Tournament lake with a ton of pressure

[GoneFishingLTN]

I have a lake here in Iowa that's around 300 acres and ran into a tournament Saturday and then my tournament Sunday. Is it as simple as just hitting the high percentage spots right after people leave I mean if they leave and your not there in 10 minute's some one else will be there. Or what do you do in this situation? I'm assuming there's just not much else you can do. If this is the case what's the odds really of you getting bit in them spots

[A-Jay]

Might depend on who you're fishing behind.

If it's that last guy, you should be good.

A-Jay

[Bankbeater]

I'd be looking for some new fishing spots.

[casts_by_fly]

I don’t fish tournaments but we get a lot of them here. I keep an eye on the tournament schedules and won’t fish a lake the day of one if I can help it. It just isn’t worth working around other people if I can help it. 
 

that said, if I find myself in that situation then I don’t worry about other people fishing through except for if they are spooking bass (I.e. boat right into the brush to unhang lures, plowing through the grass). The main thing is to find something different that other people arent using. Downsize or upsize.  If the guy was throwing power lures, slow down and pick apart what he missed. 
 

or, you can pick other water that no one else is fishing. On a 300 acre lake that might be tough but the second best spot becomes the best spot when no one has fished it. 

[RDB]

Depending on the lake, when you factor in likely dead water, 300 acres becomes pretty small.  If it has docks, you could hit those areas that most fishermen can’t access effectively (skipping).  You could also choose a spot that is a little larger (point, roadbed, etc.) and camp out…at least you can manage the pressure.  I fish a lake fairly often that gets tons of pressure with mostly community holes and usually can catch a good bag camped on a 50 yard section of a roadbed.  I would also slow way down.

[Cbump]

Man I’m sorry you guys have to fish 300 acre lakes. 

[TnRiver46]

25 minutes ago, Cbump said:

Man I’m sorry you guys have to fish 300 acre lakes. 

That’s about the size of a small creek arm on our reservoirs also 

[WRB]

300 acre lake holding multiple bass club tournaments is a problem with your states DNR issuing permits.

Club events are usually small number of boats...but mid summer the lake shrinks to early morning shore bite to maybe 30 acres of active area.

Club anglers using pound the shoreline with surface lures then camp out on a spot.

My advice for what it’s worth is use a weightless Senko early and choose a good spot and slow down early.

 Tom

[Cbump]

Last lake I fished was 89,000 acres. 

[casts_by_fly]

1 hour ago, Cbump said:

Last lake I fished was 89,000 acres. 

 

The biggest lake in NJ is 2600 acres.  There are two more right at 2000 acres, though one of them is a big oval bowl that's 150' deep and most of the lake is deeper than 40' (so far less than 2300 acres fishable for bass) and the other doesn't have a public ramp.  From there you get down to 1200 acres and that lake is 15' low right now, so its more like 800 acres.  The sweet spot for lakes around here is the 200-400 acre range.  Also, of all the lakes there are only a couple that don't have HP restrictions.  Many are electric only.

[Cbump]

I’m really sorry. Lol

 

 seriously, I’m not being rude. That sucks.