How often do you cash a tournament check?

[thirtysixit]

I finally had some success on the water and placed second at a local tournament. Weighed in 18.25lbs and Got 200 bucks which I immediately spent on more tackle... I was wondering how often some of the guys who have been fishing tournaments  for years cash a check from their local derby?   I'm sure there some great stories out there about the ones that got away and what not

[HookdUP]

I fished two this year and have finished 3rd and first.. I usually win one club tournament a year in the spring or summer and one in winter .

 

looking to change that a keep this golden state streak going

[Jd_Phillips_Fishin]

I find I'm in the money 60-75% of the time

[mrmacwvu1]

The local that I fished we finished in the money 9 out of 10 times. However unless we won or finished 2nd and the big bass by the time we paid entry fees and fuel for the boat we mostly broke even. These were just single evening 4 hour tournaments. However it was just great to be around people that have the same love and passion that my fishing partner and I had.

[scaleface]

About half . I usually finish real high or real low .

[geo g]

Never, I don't fish tournaments!  As a football coach for 40 years the last thing I need is competition on my days off.  I fish because I love it,  it is a form of relaxation for me, even on those slow catching days.  Fishing is not just a completion, it is a way of life, a form of meditation, and a connection with nature.  Nothing better then an early morning on a lake, hearing the birds coming to life, a big splash from a hawg, and a tug on my line.  Sharing this with a friend,  it doesn't get any better then that!  You can keep the competition, I have had enough!!!!!!!!!  Relaxation and having fun is my goal.  It has worked me for over 40 years of  South Florida Bass Fishing.

[papajoe222]

I recently stopped fishing club tournaments, but when I did I would estimate around 75%. The one or two invitational tourneys I would fish that percentage would drop to about 50% and similar to others, those winnings barely covered expenses if that.  The one positive thing those other tourneys did for me, as far as becoming a more versatile angler, was teach me how to better prep for an outing. 

[Catt]

How often do you cash a tournament check?

Every time I go to the bank

[Bluebasser86]

My season last year consisted of our little Thursday night tournaments, which for me the first cycle through went; first, first, second, fourth, first, skipped, first, first, so fairly often  

[gardnerjigman]

6 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

My season last year consisted of our little Thursday night tournaments, which for me the first cycle through went; first, first, second, fourth, first, skipped, first, first, so fairly often  

Yes sir. Lol

[ww2farmer]

2015: I fished in 14 tournaments. We had 1 win, 4 second places, 2 third places, 1 fourth place, and lunker twice. In 4 other tournaments we finished ONE place out of the money, and the two we were not close to the money we were in the middle of the pack.

2014: I fished in 16 tournaments. We had 1 win, 7 second places, 1 third, 1 fourth, and lunker once. 

2013: I fished in 14 tournaments. We had 3 wins, 4 seconds, 2 thirds, 1 fourth, and lunker once.

2012: I fished in 12 tournaments, We had 2 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds, and lunker once

2011: I fished in 9 tournaments, We had 2 seconds,  2 thirds, and one fourth

2010: I fished in 7 tournaments, We had 2 seconds, and 1 third

2009 I fished in 6 tournaments, We had 1 second, 2 thirds

2008 my first year tournament fishing I fished in 8 tournaments, We had 1 win, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds.

86 total............52 times in the money...........or 60.4% of the time 

 

[buzzed bait]

10 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

My season last year consisted of our little Thursday night tournaments, which for me the first cycle through went; first, first, second, fourth, first, skipped, first, first, so fairly often  

 

3 hours ago, gardnerjigman said:

Yes sir. Lol

 

Nicely brag there Clayton!   You just forgot to mention it was just you and Coty fishing against each other!!! 

[Bluebasser86]

4 minutes ago, buzzed bait said:

 

 

Nicely brag there Clayton!   You just forgot to mention it was just you and Coty fishing against each other!!! 

We slowed down a bit later in the year. We have a very talented group of fishermen, so we didn't expect to keep that pace up. Averaged 8-12 boats though, so it was a pretty small group which really increases your odds of winning. 

