Rhino68W Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 I'm participating in a tournament at Lake Fork in a few weeks. Never been on the lake, and never fished a big tournament before! This will be fun and exciting! Any tips for kayak tournament fishing? Quote
WPCfishing Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 Great news! Go get em ... Fish it like you would any other day except; pay attention to your casting accuracy. Time management is of the utmost importance. You have to keep your line in the water. Quote
Super User Choporoz Posted September 22, 2015 Super User Posted September 22, 2015 Sounds like great advice, WPC. I've never fished a kayak tournament, but if I apply above advice to a couple of recent outings, I think that I'd make a couple changes to my 'routine'. A windy day last weekend, I spend a LOT of time picking out backlashes -- I was too stubborn to admit that I needed to adjust the reel...or my delivery...or thought I'd get over it. So, I would tighten the brakes just a little more than I do on a 'fun fishing' day -- Seems like a good idea to give up a yard or two but get more casts in. In a similar vein, I'd get my drop shot/shakey head/fluke rod out the day before and meticulously untwist it for at least 70 yards....and then douse it in KVD L&L. Make every cast count and minimize time doing something other than casting or paddling to productive spots. Quote
Rhino68W Posted September 22, 2015 Author Posted September 22, 2015 Thanks for the advice guys. I will be power fishing until I get my first 5. After that I am going to try to switch to fun fishing mode, slow down, and enjoy being on Lake Fork a little more. Might eve make a long paddle to another part of the lake. Quote
dolomieu Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 Tournament of Champions? I’ll echo the others’ sentiments regarding the importance of time management. I’ve found that staying organized on a kayak where space is at a premium will help maximize fishing time. For example, spending the few extra seconds to hook your lure to the lure keeper or reel instead of letting in dangle off the front of your boat will almost certainly save you from spending time untangling lines or getting the lure free from a snagged tree (especially on Fork). A day or two of prefishing will go a very long way to ensuring you are making the most of your time on the water. However, always try to keep an open mind no matter what happens in practice- conditions can change quickly. A couple more things: Save yourself the inevitable heartbreak of losing a fish boatside and invest in a net if you don’t have one. Store it where it’s easily accessible with one hand. I’m not sure how much experience you have taking the pictures required for kayak tournaments, but this can be very difficult. It’s imperative you know the rules for the tournament and practice this some before game day. Every single tournament I fish I hear about a fish flopping off the board before the pic or deductions for an open mouth, etc. You got this. Quote
Rhino68W Posted September 22, 2015 Author Posted September 22, 2015 Tournament of Champions? I’ll echo the others’ sentiments regarding the importance of time management. I’ve found that staying organized on a kayak where space is at a premium will help maximize fishing time. For example, spending the few extra seconds to hook your lure to the lure keeper or reel instead of letting in dangle off the front of your boat will almost certainly save you from spending time untangling lines or getting the lure free from a snagged tree (especially on Fork). A day or two of prefishing will go a very long way to ensuring you are making the most of your time on the water. However, always try to keep an open mind no matter what happens in practice- conditions can change quickly. A couple more things: Save yourself the inevitable heartbreak of losing a fish boatside and invest in a net if you don’t have one. Store it where it’s easily accessible with one hand. I’m not sure how much experience you have taking the pictures required for kayak tournaments, but this can be very difficult. It’s imperative you know the rules for the tournament and practice this some before game day. Every single tournament I fish I hear about a fish flopping off the board before the pic or deductions for an open mouth, etc. You got this. It's not the tourney of champions. It's a benefit tournament for Hero's on the Water. They take wounded vets kayak fishing. Great cause and very effective. I am big on organization so that's a habit. I won't be able to pre-fish, but I think that has it's advantages too. Won't distract me from what I am seeing real time. I never use a net and have never lost a fish boatside(knocking on my wooden desk) I am fast with my fish grips. I am very familiar with the CPR format of kayak tournaments. This tournament allows you to use the hand with the identifier to hold the fish down on the board. I also leave my fish hooked until I verify I have a good picture of the fish. Quote
WPCfishing Posted September 23, 2015 Posted September 23, 2015 One more thing can to mind. Be sure to have anchors at the front and rear of the kayak. You want to be able to plant yourself so you can concentrate on your fishing without the hassle of controlling your boat position. Quote
Rhino68W Posted September 23, 2015 Author Posted September 23, 2015 One more thing can to mind. Be sure to have anchors at the front and rear of the kayak. You want to be able to plant yourself so you can concentrate on your fishing without the hassle of controlling your boat position. I use an Anchor Trolley system so I can shift my position very quickly. Quote
Dye99 Posted September 23, 2015 Posted September 23, 2015 I would also suggest to do your research. Know what baits you are using, water temps, maps and so forth. For me, I also make sure to tie on all my baits before hand with said research. The last tourney I did I had 8 rods set up on my yak... The more time your line is in the water, the better your chances are. Quote
Rhino68W Posted September 23, 2015 Author Posted September 23, 2015 I would also suggest to do your research. Know what baits you are using, water temps, maps and so forth. For me, I also make sure to tie on all my baits before hand with said research. The last tourney I did I had 8 rods set up on my yak... The more time your line is in the water, the better your chances are. Couldn't agree more. I am trying to acquire 3 more setups before I the tournament. I always tie on the night before, more rods will help with the on the water proficiency. Quote
Rhino68W Posted September 28, 2015 Author Posted September 28, 2015 Well, I got a new rod/reel this weekend and went and practiced with it all day yesterday. I for a nice lews 7.1:1 reel and a Heavy rod for T-rigs. Took a little getting used to as far as casting. It's only a 6'6'' rod, I am used to 7' or longer. I am pumped up for this tournament guys. Also, It will be on iAngler. 1 Quote
Dye99 Posted September 30, 2015 Posted September 30, 2015 Well, I got a new rod/reel this weekend and went and practiced with it all day yesterday. I for a nice lews 7.1:1 reel and a Heavy rod for T-rigs. Took a little getting used to as far as casting. It's only a 6'6'' rod, I am used to 7' or longer. I am pumped up for this tournament guys. Also, It will be on iAngler. Good luck! Keep us posted! Wish I was fishing it as well....Im a Parker county / Weatherford guy myself, miss those Texas fish! Quote
Ski213 Posted September 30, 2015 Posted September 30, 2015 Good luck man! Fish where you know, what you know, and how you know. The most important thing is to enjoy the day. It sounds like a great cause. Let us know how it goes. Quote
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