| There are certain tactics that give a
| |
| | lakes that are highly pressured by
|
| tournament fisherman an edge over the
| |
| | recreational and tournament anglers for
|
| other competitors, and produce a win.
| |
| | years and years, become conditioned to
|
| Sometimes just doing a little extra
| |
| | certain baits. There are always fish that
|
| homework and preparation is all it takes.
| |
| | can be caught on conventional baits such
|
| Planning, practice, and confidence are
| |
| | as spinnerbaits, worms, and jerkbaits,
|
| the keys factors that helped us win
| |
| | but these generally are the fish that
|
| local, state, club, and regional
| |
| | don't win tournaments. You can come in
|
| tournaments consistently while working
| |
| | with a decent bag of five fish weighing
|
| our way up the ranks of competitive bass
| |
| | ten to thirteen pounds, but it generally
|
| fishing. Here are some of the most
| |
| | doesn't get you a check except in some
|
| important things to do to prepare
| |
| | local and club tournaments. The larger
|
| yourself mentally and physically for the
| |
| | fish, the from five and six pounds up,are
|
| challenge.MENTAL AND PHYSICAL
| |
| | usually caught on baits such as "Snag
|
| PREPARATIONBefore you even can consider
| |
| | Proof" frogs, prop baits, walking baits,
|
| embarking on a tournament trail, or even
| |
| | and other types of new freak baits, such
|
| local, and club events, you must be in
| |
| | as a "Sweet Beaver". Jigs will always
|
| good physical condition. This involves
| |
| | take some of the better fish, but will
|
| being able to lift, bend, twist, and move
| |
| | not always win. Old style topwaters, such
|
| in a variety of positions, without
| |
| | as a Devils Horse, Dying Flutters, and
|
| getting injured. Many people think that
| |
| | others, take many large bass. Let me
|
| fishing is a leisurely sport, but in
| |
| | emphasize though, that I like to get a
|
| order to be in top shape for winning
| |
| | limit in the boat first before pursuing
|
| tournaments, you must prepare ahead of
| |
| | that big "kicker" fish!Creek Chubs, Zara
|
| time. We not only eat and sleep properly,
| |
| | Spooks, Lucky Craft "Sammy's",
|
| but do regular physical workouts, to get
| |
| | Jitterbugs, and others, take more quality
|
| in good shape to lift equipment, jump
| |
| | fish than you can imagine, due to the
|
| from the front and back of boats,
| |
| | fact that they are fooled by the baits
|
| maintain good balance, have quick
| |
| | they just don't see. Of course, there are
|
| reflexes, and be able to go long periods
| |
| | specific ways to work these baits, that
|
| of time, without wasting time eating and
| |
| | will produce the better fish, even if you
|
| drinking. Being able to jump down to your
| |
| | are using the same baits as another
|
| knees quickly, and maneuvering many
| |
| | angler, and that is the trick.Recent
|
| directions efficiently can mean the
| |
| | studies just out this year in 2005,
|
| difference in winning or losing. One lost
| |
| | indicate that bass may learn and remember
|
| fish can mean the difference in first
| |
| | lures they were caught on much longer
|
| place and last place many times. Not only
| |
| | than previously thought. The new research
|
| do we work out physically to prepare, but
| |
| | indicates that bass can remember up to
|
| we practice our techniques in the off
| |
| | six weeks, so this really comes into play
|
| season as well.In the winter, and all
| |
| | when fishing heavily pressured lakes.When
|
| times of the year in between tournaments,
| |
| | casting to structure with a topwater
|
| we practice our flipping, pitching, and
| |
| | bait, dead sticking, and casting directly
|
| casting techniques. In the colder months
| |
| | to the target, and not past it, can be
|
| we set up boxes, simulate docks to
| |
| | critical. Patience and steady nerves are
|
| practice pitching and flipping, and cast
| |
| | required to do this properly.
