When do you opt to pre-fish?

[HOIST-N-HAWGS]

I've been fishing in T's for the past 10 years and have always pre-fished, even waters I know. My closest friends seem to feel just the opposite they either do no pre-fishing at all or maybe once and that's it. I don't believe it was the pre-fishing that hurt me and feel it had more to do with the honey holes already taken and not having a good plan B or I had built up so much confidence in the lures I used pre-fishing and failed to make the changes needed during the T.

Wondering what others do?

[fishizzle]

no

Not enough time

some of the pros do better when they don't too

the weather or water temp is sometimes different

setting up a different pattern

It seems to me that fisherman don't reanalize the current conditions

and scrap their prefish pattern

Its tough to do mentally

as long as you know the lakes cover and structure and seasonal pattern--just go for it

[Jig Man]

When I tournament fished, I always prefished when I could.  The thing I think that helped me is I didn't take more than one fish in a spot.  A lot of times I would fish a jig or a trig and when I got a bite I wouln't set the hook.  Just let the fish drop the bait then reel in and look for another spot.

[PondBoss]

When I prefish the main thing I try to look for are the areas of drastic depth change, creek channels, road beds, and basic structure.  Mainly a sonar run if you will.  If it's a lake I know already then I just shoot from the hip and make adjust menst on the fly.  Like fishizzle said it's hard to scrap what you found only a day or two previous especially if you were on the fish.

[CJ]

I always prefish when I can.

[Tin]

If you feel "at home" on lake and feel like you can win without prefishing because you know the lake, then no. But if you don't, then go prefish and learn something new. I think prefishing can help, but it can also hurt you. because it can make you think too much come tournament day.

Bassectomy, let me know when you want to prefish the park, lol.

[HOIST-N-HAWGS]

If you feel "at home" on lake and feel like you can win without prefishing because you know the lake, then no. But if you don't, then go prefish and learn something new. I think prefishing can help, but it can also hurt you. because it can make you think too much come tournament day.

Bassectomy, let me know when you want to prefish the park, lol.

Thanks Tin, but the question should be directed at you and when are you taking me? ;D

[bassnleo]

I always try to pre-fish. IMHO the key is finding the fish and then trying to adjust on tournament day if the conditions have changed from when you pre-fished.

I've found that by doing this it has saved me from alot or running around trying to figure things out.

[jrhennecke]

I prefish if it is a new lake or one I have only fished a few times.  I think prefishing this time of year is not as productive because conditions change so fast.

[HOIST-N-HAWGS]

Generally I'll pre-fish a 3 to 4 weeks before and then again sometime during the week of the T, especially if it has rained alot or a cold front has moved in.

[Sam]

I love to prefish but I have found the following:

1.  Business and social life comes first - helps with marriage.

2.  What happens when you prefish may not be the same on tournament day.

3.  When I prefish I do more scouting and searching for where the fish SHOULD be on tournament day.  I make lots of notes on maps and with sonar unit.

4.  If tournament is far away I may not prefish it if means I have to stay in a motel for another evening.

5.  Most of us know the waters we tournament fish so prefishing is just an excuse to go out and have some fun.

The most important things you can do when planning your tournament is:

1.  Study the map for drop offs, islands, oxbows.

2.  See lake and mark cover and structure.

3.  Study map again.

4.  Pick out a creek or other area and fish that and do not run all over the place trying to locate fish.

5.  Study map.

6.  Look for boat docks, creeks, trees in water, etc. when you visit the location to prefish.

7.  Get on internet and find articles or blogs on the place you will be fishing.

8. Study the map.

9. Get another map of the same body of water and study it.

10, Plan ahead and see if there are any books or Corps of Engineers maps of the body of water and see what they say.

11. Visit a local tackle shop and get a macro view of the area and what baits to use and where a good place to fish can be found.

12. Did I say get a map and study it?

Prefishing is always fun, especially if you take another guy in the same tournament with you.  But it is more important to know the body of water and what baits and techniques will work on tournament day.

And with all that planning hope you can catch one fish an hour! ;D

[deadeye32.]

I always tell myself that I'm not going to fish, but rather just study my graphs for good areas.  This works for about an hour and then the rod box opens.  I just cant help it.  

