Kicker Strategy

[rowyourboat]

alright guys, your in a tournament and youve got your limit and have a few hours to try and upgrade. what are your tactics/lures you use to bring in the hog momma??? haha

[Shad_Master]

There are so many variables - it depends on the lake, the season, the forage, etc. But if I had to try to pull a kicker from the lakes I usually fish, I would be throwing a jig on submerged brush piles. It seems like the good ol bigguns (or big ol goodens) alwyas seem to hang around the brush piles, especially in the middle part of the day when most tournaments are wrapping up.

[Jigfishn10]

Plus 1 Shad_Master. I'm old school in the respect that once I get that limit I'll go to the jig which always produces a better quality fish for me. Same locations as well as humps or primary points near channels, hopefully near some type of structure or cover.

[matstone7]

I would like to submit...

Someone already began with a jig on the deep brush, points, channels etc, and already caught the kickerz.

[Fishmaster10]

I agree with what everyone else said, throw a jig

[hookingem]

Swimbait...

[dhami013]

After I got my limit, I would thank God for the day's catch. I would spit out my current lip, pack another one. Motor to some heavy structure and throw a jig or one of my favorite plastics.

Tight lines and fat lips.

[Catt]

Since I don’t target small fish & I have 5 in the livewell I would do the same thing I’ve been doing.

[joshholmes]

swimbait.

[ww2farmer]

I hate this concept of getting a limit first, then go for bigger fish. Maybe it's because I don't fish club tournaments or trails where points matter. The only thing that matters in the TX's I fish is weight and $$$. Most weight takes home the money. Catching a limit of small fish only guarntees that you have donated your cash to the winners. I would rather strike out and catch a 12 lb limit while fishing to win, then go intentionaly put 10 lbs in the box and try to upgrade later.

[fishnabarrel]

5 1/2 inch money minnow in the rainbow trout color fished as slow as possible

[J Francho]

I hate this concept of getting a limit first, then go for bigger fish.

I hate it, too. And I fish a club series for points. Maybe being a non boater/co angler changes my perspective. I don't have as much opportunity at the back of the boat for the fish that boater is targeting. Why would I try for sloppy seconds? I fish for a few big bites.

[bigbassctchr101]

I fish small clubs and larger tourn trails. In the smaller shorter club tournaments with 25-50 boats, I go for the bigger fish. But when I am fishing against 150-200 boats, I don't think there is a problem with staying in a spot with smaller keeper fish to finish out a limit. 125 of the other boats may not get a limit...which will put you in the money. When paying out $100-$200 per tournament, there is no shame with assuring that your winning your money back. And sometimes, you just get in a spot where you end up catching the same size fish. I've been in situations that a 3lb fish added to my limit would have won me thousands of dollars....I've also fished that same lake and culled 3lb fish all day. When I target big fish and have plenty of time to do it, I first target the same areas that I've caught the smaller fish and use a bigger bait. (If I have a partner in the tourn, one of us will already be using a bigger bait) If that doesn't work, I will sit on a big hump or ledge with a bulky jig or 10" worm.

[Catt]

If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you always got

If you fish to be a middle of the pack angler you will be a middle of the pack angler!

[senko_77]

I would like to submit...

Someone already began with a jig on the deep brush, points, channels etc, and already caught the kickerz.

I hate this concept of getting a limit first, then go for bigger fish. Maybe it's because I don't fish club tournaments or trails where points matter. The only thing that matters in the TX's I fish is weight and $$$. Most weight takes home the money. Catching a limit of small fish only guarntees that you have donated your cash to the winners. I would rather strike out and catch a 12 lb limit while fishing to win, then go intentionaly put 10 lbs in the box and try to upgrade later.

If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you always got

If you fish to be a middle of the pack angler you will be a middle of the pack angler!

This, this, and this!!!! I still have trouble understanding why people get their limit then change there mindset to, "lets go get a kicker and win this thing!" Why in the world is your mindset not like that from the get go?

If your goal is to get a limit, then a kicker, then you have wasted half your day to get that limit that isn't going to help you in most cases. The guys that win and win consistently come in with numerous big fish each time they hit the scales. Why? Because they are "fishing for the kicker" the second they start calling boat numbers. I realized at the young age that this mentality of "getting 5" was how I was going to donate my money week in and week out. As soon as I changed that to fishing for quality fish the whole day, my results improved dramatically and I started taking the money from the guys running around like a chicken with it's head cut off to get their 5.