Strategy

[basslover12345]

I have a tourmnament sunday, with the American bass anglers and I'm considering going for Larger than average bass, the average bass at this place is like 2.5-2.7 pounds which I caught in my last 6 tournaments here, never bringing in a full limit, Here is my "record here" for the last 6 tournaments:

1. 4/14/12- 2.78 (1 fish)

2. 10/23/10- 2.08 (1 fish)

3. 7/16/11- 4.39 ( 3 fish)

4. 6/11/11- 4.05 ( 2 fish)

5. 9/18/10- 0 (NO FISH)

6. 6/26/11- 0 (NO FISH)

Is this a good idea?

[flippin and pitchin]

Always try to put five keepers in the boat. Then go after a kicker or two if you think you have the spot and or technique to get them. With your record to date, a limit would be my goal. Most of all, have fun !!!!

[Nitrofreak]

How well do you know the structure of this lake?

When you say the average size fish is 2.5 to 2.7 lbs, is that just for you or does everybody catch the same size fish?

Is it a good idea to target larger fish? YES !!,

If you have not spent time on this lake getting to know the in's and out's of where these larger fish live and travel you are not going to be very successful on your first attempt, unless you get really lucky or fish with someone who knows this lake and it's structure intimately.

[Lund Explorer]

The first question I would ask is what kind of weight does it take to either win the tournament or to place in the money? How much is the entry fee? What about big bass pot, entry and prize money?

Catching a limit of fish that average 2.5 to 2.7 would give you a weight of 12.5 to 13.5 lbs. If that is good enough to win the tournament then you have to figure out how to put five in the boat. If the winning weight is closer to 15 lbs, then you need to start thinking about catching bigger than average fish.

Assuming that it would take that 15 lb bag to cash 1st place money, I would try to break down the day so that you are targeting bigger fish during the prime times of the day. That may mean throwing big topwaters first thing in the morning as well as throwing jigs or big worms on prime deep water structure at other times of the day. Around here, there is a good chance at hanging a deep water hawg between noon and 2pm which is when you want to be on that prime structure. Between these two times, I would setup a milk run of a few high percentage docks or other shallow water spots trying to put as many fish in the box as possible. Looked at another way:

First two hours - Big topwaters looking for a toad during prime morning bite.

Middle four hours - Fill the livewell with the two pounders.

Last two hours - Cull the dinks with a possible hawg or two!

[zip pow]

The first question I would ask is what kind of weight does it take to either win the tournament or to place in the money? How much is the entry fee? What about big bass pot, entry and prize money?

Catching a limit of fish that average 2.5 to 2.7 would give you a weight of 12.5 to 13.5 lbs. If that is good enough to win the tournament then you have to figure out how to put five in the boat. If the winning weight is closer to 15 lbs, then you need to start thinking about catching bigger than average fish.

Assuming that it would take that 15 lb bag to cash 1st place money, I would try to break down the day so that you are targeting bigger fish during the prime times of the day. That may mean throwing big topwaters first thing in the morning as well as throwing jigs or big worms on prime deep water structure at other times of the day. Around here, there is a good chance at hanging a deep water hawg between noon and 2pm which is when you want to be on that prime structure. Between these two times, I would setup a milk run of a few high percentage docks or other shallow water spots trying to put as many fish in the box as possible. Looked at another way:

First two hours - Big topwaters looking for a toad during prime morning bite.

Middle four hours - Fill the livewell with the two pounders.

Last two hours - Cull the dinks with a possible hawg or two!

x2 good post

[slonezp]

The first question I would ask is what kind of weight does it take to either win the tournament or to place in the money?

This

How well do you know the water?

Your larger than average bass aren't going to be as easy to catch as the average ones. This applies to you and your competition. BUT, if the competition knows the water better than you, the cards are now stacked against you. In the tourneys I fish, bass are roughly the same average as you mentioned 2-3lbs. You need to know where you can get a limit, and you need to know where to get a kicker. If you spend all day looking for the kicker you may never find the limit.

[basslover12345]

The standings for a tournament last saturday: http://www.americanbassanglers.com/BWS/bws_results012.php?District=21&Date=04%2F28%2F2012

[slonezp]

So you need a 3lb average to be in the money. A 2lb average with a 6lb kicker isn't in the money. Again, How well do you know the water? I advise you to learn new spots or new presentations since the old ones are only working on smaller fish.

["BRB"]

The first question I would ask is what kind of weight does it take to either win the tournament or to place in the money? How much is the entry fee? What about big bass pot, entry and prize money?

Catching a limit of fish that average 2.5 to 2.7 would give you a weight of 12.5 to 13.5 lbs. If that is good enough to win the tournament then you have to figure out how to put five in the boat. If the winning weight is closer to 15 lbs, then you need to start thinking about catching bigger than average fish.

Assuming that it would take that 15 lb bag to cash 1st place money, I would try to break down the day so that you are targeting bigger fish during the prime times of the day. That may mean throwing big topwaters first thing in the morning as well as throwing jigs or big worms on prime deep water structure at other times of the day. Around here, there is a good chance at hanging a deep water hawg between noon and 2pm which is when you want to be on that prime structure. Between these two times, I would setup a milk run of a few high percentage docks or other shallow water spots trying to put as many fish in the box as possible. Looked at another way:

First two hours - Big topwaters looking for a toad during prime morning bite.

Middle four hours - Fill the livewell with the two pounders.

Last two hours - Cull the dinks with a possible hawg or two!

Noted!! That sounds like some great advise!

[basslover12345]

So you need a 3lb average to be in the money. A 2lb average with a 6lb kicker isn't in the money. Again, How well do you know the water? I advise you to learn new spots or new presentations since the old ones are only working on smaller fish.

