I Had A Great Tournament This Weekend!!

[prjavelin]

I went to fish for a new club this weekend. I was fishing in a smaller club but it kinda broke when the president, my mentor left to live in TX. I bet he will make great things in the fishing world as he is extremely talented.

 

So It was a completely new lake for me. I had practiced for a couple hours this past Tuesday and it was awful. I was fishing off somebody else boat fishing at his speed on his spots the way he would fish. The day before the tournament I heard of it being a great bite. Then the tournament came. I was kinda anxious and nervous. My goal was to win it all in my first tournament with that club while being and unknown. There were around 40 people fishing.

 

I went into the first spot that I picked(I didnt fish a single spot my friend showed me the practice day) and I caught two keepers. It happened in the first half hour of the tournament. It was 2 pm, extremely hot Caribbean temperatures. My pattern was to fish areas that looked like it had been shaded the whole day. Around an hour or so later I had nothing else added into the boat. I was confident looking for the proper spots that werent taken already. I fish out of a 12 foot aluminum v hull boat with a 9.9 hp motor. It is slow to say the least. So I got into a cove that looked like it had some activity and I caught nothing inside of it but once I reached the outer wall to the right it was crazy. I caught 6 keepers in a matter of half and hour. I caught a total of 7 fish there and it was working good. My only fear was someone having caught the same but better quality.

 

The weighting boat came and weighted all my fish. I asked him how everybody was doing and he told me people that had been fishing that lake for decades were getting skunked. It was skunk city in there and I was blowing all the competition out of the water. Can you Imagine how I felt!!! He started to look around my boat trying to find out my bait without me noticing. I finished that day with 9 fish.

 

Second day I added 10 fish with a couple boats being my fans trying to find out what I was doing. I did better, caught 10 keepers but had a little keeper die on me. I still feel bad about it.

 

The tournament ended and they called the winners. Second place overall did 168oz. Yours truly did 294. They called me over the mic and talked about what a surprise it was to have someone do what I did. They invited me over to the next one that happens to be on my home lake. It was awesome, everybody was talking to me and congratulating me. Many of them talked about how good my weekend was and many were looking for ways to pick my brain. The president was very nice to me and asked me to be on the next tournament. Many couldnt believe that I caught 19 bass while they caught zero or 1 a day. I gotta say the weekend was awesome. A lot of great food and great people around me. Winning made me extremely happy. I still cant believe it.

 

Now I gotta get my gear ready so I can go practice my home lake and prove them that it was not a fluke.

 

Thanks BR for all you have teach me!!!

 

[brgbassmaster]

Sounds like a good day, any pictures?

[AK-Jax86]

Good day indeed pics?

[Brian6428]

Sounds like a good day, any pictures?

Just wondering, and maybe AK-NJ  could answer this too, but is it normal to take pics during a tournament? I haven't ever fished a tournament before so i'm just curious.

 

To the OP: Sounds like a great weekend! Did you tell them what you were using?

[Siebert Outdoors]

Congrats!!

[brgbassmaster]

Its normal to take pics afterwards of your limit. Then release them right away.

[prjavelin]

it was no limits like Major league fishing which made it even better for me.

 

I didnt take pictures of the bass, I wanted the bass back in the water as soon as possible.

 

I didnt tell anyone but my friend from the club who invited me there what I was using. If anyone asked I simply told them a small worm which would have worked if people werent so anxious and fished them slow.

[Sam]

Always keep the bait information and places and techniques to yourself.

 

If there is pressure to give up the information it is totally legal to fib a little.

 

Great report and congrats on the win.

 

All the best for more good finishes in the future.

[Bankbeater]

Great job on the win!

[MarksHooked]

An inspiring story. I can't wait to get involved in tournaments!