One thing you have noticed..

[MonarkMcfaster]

As I get ready to really dive head first into tournament fishing I am asking for everyones help.

What is the common mistakes that you usually see begining tournamnet anglers make?

**COuld be at launch, while fishing, or maybe after everything is over.

[Lund Explorer]

Wasting Time!

That may sound overly simple, but it really isn't.  A person can waste time in many ways, whether it is before, during, or after a tournament.

Before the tournament, you need to spend time on the water to try to figure out where the fish are, and what they are biting on.  You also need to make sure that all of your gear (boat included) is ready to go.  Don't be the guy that decides that the time to tie on your favorite lure is after you've blasted off and got to your first spot.

The biggest waste of time I've seen (and been guilty of) during a tournament is sitting on dead water or fishing the wrong bait too long.  Have a plan setup ahead of time, with a number of spots to hit and a number of lures to use.  Also, there will be days where nothing seems to go right.  Those are the days where you will be better off putting the rods down and going for a boat ride.  Take the rest of the day to cruise the lake.  See where others are spending their time to see if they are all fishing something different.  If you spend the whole day beating the banks while the winners were targeting secondary points, don't you think it would be worthwhile to learn that?

After the tournament, there are still things you need to do.  Don't expect that other anglers are going to be very open with the patterns they used during the day because that is the nature of the game.  But you do have first hand knowledge on what you did, and the results of those efforts.  Keep a fishing log!  Once you have a year's worth of logs, you will have another resource to use to plan new upcoming tournaments.  Over a number of years, these logs will provide you with a good idea of what to expect on different lakes throughout the year.

One last way to waste time is something to consider.  That deals with the group you are fishing against.  As you are just starting out, you'll need to decide which organization you plan to spend a season with.  You might be better off fishing a smaller club's schedule to start with.  Sometimes these groups are more open, and you will learn more from guys that don't have serious money on the line.  But when (and not if) the day comes where you are spanking them every weekend, move up the competitive ladder.  KVD isn't going to waste his time or skills fishing with a local club, and you don't need to waste your time fishing against him.  You'll need to keep looking for tournaments that offer you a balance of competition and reward for your level of skills.

[UPS VT]

I agree that you need to find the right competition level, but I don't think you are wasting your time to continue fishing at a club level.  You can mentor those that are just starting out in tournament fishing.  Yes if you are moving on to fish professionally full time, then you would be wasting time at the club level.  Otherwise, I don't see where that is a waste of time.  One of our club members fished the Bassmaster Classic in February and he still fishes in club tournaments.

[ww2farmer]

Guys that usually don't do very well in tournaments asking every one at the weigh in " What did you catch them on? What color were you using?" What I like to call the never will get it crowd.

[Lund Explorer]

I agree that you need to find the right competition level, but I don't think you are wasting your time to continue fishing at a club level. You can mentor those that are just starting out in tournament fishing. Yes if you are moving on to fish professionally full time, then you would be wasting time at the club level. Otherwise, I don't see where that is a waste of time. One of our club members fished the Bassmaster Classic in February and he still fishes in club tournaments.

It is fairly simple math to me that fishing a small club with a dozen boats and $10 per/head doesn't equal fishing against 100 fishermen at $50 a crack. 

It is also fairly simple to know that a few fishermen can ruin a small club if they continue to win every prize pot on the schedule.  Local clubs should be for the guys starting out, or for folks that are only fishing for social reasons.  I know this from experience, as I watched a club with 35 member almost die because of this.  Until four of us decided we would leave voluntarily, that club was going to be down to less than ten members.

[Lund Explorer]

Guys that usually don't do very well in tournaments asking every one at the weigh in " What did you catch them on? What color were you using?" What I like to call the never will get it crowd.

I always tried to make sure that I left a good supply of "ABC" worms and other baits on the deck of the boat each time we came in.  It kept the questions down to a minimum.

They were never close to what we actually used..... But it was another part of the game. 

[ww2farmer]

Guys that usually don't do very well in tournaments asking every one at the weigh in " What did you catch them on? What color were you using?" What I like to call the never will get it crowd.

I always tried to make sure that I left a good supply of "ABC" worms and other baits on the deck of the boat each time we came in. It kept the questions down to a minimum.

They were never close to what we actually used..... But it was another part of the game.

I don't play those games either. I don't care if any one see's, or knows what I got tied on. However I am not telling any one where I caught them, and what caught them in that spot.

