An article by Ultimate Fishing (FishingTackleLures.com.au)
If ever there was a tournament that allows one to participate and yet be at peace inside, it would most likely be a fishing tournament which is unlike most other tournaments where participants are practically strapped to the competitive ‘stress chair’. Fishing tournaments are akin to doing yoga by the lake, at least until your line starts twitching, when the ‘rush’ anglers get by sensing the weight of what is on the end of the line explode inside every fibre in their body – ecstasy! However, preparing for a fishing tournament can be an annoying pain in the neck, especially for first timers as it involves a myriad of things that they have to do in order to get things right which involves, time, money and effort in their bid to secure the bragging rights to the ‘big fish’ that is normally associated with fishing tournaments – the ultimate prize!
Table of Contents
Step # 1 – Join a Club, Get Acquainted
Putting all that aside, the first thing that you would have to do in order to get yourself into one of these tournaments is to join an anglers or fishing club for a small fee (the smaller the organisation – the better and more cost effective it will be), once you become a registered member, things usually start getting clearer as most anglers are not good with secrets and usually regurgitate all their fishing secrets to you on the first meeting without skipping a beat. At this point you will probably know what you will or will not need to get in on the action for the next fishing tournament and all you have to do is prepare yourself – the best you can!
Step # 2 – Nobody Plans to Fail – But Never Fail to Plan
Prior to the competition the best way to get warmed up is to spend as much time on the water as you possibly can however, as tournament locations are usually designated ‘off limits’ prior to the competition, pick a fishing spot that is similar to the one you will be angling during the competition – this is to basically give you the ‘sense’ of the environment (weather, temperature, currents, weed clumps etc), these factors are important because you must never forget that whatever influences the fish – influences you, and to bag the big fish, you have to think like the big fish! Get a ‘feel’ for setting the hooks, using different baits, ways fish bite, shade spots and everything that relates to the ‘fishy habits’ of fish.
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Step # 3 – Use the ‘NET’
By ‘NET’ we mean the internet, learn as much as you can about your target fish and environment, find out about the lake, try to get some lake maps as it will give you the precise depth of water and approximate temperature of the lake in different areas as well as the direction of both surface and under currents which is useful to know the directional habits of fish’ when currents and temperatures change.
Gearing Up
Prior to the tournament create a check-list and build on it, list every possible item or to-dos and follow through, 3 days before the tournament check your reels, if they are old, get new ones and keep the old one as a spare and remember that mono have the potential to fracture easily and thus MUST be removed and replaced (most pros replace their mono on each tournament) Ensure that the lines are in prime condition and devoid of notches, scratches or blemishes. Organize your tackle bag properly, baits, weights and hooks are critical success factors, especially baits, regardless if they are swim-bait, hard-baits, jerk-baits or head-jigs, have some fishing lures spare. Check your rod; ensure that it is in good condition as well, these things become critical factors when you get the ‘big fish’ on the line, if you don’t – you simply risk becoming one of those anglers talking about ‘the one that got away’!
The Tournament
On the day of the tournament, you will realise that fishing tournaments are never tensed, the competitiveness is not as intense as it is with most other tournaments, everybody will have a smile on their face and people are just happy to be there – it is because, fishing is a stress free fun sport – even if you don’t catch anything – you are bound to meet some great people and have a jolly good day!
