encroach on my boater, or my rider. You paid to fish, just like I did. As a boater, my attitude is, I want us both to catch and do well. You didnt pay to be back boated, you didnt pay to be yelled at. Just please use common courtesy. If you thin your doing somethign wrong ask. Thats all it takes. If you ask, I may say yes.

[lizardsrule]

Let's see, the guy up front is fishing to win. So he's just gonna pass up on all the spots, and let the guy in the back throw to every good piece of cover. He's also gonna position the boat so the guy in the back is always got the best casting angles. He's also gonna make sure he doesn't move or hit the trolling motor when the guy in the back hasn't really completely covered a particular area. Come on folks, it would be nice if the guy up front did all those wonderful things, but I can assure you he wants first crack at any bass, that's why he has the boat, and is making the calls. Now I will state again, the guy in the back could just plain old be a better angler. I have outfished the front seater at least as much as I got outfished in all the BFL tourneys I fished. Why, because I worked different baits or techniques, or just knew better as to where to throw my baits, or just plain old luck. But most of the times I got outfished, it was because the guy up front "WAS A GOOD ANGLER", and put the fish in the boat before I could even cast. Nobody goes out to have the backseater beat them. If they do, then they shouldn't even be fishing. I've been backboated more times than not, and perhaps the guy up front doesn't even realize he doing it, but I can assure you it happens a lot. Being 3 feet into a tree, and not being able to make a cast or even flip, while the guy up front is fishing is not much fun. Or having someone drop anchor and fish a bed, with you being left out in knowhere is being back boated, when you can't even see a bed. Or having the boater pull up nose front to a laydown, fish it till he decides he wants to move, and then allows you a last second cast at it as he's moving to the next piece of cover isn't easy either. "ALL OF THESE HAVE HAPPENED TO ME IN TOURNEYS", so please refrain form trying to make me believe it's easier in the back. I didn't say you couldn't win from the back, but it sure aint easier. My congrats to those of you who did win from the back. But perhaps you had some input into where and what to fish? If not then even the better for you, you should be proud of your accomplishment.

Lizards

[BPACA]

Even in team tournaments ...if your a better angler in the back...your front guy can accidenlty back boat yah ...lol. Lizards makes some great points....i guess its a matter of how bad yah want to be backboated..lol. Doing stuff that po's the boater off isn't gonna help..thats for sure...

[BassMoJo]

When i said this i was talking about my and my fishing partner not a random person ... but if i was to do this with a random person ...i would ask him before we lanuched ...and the way i see it every man for him self any thing it takes to win ! and get your name out there ...I just yesterday got a letter and a box of 4 shirts/ hats and stickers and line from P-line and plan to wear this in the videos me and my partner make ...we r also talking to Quantum and have both me and him on the website in the catch of the month but just basically asking for a sponsirship ! We were also talking to terminator before they were bought by ralpha....we plan to write to booyah to !

[BassMoJo]

And also paid 95 dollars for tracker sponsirship 15 % discount... jackets ...decols and some other stuff which u can check out at trackerboats.com