Tournament Strategies

[Pherris]

I am wonder what various tournament strategies people use. Do you focus on a small number of spots and fish them really thoroughly. Do you employ a run and gun strategy? For an early season tournament do you focus on shallow water only? Do you go to get your limit then hunt for a kicker fish? I would be interested in the various strategies that people use. Thanks

[Guest]

Tournament stagegies will vary from lake to lake, season to season, tournament to tournament. All of the possiblities you mentioned can and do come into play at times.

The real key to any tournament is to be consistent. Try to get a limit every time your out and eventually the big fish will come. It is very rare to win a tournament without a limit of fish, so limits are number one.

In single day tournaments, it is not uncommon to fish one good spot all day, nor is it uncommon to fish a dozen spots to fill a limit. It kind of all depends on what you find during practice and the spots you are fishing.

In multi day tournaments, it can really hurt you if you only fish one spot. You may burn all of your fish the first day and not have anything left for the second, third or even fourth day. Of course there are exceptions to this also... For example, last year I fished the BASS Central Opens and at the Red River in Shreveport, LA, I fished one spot all three days and finished 44th. I was only getting three or four bites a day, but there was enough fish and they were big enough to carry me all three days. On the flip side, having too many spots can hurt you as well. Time you spend running from spot to spot is time not fishing, and it can be hard to figure out when to go to which spot.

Typically, it is best to have four or five key spots, then just feel it out from there. Year round that is a good strategy. That way if someone is on one of your spots you have something else to go to. Or if the fish are not biting on one spot, you can move.

As for fishing shallow water early season. I like to try to find shallow fish no matter what the season. That is just because that is how I am most confident and comfortable in catching my bass. That does not mean I won't or don't fish deep if I have to, I just prefer shallow fish. So, year round I like to first look for shallow fish in some sort of seasonal pattern (bass can be found shallow on some sort of pattern all year). If that is not working then I continually move deeper until I find fish. All of that is what you need to determine during practice.

Practice is the time you need to find areas that the fish will be holding during the tournament... not during the practice. One mistake many people make is that they find fish during the practice, only to have their pattern change and the fish have moved to another location. Find where the fish will be during practice and to a lesser degree, find what baits the fish want and leave the tournament to just catching fish, not finding patterns. I hope this all makes sense. Good luck and tight lines!

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Adam Johnson
www.adamjohnsonfishing.com

[Yaeger Guide]

I agree with Adam....

Two main keys:

Catch your limit first and foremost, even if it is five 12" bass. Then key on big bass possibilities. Realize that the tournament isn't over in two hours, so don't rush. Stay with the planned attack. I have jumped from the planned attack in the past and it failed every time but once....

I like to work string possibilities for numbers of fish to limit out first, then hit where the big pigs may be. Of course this can all go out the window when the top spots don't produce the limit. Don't worry about the other contestants even though (s)he may be boating bass within eyeshot. All it does is get you off your focus and concentration.

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God bless,
Judd Yaeger
Yaeger Guides (Twin Cities Guides) www.yaegerweb.com/guide

[Guest]

It depends. Sometimes I will just get a gut feeling and fish a spot or lure that I have not caught any before. But usually I get some spots or have a pattern and try to fish them all.

I think one key to winning a tournement is to concentrate on big fish. It may take you an hour or two to catch a limit but if I plan on culling them for bigger fish I have wasted 2 hours where I could have caught a couple of good fish.

[walleyewacker]

But what if you do only have a few hours? Some of the local tournys here are only 3 to 3.5hrs in the evenings during the week, just a small time thing. What advice would you give for that especially on our small lakes where most people will be looking to hit the same spots?

[Guest]

walleyewacker,

The best stategy is actually very simple. Do what ever it takes to put the largest bag in the livewell that YOU are capable of catching. If others are running and gunning but you have little success doing that...then don't do it. Stick to what you are best at.

[Flipnripem]

If your fishing a 3hr. evening tourny and have a spot where big fish are present. They will be putting on the feed bag. Sit on them till they turn on. If not I would try to cover a lot of water with horizontal baits, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, etc. A limit of fish is key. Good luck. flip