First tournament of the year. Help!!!!

Jigger · 02-16-08, 10:24 PM

The first tournament of the year for my local club will be next weekend. February is way too soon in my opinion but the boys voted it in. Water temps will be in the 40s. Man made reservoir with a lot of rock banks. I think I'll go pre-fish Presidents day after a monster cold front. The actual tournament looks to be after 4 to 6 days of stable warming weather. So, there are the details.

Now, please help me with a game plan.

basskicker · 02-16-08, 11:11 PM

I just had a tournament on a mostly rock bank lake(Percy Priest) and caught several fish on the bomber 4A and the bandit 200 series crankbaits. The water temp was in the low 50s and the fish were holding in about 4 ft of water.

carolina-rig-01 · 02-17-08, 02:30 AM

i would fish a jig and a suspending jerkbait. fish both slow!

zooker · 02-17-08, 09:42 AM

simple northern most rock banks. the rocks there will heat up first then shallow creek arms.. this is where your temp gauge is SO important. 1 degree differance will mean fish that bit to fish that don't...

zooker

lunker-lander · 02-17-08, 11:56 AM

I know it may sound crazy...

But take Zookers advice and fish the warming rock with a Spook. Since the rock exposed to the air and just under the surface will warm quicker, fish will hang around here..

You could also try a real shallow crank, like a Storm SubWart, or a jerkbait and fish this area also.

-Lunk-

Jigger · 02-17-08, 04:12 PM

Good advice all around. Thanks. Anyone else?????

toneyoutdoors.com · 02-17-08, 08:41 PM

I went and fished a local tournament yesterday on a lake with alot of rocks. I went out and targeted rocky points and fished the with a shakey head and jig. Got the win with 10.44. So i would use the jig and shakey head.

zooker · 02-17-08, 08:46 PM

i agree with g-ride here.. shakey head has been pretty good all winter for me..

g
what did it take to win the badin tourny?

zooker

PowerBass · 02-17-08, 09:42 PM

Blade baits, dropshot, jerkbaits, football jigs

1FASTLASER · 02-19-08, 07:01 AM

Definatel;y agree wit da zook here. Find dat water temp that is the warmest on the north banks. Sometimwe during the day those fish will feed. What I do is use my electronics after finding the warmest water and then take a look at the structure I find the deep and then where it breaks off into shallower water and if I get lucky I will find the migraation route to the spawning grounds. To me migration routes and water temps go HAND IN HAND

BassAddict · 02-19-08, 08:45 AM

If the water your fishing is clear ... try to find some stained water in the back of coves or creeks. The stained water will warm up quicker. At Kerr Lake one Spring my brother caught them like this. He said he couldn't get bit in the clear water that was 48 deg. but in the stained water which was in the low to mid 50's he caught them good on a Rapala X-Rap jerkbait. Even out in the middle of the coves. Just something else to look for.

Fish2win · 02-19-08, 12:06 PM

Look for sun exposed wind swept banks. banks that get the sun all day and have a little color or wind on them. dark bottoms are a plus. Slow roll a crankbait or drag a jig. After a few days of warmer stable weather the fish may be way more active than you think. A craw colored DT6 might be a good choice. I dont know what part of the country you are in but 48 dgeree water will find the fish active enough for a crank or jerkbait.fish2win

02-16-08, 10:24 PM	#1
Jigger BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 490	First tournament of the year. Help!!!! The first tournament of the year for my local club will be next weekend. February is way too soon in my opinion but the boys voted it in. Water temps will be in the 40s. Man made reservoir with a lot of rock banks. I think I'll go pre-fish Presidents day after a monster cold front. The actual tournament looks to be after 4 to 6 days of stable warming weather. So, there are the details. Now, please help me with a game plan.