[Bass XL]

Guys that usually don't do very well in tournaments asking every one at the weigh in " What did you catch them on? What color were you using?" What I like to call the never will get it crowd.

I always tried to make sure that I left a good supply of "ABC" worms and other baits on the deck of the boat each time we came in. It kept the questions down to a minimum.

They were never close to what we actually used..... But it was another part of the game.

I don't play those games either. I don't care if any one see's, or knows what I got tied on. However I am not telling any one where I caught them, and what caught them in that spot.

Depending who it is asking, you've got a point. If it's a close friend, then I'll tell him the gist like "Target bluff ends and work em really slow with jigs". If it's someone random, you give em the bare minimum like, "Fish as slow as you can".

Although, if this is post tournament, I really don't mind sharing the information, as I like to ask around after an event. Helps figure out what you did wrong, and how you can apply that to a similar situation in the future.

[evrgladesbasser]

Keep an open mind!

What worked yesterday when you pre-fished may not work today

[Catt]

I'll simplify it for you

Failing to understand what structure is, how to truly identify it, interpret it, and then fish it effectively.

Failing to understand the predominate prey species in your lake and how that species relates to structure with each season...morning, noon, and night.

[lynyrdsky1]

Tying and re-tying slowly. My boater told me that you aren't going to do good with out your bait in the water. So when you need to change up tie fast as you can. Practice your knots is all I can say.

[fishn hard]

Keep to your self before the Tournament starts and dont get hung up in the crowd  of guys standing around blabbing off on what they caught them on yesterday AND REMEMBER if there is 100 guys in the Tournament your only fishing against the top 5 guys thats my mind set and and would say i cash a check in 98 percent of the Tournaments I fish   

[K.Fox]

dont get hung up in the crowd  of guys standing around blabbing off on what they caught them on yesterday

X2

[TimJ]

fish against the fish, not the competition. you have enough to worry about trying to catch fish so don't worry about the hot sticks in the other boats.

also, if you practiced somewhere, where, during the event you found one of these hot sticks, go ahead and fish the water after they move on. you found it, now have the confidence to fish it. I learned this and it does wonders for your confidence when you catch fish!

TJ

[hookingem]

Everyone was always on fish...yesterday  ;D

[fishermantony]

Always have a back up plan. Slow down and think when things aren't going right. I went out to practice for a big tourney on Thursday and got absolutely skunked, not even a bite! And it was because I didn't slow down, think and adjust. I was so convinced the fish would be feeding in the shallows that I pounded the bank all day, even though I could cleary see the water was way too low and the fish cleary weren't active in the shallows. I just picked up a new rod every 30 seconds, moved all over the place and wasted time. If I would have just taken a deep breath, moved off the bank a little and stuck with 2 or three different options things could have been better. Even if I still didn't get a bite, it wasn't not getting a bite that bothered me at the end of the day....it was how poorly I had fished. So in a nut shell my advice would be to try and learn something each time.

[slonezp]

I have been fishing tournaments for about 5 years. I have done well in small single tourneys all of those years. My club tourneys are a different story. Up until last year I had just done OK. Never cashed a check and normaly came in the top 1/3. Last year due to getting injured at work, I had a little more time to prefish. What I learned most was the ability to not fish unproductive water. What I mean is rather than thoroughly fishing a few spots, I was hitting it with a run and gun approach. The club I fish with fishes one body of water. Everyone knows the "spots". Last season, for the first time, I spent less time thoroughly fishing a few spots and spent more time fishing more spots, sometimes hitting spots twice. I cashed checks in more than half the tourneys I fished. I must have done something right. So I guess it's all about time management and confidence.

[lmoore]

From personal experience, it's the ability to adapt that has been my biggest mistake in tournaments that haven't gone well. I have had two tournaments in my first 4 years that really stick out to me. In one, I found fish at a spot that I had fished in a previous tournament and done well. The last day of the original tournament, the weather had switched and the fish completely moved out of that spot, so I knew there was a chance it would happen again if the worng weather came up. Naturally, the wrong weather hit, but rather than adjusting to it, I pounded that spot for most of the day and it killed my tournament. In another, we found fish on points in early spring the weekend before the tournament. Well, the week leading up to the tournament was sunny and very warm for that time of year. Instead of moving shallow like the fish did, my partner and myself pounded points until the tournament was half over. By then, it was too late to make up for lost ground. Failure to adapt to the weather killed me in both of the tournaments.