[Logan S]

In about 200 or so total events my check percentage is probably around 50% or 60% I'd guess...Since about 2009/2010 its probably closer to 75% which makes up for the first few years of struggling . 

The vast majority of my tournaments are local club events where we average 15-20 boats, with larger stuff sprinkled in here and there.  At the club/local level you can't be in it to make money, because you won't...Even when I win tournaments, I'm only breaking even with expenses many times.  It's all about the love of tournament fishing and competition...One day I'll try my hand at the bigger stuff, but until then I view what I do as 'practice' .

 

 

[wnspain]

16 hours ago, geo g said:

Never, I don't fish tournaments!  As a football coach for 40 years the last thing I need is competition on my days off.  I fish because I love it,  it is a form of relaxation for me, even on those slow catching days.  Fishing is not just a completion, it is a way of life, a form of meditation, and a connection with nature.  Nothing better then an early morning on a lake, hearing the birds coming to life, a big splash from a hawg, and a tug on my line.  Sharing this with a friend,  it doesn't get any better then that!  You can keep the competition, I have had enough!!!!!!!!!  Relaxation and having fun is my goal.  It has worked me for over 40 years of  South Florida Bass Fishing.

Couldn't agree more. One of the best day's fishing I've had lately included me not catching a single fish. I was alerted by movement up in the brush but was too far to put an eye on what it was. I kept looking and finally realized it was deer. I noticed a bit of chasing going on and when the buck crested the hill, OMG...the biggest buck I had ever seen in the wild. Planning next year's hunt 

[Wbeadlescomb]

In the little club 15-20 boat tournaments pretty often but in these bigger tournaments not often anymore. I just don't have the time to put in it that I used to. 

[Airman4754]

On 3/21/2016 at 7:11 PM, geo g said:

Never, I don't fish tournaments!  As a football coach for 40 years the last thing I need is competition on my days off.  I fish because I love it,  it is a form of relaxation for me, even on those slow catching days.  Fishing is not just a completion, it is a way of life, a form of meditation, and a connection with nature.  Nothing better then an early morning on a lake, hearing the birds coming to life, a big splash from a hawg, and a tug on my line.  Sharing this with a friend,  it doesn't get any better then that!  You can keep the competition, I have had enough!!!!!!!!!  Relaxation and having fun is my goal.  It has worked me for over 40 years of  South Florida Bass Fishing.

I'm a football coach as well and I know what you mean. Professionally I'd have to basically be KVD for it to make sense for me to become a "pro" bass fisherman so I don't take tournaments all that seriously. I know I'm a good stick, but there is never a point where I NEED to have a good day competing. 

I fish the club events I want to. If the conditions suck, prefishing was awful, or it's a lake I don't like I just don't fish it. I'd rather spend two days on a lake I like on my own schedule then some crap hole on someone else's. 

The younger single guys that work at sporting goods stores and fish the same lake almost daily a month before every tourney will almost always beat me and I'm 1,000% OK with that. 

[SDoolittle]

On Monday, March 21, 2016 at 4:49 AM, scaleface said:

About half . I usually finish real high or real low .

I was the same way for my first few years of tournament fishing. I either finished very high, or I zeroed, but I almost never finished in the middle of the pack. These days I'm a little more consistent. 

[scaleface]

31 minutes ago, S. Doolittle said:

I was the same way for my first few years of tournament fishing. I either finished very high, or I zeroed, but I almost never finished in the middle of the pack. These days I'm a little more consistent. 

I liked to camp on spots [ point , hump , channel...]  with the potential to catch a limit . If it pays off I do well if not , I didnt  . I had a hard time catching a nice stringer running the bank and usually  avoided doing so .

[SDoolittle]

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

I liked to camp on spots [ point , hump , channel...]  with the potential to catch a limit . If it pays off I do well if not , I didnt  . I had a hard time catching a nice stringer running the bank and usually  avoided doing so .

I had the same problem of sticking to "Plan A" for too long.