[The Bass Guy]

When I fished tourneys (wishing I could these days even as a back seater) I always tried to pre fish if I could possibly do it... But when i couldn't I would do as much studying as possible...  Lake maps, Talking to the local sports shops, etc. etc...  

[HOIST-N-HAWGS]

I always tell myself that I'm not going to fish, but rather just study my graphs for good areas. This works for about an hour and then the rod box opens. I just cant help it.

I'm right there with ya. It's just so hard not too! ;D

[warmer]

prefishing this time of year is not as productive because conditions change so fast.

my pre-fishing this time of year is weather directed. is it stable, ill just go sometime during the week. if it is volatile i will a) go the day before or try to match conditions a week or so before as closely as possible.

as far as fishing or scouting, i think you can learn a lot from maps, but in my opinion, the concentrations of fish i find in florida's shallow heavy veg lakes often make very little sense. so i scout a little and fish a lot.

[GobbleDog]

Sometimes when I pre-fish a lake that I'm totally unfamiliar with.... I look for fisherman who seem to know what they're doing and mark their spots.

[bocabasser]

i always try to pre fish, but i do it to eliminate water. if i find an area that has fish, i will not set up on any fish mark it and move on.

[FD.]

3.  When I prefish I do more scouting and searching for where the fish SHOULD be on tournament day.  I make lots of notes on maps and with sonar unit.

I'm mostly looking for vegetation changes since the last time I was there.  I also try to pick a particular spot on the lake I have never fished and give it a try.

[mynameis....andimabassaholic]

i always pre-fish, eliminate water, and beat up spots that i know are community holes and i wont be fishing

[jjbassjj]

Sometimes when I pre-fish a lake that I'm totally unfamiliar with.... I look for fisherman who seem to know what they're doing and mark their spots.

X2 exactly what i do! I will only prefish the two days or day befre the tourny

[Rayraff]

If I fished tournys I would probably do a little scouting.  Just to take a spin around the lake and find some good spots.  Like it was mentioned earlier, look for other boats on the lake they probably have fished that lake many times before and know what they are doing.

[humpy]

Prefishing has helped me a lot. It gets me mentally prepared if its going to be a tough bite so I have more patience in an area where the fish have been. Also if anything I want to know what color the water is,is it droping or riseing. What is the temp? I want to know what the bait is doing. This kind of info helps me elinamate rods and baits.Then if things change on tournament day(they always do it seems)I am in a better position to make decisions on  what to do next. My partner used to not beleive in prefishing i.e. soremouth them,he knows the lake,he knoes what they should be doing this time of year.Yea,Yea,Yea. He knows better now.

[bassnleo]

These are jokes....right? :-/ :-? :-?

I seriously hope that the "beat up community holes / places I won't be" fishng is a joke.

AND

"I look for fisherman who seem to know what they are doing and mark their sopts" I really hope that's a joke.....

If not you'll,  never learn anything doing those things. You will however manage to make a few guys mad.

[fishfordollars]

My prefishing begins about a week before the tournament. Not with actually fishing though. Map study and weather observations and if it is a river lake the discharge times. Usually begin fishing three days before the tournament and seldom stick a fish. If it is a lake I am familiar with I will start the first day covering water I have never fished. Cut the lake down to size by picking out an area(Upper, mid lake, or lower), and learning as much about it as possible. If I am in an area that I am getting bit I will change lures to see if the bite picks up or not.  If I have decided this is the area I intend to fish lots of idling around reading depth finders and learning to navigate the water. Look for isolated stumps or brushpiles off creek channels or points. check the inside and outside grass lines if vegation exists in the lake.

[humpy]

I beleieve you are correct about fishing community holes.I know a lot of good fisherman who fish spots and do ok because they have been on that water along time.I say let them have at it.I love it when I see guys running from spot to spot.All of them hitting the same places.What seperates the wheat from the chaf is pattern fishing.Once you learn how to do that you will fish differant places on the lake that never dawned on you. As for watching other fisherman FISH you can almost tell the ones who know what they are doing and the ones who don't. When you pay attention to those who do, somtimes it can help you with your pattern or key you on something you may have been missing.It pays to be very observant of ALL of your surroundings.