[MrsBass]

Okay as a complete newb to the tournament scene I have a question. Would it be ridiculous for me and my son to enter as a team into a large tournament for our first one? My son and I were thinking of doing a tournament next year here in MN.

I was thinking that it would be less pressure on us if we were lost amongst many competitors, you know, one boat amongst 155 other boats, we wouldn't stand out so much. Am I wrong, should we avoid such a large tournament? Is this a big newb mistake?

I liked that the tournament had divisions and one was adult/child division which we would be in.

I honestly don't believe we will be competitive, but we might be in our division, we just want to go out and have fun and enjoy a couple days on the lake power fishing and I get to spend some fun time with my teenage son

[Grey Wolf]

Okay as a complete newb to the tournament scene I have a question. Would it be ridiculous for me and my son to enter as a team into a large tournament for our first one? My son and I were thinking of doing a tournament next year here in MN.

I was thinking that it would be less pressure on us if we were lost amongst many competitors, you know, one boat amongst 155 other boats, we wouldn't stand out so much. Am I wrong, should we avoid such a large tournament? Is this a big newb mistake?

I liked that the tournament had divisions and one was adult/child division which we would be in.

I honestly don't believe we will be competitive, but we might be in our division, we just want to go out and have fun and enjoy a couple days on the lake power fishing and I get to spend some fun time with my teenage son

Why would you worry about pressure ? The others will not care about you , they are focused on themselves.

[lmoore]

Okay as a complete newb to the tournament scene I have a question. Would it be ridiculous for me and my son to enter as a team into a large tournament for our first one? My son and I were thinking of doing a tournament next year here in MN.

I was thinking that it would be less pressure on us if we were lost amongst many competitors, you know, one boat amongst 155 other boats, we wouldn't stand out so much. Am I wrong, should we avoid such a large tournament? Is this a big newb mistake?

I liked that the tournament had divisions and one was adult/child division which we would be in.

I honestly don't believe we will be competitive, but we might be in our division, we just want to go out and have fun and enjoy a couple days on the lake power fishing and I get to spend some fun time with my teenage son

If you're not fishing to win, you might as well sleep in!

[MrsBass]

If you're not fishing to win, you might as well sleep in!

I would love to win, just going to have fun regardless. I think we would have an excellent chance of winning our division and who knows perhaps we'll even pull it off, I have had excellent days fishing on this lake, but really I get up and fish at all hours without "winning" anything but a beautiful day on the lake and some nice fish, so its all good.

Now as far as pressure, I mean the if there are lots of boats I think I would feel more lost in the crowd so to speak, which I like, no one is going to notice or pay attention to me.

[Fishing Cowgirl]

The only time I am even slightly worried in a large tournament, is where I can beach the boat or park it to get my partner (husband)on board after he parks the rig. Limited dock/shoreline and even limited parking for the rigs. When it's a tournament of over 100 boats, we get up much earlier than usual to avoid the jam up at the ramp and trying to avoid other boats trying to squeeze in at a spot.

Other than that, it's the take off (like NASCAR on water)and avoiding other boaters who suddenly make a change of direction in front of you.

Once you are out on the lake, it's just you and the fish.

They will certainly notice you, when you weigh in a nice limit.

[Crowcommander]

Make a game plan and stick with it.Have at least 10 places to fish.Make your milk run ,fish your game plan and stay with it. If you do good,go back and do it again.If you do bad,go back and do it again.At the end of the day, if you didn't get in the money you can still hold your head up because you did the best you could do.Remember you have at least half these other people beat on just fishing ability,Its the other half you have to beat.Oh yeah,eat while you're running down the lake and drink the regular Mountain Dews(Super leaded ones)

[haydenf96]

Confidence and focus are your keys. If you tell your self you can't win you might as well stay home and sleep in. Having confidence in everything you do on the water will improve your performance. Also you need to focus on the fish and how you present the lure. Don't worry about the guy 2 boats down pulling out fish, focus on you and how you present the lure.

Also if possible, prefish the lake. Being in High School in AZ and living so far from the lakes, it is hard trying to prefish. When I can find time, I rush to it. Knowing what the baitfish are doing and where the bass are help a lot. If you don't have time to prefish, just use your head and a map. Know what the bass and baitfish do when, and go to high percentage spots. I have to wing it most of my HS tournaments, but if you just know the fish it will help you.

Last thing is have fun! Tournaments are just like any other time you fish. You are out in a boat, catching fish, simple as that. Just fish like you would normally do and have fun.

Hope you do well in tournament fishing!