02-16-08, 11:11 PM	#2
basskicker BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ashland City, TN Posts: 111	I just had a tournament on a mostly rock bank lake(Percy Priest) and caught several fish on the bomber 4A and the bandit 200 series crankbaits. The water temp was in the low 50s and the fish were holding in about 4 ft of water. __________________ other anglers are hard to beat, but the fish are the real competition.

02-17-08, 02:30 AM	#3
carolina-rig-01 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Webb City, MO Posts: 6,387	i would fish a jig and a suspending jerkbait. fish both slow! __________________ You only live once. But if you do it right, once is enough.

02-17-08, 09:42 AM	#4
zooker BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: denton nc Posts: 13,441	simple northern most rock banks. the rocks there will heat up first then shallow creek arms.. this is where your temp gauge is SO important. 1 degree differance will mean fish that bit to fish that don't... zooker __________________ the godfather.. aml in remission since 7-20-09

02-17-08, 11:56 AM	#5
lunker-lander BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,628	I know it may sound crazy... But take Zookers advice and fish the warming rock with a Spook. Since the rock exposed to the air and just under the surface will warm quicker, fish will hang around here.. You could also try a real shallow crank, like a Storm SubWart, or a jerkbait and fish this area also. -Lunk- __________________ I don't see why schools are Public. If all schools were made Private, trespassers would be eliminated!

02-17-08, 04:12 PM	#6
Jigger BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 490	Good advice all around. Thanks. Anyone else?????

02-17-08, 08:41 PM	#7
toneyoutdoors.com BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Shelby,NC Posts: 72	I went and fished a local tournament yesterday on a lake with alot of rocks. I went out and targeted rocky points and fished the with a shakey head and jig. Got the win with 10.44. So i would use the jig and shakey head. __________________ ProStaff for CB's Hawg Sacue Owner of toneyoutdoors.com

02-17-08, 08:46 PM	#8
zooker BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: denton nc Posts: 13,441	i agree with g-ride here.. shakey head has been pretty good all winter for me.. g what did it take to win the badin tourny? zooker __________________ the godfather.. aml in remission since 7-20-09

02-17-08, 09:42 PM	#9
PowerBass BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 2,638	Blade baits, dropshot, jerkbaits, football jigs __________________ fivealivebassmasters.com

02-19-08, 07:01 AM	#10
1FASTLASER BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: crossett,arkansas Posts: 2,777	Definatel;y agree wit da zook here. Find dat water temp that is the warmest on the north banks. Sometimwe during the day those fish will feed. What I do is use my electronics after finding the warmest water and then take a look at the structure I find the deep and then where it breaks off into shallower water and if I get lucky I will find the migraation route to the spawning grounds. To me migration routes and water temps go HAND IN HAND __________________ Laser's rule with Merc's doing the pushing..........KEEP THE WETSIDE DOWN AND THE DRY SIDE UP!!!!!!

02-19-08, 08:45 AM	#11
BassAddict BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Richmond, Virginia Posts: 805	If the water your fishing is clear ... try to find some stained water in the back of coves or creeks. The stained water will warm up quicker. At Kerr Lake one Spring my brother caught them like this. He said he couldn't get bit in the clear water that was 48 deg. but in the stained water which was in the low to mid 50's he caught them good on a Rapala X-Rap jerkbait. Even out in the middle of the coves. Just something else to look for. __________________ Eric Last edited by BassAddict; 02-19-08 at 07:29 PM.

02-19-08, 12:06 PM	#12
Fish2win BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Norris Tennessee Posts: 469	Look for sun exposed wind swept banks. banks that get the sun all day and have a little color or wind on them. dark bottoms are a plus. Slow roll a crankbait or drag a jig. After a few days of warmer stable weather the fish may be way more active than you think. A craw colored DT6 might be a good choice. I dont know what part of the country you are in but 48 dgeree water will find the fish active enough for a crank or jerkbait.fish2win __________________ Norris Tennessee set the hook! They dont have hands. Last edited by Fish2win; 02-19-08 at 12:15 PM.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)