Vodka Clear Cold Water....

[BuckMaxx]

I fished a club tourney yesterday and got the old skunkarooney. I normal can catch fish on the lake but have never fished it under these conditions. It was cold 49-54 degree water, and you could literally see bottom 10-15 foot deep 100' around the boat. We could see them around the brush but if you could see em they weren't going to bite.

They guys that won it beat the crap outta the brush flippin a jig. That's not my style. I threw a spinner bait, crawled a jig, threw a rattle trap, down sized bait, finesse fished, threw a chatter bait, ran the gammet. I tried to go to a different area and find fish. I just pure and simple got my rear handed to me.

I was wondering what are your ideas on what I could have done different in this situation. The obvious one is flip the brush with a jig. But that to me that style of fishin is like whacking my thumb with a hammer over and over. Thanks!

[Shane J]

If there's a flipping bite, and you don't want to fish that way, then nobody can help you.

[Sun Fish]

I don't get it, your competeing, you know what the fish are biting but you don't want to fish that but instead something else?  Why even enter the tournament?  You gotta give the fish what they want not what you want them to want.

[kickerfish1]

Fished water yesterday with similar temps but clarity was the complete opposite. Jigs and drop shot rigs out fished every other bait. Best advice would be to rig as many rods as you can that way so when you snag one up you can grab another without losing time or where the brush pile is.

[ClackerBuzz]

sounds like you need to make a mental decision. you can't have your cake and eat it too. you can't fish the way you personally like AND want to win tournaments too.  

[BuckMaxx]

Ok I didn't post to have you guys critique the decisions I made... obvious I made the wrong ones. I posted to ask what you do in this situation. I didn't know the guys winning it were flipping till after the weigh in. Thanks for the input.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

In your OP, you failed to mention you found out the bite after the tournament.

 

I'd say chalk it up as a learning experience, be prepared to flip brush next time if you have to and move on to the next tournament. Try your strengths and if that's not working, be willing to adapt.

[BuckMaxx]

I had a much better tournament yesterday I finished second. I had prefished the lake on Friday and established a pattern. The water was much more murky, the wind also helped. Just one of those deals I am trying to learn from, I have never been a good clear water fisherman. Thanks to all for their input... reread my post didn't mean to come across like it did.