I've fished here 7 times, 6 tournaments here, once with a Guide March 31

[Lund Explorer]

The standings for a tournament last saturday: http://www.americanb...=04%2F28%2F2012

These are the guys you're fishing against?

If you are front seating your own boat with this crew, you need to throw away everything in my previous post!

[basslover12345]

No, Those are the weights it took to win at the same place, but this past Saturday, I will be fishing against no more than like 30 guys

[ChiCityBasser]

The first question I would ask is what kind of weight does it take to either win the tournament or to place in the money? How much is the entry fee? What about big bass pot, entry and prize money?

Catching a limit of fish that average 2.5 to 2.7 would give you a weight of 12.5 to 13.5 lbs. If that is good enough to win the tournament then you have to figure out how to put five in the boat. If the winning weight is closer to 15 lbs, then you need to start thinking about catching bigger than average fish.

Assuming that it would take that 15 lb bag to cash 1st place money, I would try to break down the day so that you are targeting bigger fish during the prime times of the day. That may mean throwing big topwaters first thing in the morning as well as throwing jigs or big worms on prime deep water structure at other times of the day. Around here, there is a good chance at hanging a deep water hawg between noon and 2pm which is when you want to be on that prime structure. Between these two times, I would setup a milk run of a few high percentage docks or other shallow water spots trying to put as many fish in the box as possible. Looked at another way:

First two hours - Big topwaters looking for a toad during prime morning bite.

Middle four hours - Fill the livewell with the two pounders.

Last two hours - Cull the dinks with a possible hawg or two!

Great post

[J Francho]

You haven't caught a limit here in any tournament. You have to catch a limit. I hate setting this as a goal, because it's not a winning strategy, but I'm thinking baby steps here. Are you in the back of the boat? A lot is going to hinge on your boater.

[basslover12345]

You haven't caught a limit here in any tournament. You have to catch a limit. I hate setting this as a goal, because it's not a winning strategy, but I'm thinking baby steps here. Are you in the back of the boat? A lot is going to hinge on your boater.

Its a draw tournament, I draw my partner 15 minutes before we launch, basically I am competing against him

[J Francho]

Well, yes. A lot will hinge on your boater. You've got to be able to get a limit to compete.

[Lund Explorer]

Its a draw tournament, I draw my partner 15 minutes before we launch, basically I am competing against him

Probably the most important question is whether you are the boater or destined to fish in the back of the boat all day long. My first reply was the best advice I can give you if you are in control of the boat, but it can be a whole different matter if you are behind the guy on the trolling motor.

It is almost impossbile to give you an accurate answer without knowing the answers to questions that have been asked here several times. What are the winning weights with the group you are fishing with? Are you the boater or the rider?

[basslover12345]

It took 17 and change to win April 14, I have the ability to suggest spots for half the day ( its a new rule this year) I am the rider. 2nd place April 14 had 16 pounds

[Lund Explorer]

It took 17 and change to win April 14, I have the ability to suggest spots for half the day ( its a new rule this year) I am the rider. 2nd place April 14 had 16 pounds

Back in the days that I fished draw tournaments the back seater was always given the right to operate the trolling motor for half of the fishing day. I'm not sure why so many organizations got away from that. Hopefully you'll be able to take advantage of that chance.

Thinking of all the things I've learned here, I have to say that priority #1 has to be getting to the point where you can walk a limit of fish up to the scales. How you go about that is going to be the key. These are the things I would suggest doing.

Study, study, and then spend some more time studying! You need to learn the body of water you are fishing, what techniques tournament winners have been using there, and everything you can learn about being a backseater.

I've never fished this place, but i believe the Potomac River is what would be called a tidal waterway. This should mean that the prime times during the day will be during the changing of the tides when the river's current positions fish differently from times when the tide isn't running. You are going to want to find out what those times are for the day of the tournament.

I remember reading a few tournament reports in BASSMASTER about tournaments held on that water. If my memory hasn't completely failed, one of the most productive patterns dealt with fishing in, over, and along side some fairly large emergent weedbeds. I also recall reading somewhere about fishing old pilings and other rubble that provided current breaks or ambush points during those prime times. You are going to want to select lures that work both on top of those weeds like a frog, along with either jigs or a T-Rig with a pegged weight to get down through those weeds. I suppose you could take along the infamous senko, but weightless worms usually don't work very well when the guy on the trolling motor is zipping along at his own pace. I'd stick with something that gets down to the fish as quickly as possible!

You can also find a lot of good suggestions on how to make the most of being the backseater right here in these forum pages. Some are a little negative, but you will do best if you concentrate on those that show how to positively react to the challenges faced when you are in the back of the boat.

I think the most important thing you can do to insure getting those five fish in the boat is to remember that you have to take advantage of those prime times during the day. When the fish turn on, you want to be throwing you best baits at the best spots. Watch the angles your boater is giving you and work the lure that fits that situation.

[Keepitbasic]

I think you have to put a limit in the boat, then start looking for the bigger bite! Like Lund said,, great advice.

[Eric Buck]

Looking at those tournament results you need to catch 5 QUALITY fish to get you anywhere. 5 two pounders might get you in the top 50 but thats not going to get you money. I think you need to come up with a strategy to catch get you a limit early and start culling those fish throughout the day. Do your research and pre fishing. Locate a pattern and go with that. During tournaments we tend to get so wrapped up on catching anything that we lose sight that we are not catching winning fish. I would suggest get you 5 quick keepers to build up your confidence and then go to where you KNOW some big fish are at and use bigger baits to try and lure them in. Spend the time to know the waters and what baits and colors have traditionally produce bigger fish. Fish with confidence and have fun.