Tournament Strategy Opinions

[RickyBobby]

Here's the scenario:

Bass League that rotates weekly among 4 or 5 lakes in which I (or you) have reasonable familiarity. Each weekly event consists of 3 hours of fishing time. With only general knowledge of conditions (time of year, water temp, current weather conditions, etc.) and without knowing exactly what pattern or structure the fish may be on from week to week, what would be your game plan??

Would you make a milk-run to several different areas or structure types and fish search baits in an effort to catch aggressive fish and perhaps stumble upon a concentration of fish....

OR

Would you commit to 1 or 2 areas or structure types and fish slower and more deliberate.....

OR

Would you go with an approach different than the 2 I described, and if so, what would that approach be??

(keep in mind that you only have 3 hours fishing time each week)

[skies_and_eyes]

I would try and pre-fish each lake and get a feel for what they want. If you don't have time for that, I would go with "milk-run" style. However, if yopu get a big cold front or something, I would stick to a few good spots and work it hard for bites.

[sicheneder]

i have always did a milk run on most lakes unless you have deep spots that prove themselves right away. it seems for those leagues that a limit in each event is hard to beat.

[Deitz Dittrich]

LOL @ a FBL question!.(or at least it could be an FBL question)..

With 3 hour tournaments, its important to get a limit first. Sometimes getting a 5 fihs limit in 3 hours isn't easy. Sometimes it is. I generally try and fish a few areas well and try not to waste time running all over the lake to get to spots.. a lure out of the water catches few fish! Thats my take.. I fish FBL events slightly different than if I were fishing a money event that was 3 hours in length.

[Daze Off]

My strategy could be summed up in two words: "Cover water" given the conditions of the question. Without weather, season, type of lake, etc. it is really difficult to have a strategy other than "crank up the trolling motor and let 'er rip".

If anything can be discovered while doing the above then I would probably slow down and explore it some.

[RickyBobby]

I definitely had FBL in mind. Last year I tended to commit to 1 or 2 areas. I was pretty light on previous knowledge on all the lakes that we fished and the results weren't very good. In hindsight, with limited knowledge the milk-run style may have been more effective. With the benefit of a little more info on each of the lakes for this year, I should be able to compare the two styles more objectively. For me, creating the game plan is a huge part of the enjoyment.....

DD, What would you do differently if cash was on the line??

[Dan Brelje]

In the FBL last year i tended to work 1 or two spots for a long period of time. There were a couple of times where i didn't leave 1 spot the whole event. However, If those spots didn't produce i would start running wild the last hour, milk-run style.

[RickyBobby]

Another lesson from last year was the importance of getting a limit when the contest is a "paper tournament". For some reason it didn't sink in that three 18-inchers loses to a limit of 12 inchers.....

[grab the net]

If you can get to your confidence spot first great, spend the night there, never leave fish to find fish in a 3 hr league night. If you get left overs, fish fast/cover water until you contact fish, then slow down. In three hours, unless your locked in on some specific deep fish, I like to fish shallow cover, frogs/toads while partner follows up with a piece of plastic or jig. These ideas are guaranteed to fail you the first time you put them in to practice

[Ray Esboldt]

Short time events are a whole different game than 8 hours events. Short events motivate me to cover prime stuff quickly until I make contact. I know there's a tree here, a rock pile there, some rushes over yonder, etc. Give me 8 hours, and I have a whole different mindset. I have sat on one piece of struture for 8 hours. Other times, I have jumped from spot to spot until I make contact. And, when I make contact, I will clean the spot. 8 hours is not a particularly long time, but you really need to convince yourself that 15 minutes of biters can win an event. I don't give up on something until I am sure.

[bassNspear]

I am the same way when it comes to a 3 hr vs 8 hrs. You can slow down more in a 8 hr tournament, vs a 3 hr tournment. You have to fish cover that you know is there, to get that limit. There is alot of 3 hrs won just by getting a limit, where in a 8 hr tournament, your going to have to have good fish to beat up on the boys.

[TonkaBass]

this is a dumb question, but I am going to ask it anyways... what is an fbl tournament? sounds like fun

[Lunker]

I would say pre-fish if possible first(though you say you are familiar).

I usually like(whether in a tourney or just fishing for fun) to start shallow trying to find active fish and get a quick limit if possible, then narrow the search to a slower, probing approach.

In such a short tourney a limit is important, then try and cull some of those if allowed.

[Deitz Dittrich]

 Originally Posted By: TonkaBass

this is a dumb question, but I am going to ask it anyways... what is an fbl tournament? sounds like fun

Tonkabass- Its a fun bass league that a member of our started(Dan Brelje).. FBL=Fun Bass League... No money.. all catch and release. After an event eveybody stands in a circle and explains how they did or didn't catch fish that evening.

[frogtosser]

when and where are these events? are they all in the cities?

[Deitz Dittrich]

Frog- you could start up an FBL anywhere... take the idea and run.. its all about sharing information. If you are a secrative type, your not welcome in the FBL.. its about helping others get better.

The FBl I am talking about is in the Chisago Lakes area, and fishes Tuesday nighs during the summer.. look in the East Central Lakes forum to see details and times.

[frogtosser]

no Deitz my problem is when I do good I like to tell the world about it, you know me man, I like to talk.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Then its all good brother... if your in the area of hsolist.. fish a FBL event! No money, just be honest with what you catch and how.