First club/tournament as non-boater

[RyanDR]

So I'm joining a bass fishing club this year as a non-boater. So I would ride along with another boater. My question is, what should I expect and bring? How does being a non-boating fishing off the back of another's boat? Is my score separate? I am going to talk to the members more but I just wanted to get a sense of what to expect before. 

Also I don't have too much gear either. I'm looking to expand. The first tournament is in a few weeks so I can't really buy too much stuff that fast as I won't have the money. 

 

Thanks,

Ryan

[IowaHusker28]

You can ask many different members here and get a few different answers so I will tell you what to "kind of expect". In our club the co-anglers go against each other in each tournament. They have a separate pot for their limit and big bass. We make our co anglers pay a minimum of 10 or 20 dollars for boat and truck gas but help pay if you can, because running and hauling a boat is expensive... and they pay for the boats calcutta which ranges but our club is 10 dollars. 

Now what should you bring? Some rules will say bring as many as you want but many will limit it you to 6 rods.  Ask your boater what they want you to do, and most of the time they will tell you what they expect. Also ask your boater on how they plan to fish, not exactly but you don't want to pack frogs to only be throwing drop shots in 40 feet of water on tournament day. A rule of thumb is bring what you can fit in a backpack. Maybe 6-7 boxes and a few big bags of plastic and if it is going to rain don't forget your rain gear! If you can prefish with your boater, it will make tournament day go a lot smoother. 

Also don't worry about having a ton of gear. Remember to find your own way how to catch fish, if the boater is throwing a black and blue jig you probably don't want to be throwing a black and blue jig (unless he's slaying them and there's a lot of cover, then by all means throw a black and blue jig) 

Anyway. Joining a club is awesome. You're going to realize you don't know as much as you think you did. You'll learn a ton and find some fishing buddies doing it. Good Luck!

[Oregon Native]

Enjoy...fish your strengths and enjoy the fellowship.  Not sure what fish like up in your neck of the woods but a spinning rod with a four inch worm in green pumpkin, watermelon, or black on a shakey head is a good go to.  I too like a small 3 1/2 inch tube in basic colors.  Chatterbait or a spinnerbait and maybe the good old reliable brush hog in your basics should put some fish in the boat.  Less time changing is usually more time catching.  Good Luck

["hamma"]

things you "will need" a life preserver (co angler usually responsable for their own), hat, glasses, rain gear (if need be) Tackle? usually 4 to 5 rods, and a good sized bag with several clear planos and still have room for plastics, pliers, line clippers etc,. What club are you fishing?  Massbass?  aba? And,... where is your first tourney at?

[WRB]

Ryan,

You are a new local bass club member and the folks will know that. Each bass club is different and will have thier established rules and regulations regarding how they run their tournaments. If your club is a sanctioned bass club under something like ABA, American Bass Association, then the ABA rules apply. There are differences between a team tournament and draw partner tournaments; teams share weight, draws have individual weight. Most local bass clubs use the team shared weight concept.

Take a little time and research "back seating" bass tournaments, it's a whole new world for most anglers.

When tournament fishing the goal is to catch 5 keeper size bass, so take the tackle you have confidence in catching 5 bass with and leave home everything you don't have confidence with.

 

Tom