Always Around 8Lbs

[Sodus Bay Scooter]

So I've had my third tournament this year in upstate NY, fishing as a non boater and I'm always at or around 8lbs. I can't seem to get a good string going. Conesus 3 fish, 7.88lbs, Fairhaven 5 fish, 8.10lbs, Port bay 5 fish, 7.90lbs. How do I break this streak?

[Catt]

Keep chunking - 8's better than skunked

[bigbill]

I would suggest as the bite slows down to either change your lure color or upside your lure to the next bigger one. The bigger bass will hit the larger lures.

[Montanaro]

how much success is the boater having?

[iabass8]

beat me to it. that would be question as well.

[Sodus Bay Scooter]

First tournament the boater took first. He got 3 good ones towards the end of the day drop shotting. The second one I beat the boater and the third the boater was about 1 1/2-2lbs better. This last one he was also crankin a lot and I don't have too many crank baits so I was at a loss during those times when he was crankin. Even so, his weight wasn't dramatically different than mine.

[gripnrip]

Are you fishing against everyone or just your fellow co-anglers?

[Sodus Bay Scooter]

Everyone

[mnbassman23]

1st tournament was probably your best chance at placing well, since he was around nicer fish at one point in day. Did you try drop shotting as well or maybe a shaky head when he caught those bigger fish? Or even try something bigger like a Jig to try and get those bigger fish to eat?

 

The second one could go 50/50. Since both your weights were similar either you weren't around bigger fish OR neither of you were using the right technique to get those big fish to bite. 

 

Third one is tough to say. I know how hard it can be to fish slower presentations when someone is  fishing fast with a crank. Unless you have a crank, spinnerbait, swimjig, chatter bait, or something that you can fish at a similar pace its almost impossible to fish it decent. What baits were you using when he was cranking, I'm guessing a slower moving bait since you said it was hard to fish it effectively. 

 

List the baits you used for each specific tournament to give us an idea of what your using. 

 

Personally if I'm looking for bigger fish I almost always pick up jigs, frog, buzzbaits, swimbaits, big worms, bigger sized cranks and the punching gear. A lot of this will depend on what your boater is doing but those are some ideas of what to have handy and utilize. Even when I'm not fishing a tournament I fish with the mentality of go big or go home. That doesn't always mean a big bait, but more times than not the lures i listed will get me a few 3-6lbs each time out.

 

I'm sure others will add more advice. 

[gripnrip]

That's how we do it in our club as well. How I usually gauge my success in a tournament is based on how I do against the other co-anglers. On occasion you'll eventually do well against everyone. Last year I had two 3rd place finishes and big bass with one of those finishes. All I can say is don't give up.

[Sodus Bay Scooter]

The first one I actually started catching good fish on a jig and he was about to switch to that cause he didn't have much either but then he decided to stick with the drop shot and got 3 fatties in a row. For what ever reasoning couldn't get two more to bite in the last hour.

The second tourney I actually gave the boater some of my baits cause he wasn't catching anything.

The third I was throwing a crank for a little bit too but I just wasn't feeling it and I threw a spinnerbait, swim bait and even a spook but nothing. I could see on the graph that there were no weeds so throwing slow baits was pointless even though I still was throwing a jig and senko at times.

Def not gonna give up!

[Khong]

So I've had my third tournament this year in upstate NY, fishing as a non boater and I'm always at or around 8lbs. I can't seem to get a good string going. Conesus 3 fish, 7.88lbs, Fairhaven 5 fish, 8.10lbs, Port bay 5 fish, 7.90lbs. How do I break this streak?

 

Study bass habit and study the lake.  Don't try to fish for loner, find the pack and fish them.  Like the pro's said, there will only be 5% were the fishes are hanging out on the Lake and 95% is empty.  

[Catt]

Really Dude you are one big bite away from wining & you're complaing!

Keep doing what your doing