|
| to targets in the yard. Knowing your
| |
| | Deadsticking a bait is an extremely
|
| equipment like the back of your hand, and
| |
| | effective way to win a tournament on
|
| being able to quickly execute a maneuver
| |
| | highly pressured waters such as Table
|
| is critical in a tournament. Practicing
| |
| | Rock Lake and many other highly pressured
|
| all techniques constantly is vital in
| |
| | impoundments. In colder water, this is
|
| giving you the confidence that you need
| |
| | extremely important also. You should let
|
| to win when you get to the tournament.
| |
| | a Senko or other bait such as a fluke or
|
| Being able to control your emotions, and
| |
| | "Sizmic Flugo" fall weightless for a long
|
| relax in the prior days and nights can
| |
| | time by the structure, without giving it
|
| give you an edge over the more
| |
| | any movement at all. Suspending Jerkbaits
|
| inexperienced anglers. Most tournament
| |
| | worked in this manner also produce the
|
| pros even at intermediate levels are at
| |
| | bigger bass in pressured waters. Don't
|
| the top of their game, and take it very
| |
| | give the bait to much action, and let it
|
| seriously, so a slight edge can mean a
| |
| | sit for a long time in between movements.
|
| great deal. The people who can maintain
| |
| | This is the key.TIME MANAGEMENTYou must
|
| their composure and confidence, and can
| |
| | learn how to manage your time properly
|
| stick to their game plans under pressure,
| |
| | also, as you have to be thorough with the
|
| are the ones that consistently place in
| |
| | baits, but know when to switch and when
|
| the rankings.STUDYING THE COMPETITION
| |
| | to move. Plan this out in advance and be
|
| SITEBefore we even start to prefish the
| |
| | able to adjust to the water conditions
|
| lakes or rivers, we obtain all the
| |
| | and mood of the fish that day, as things
|
| information we can in the way of lake
| |
| | can change rapidly from one day to the
|
| maps, topographical maps, baitfish, and
| |
| | next on a body of water, especially when
|
| lake conditions from a variety of
| |
| | a clod front moves through. Practice at
|
| sources. Talking to anglers at the lake
| |
| | all times of the year, when the weather
|
| and local tackle shops can sometimes
| |
| | is bad, and cold, odds are, that many
|
| reveal some interesting information. By
| |
| | tournament days will be in the rain and
|
| no means, do what they say dictate what
| |
| | wind. You need to know how to catch these
|
| our plans will be, but it is another tool
| |
| | fish under adverse conditions, not just
|
| to use in planning a strategy for the
| |
| | fair weather. Plan your trips when the
|
| lake. Knowing the lake age, composition
| |
| | weather is poor. It's the only way the
|
| of the bottom, structure, both natural
| |
| | learn what to do. You must get practice
|
| and manmade, along with water quality,
| |
| | in real tournament conditions. Make sure
|
| fertility, and oxygen levels, all come
| |
| | you time your run to the spots, and spend
|
| into play when deciding how to start
| |
| | your time wisely there. Make as many
|
| pre-fishing the lake. Contacting local
| |
| | casts as you can until the very last
|
| guides, and having some experience on the
| |
| | minute, and then open it up and get back
|
| body of water all help, although
| |
| | as quickly as you can. You need to
|
| sometimes this isn't always possible.When
| |
| | practice driving your boat in bad
|
| we start to prefish the lake before a
| |
| | weather, under rough conditions, and at
|
| tournament, we break the lake down into
| |
| | high speeds, if you really want to
|
| sections. We eliminate the unproductive
| |
| | win.PRACTICE LANDING BIG FISHYou should
|
| water for that time of year, and then
| |
| | try to join a private lake and a club, or
|
| section it off on maps. We pick the most
| |
| | make trips to Mexico, Texas, Florida, and
|
| likely locations where the fish should be
| |
| | wherever else you can experience fighting
|
| holding for the water temperature and
| |
| | and landing a lot of larger fish.
|
| lake conditions, and then make a complete
| |
| | Confidence is the key to success in this
|
| run around the lake to view it physically
| |
| | business. You must have the confidence in
|
| before fishing.We start by looking for
| |
| | your ability to land big fish without
|
| sandbars, points, humps, structure,
| |
| | getting overly excited. This is hard to
|
| laydowns, grass beds, etc., all the time
| |
| | do, so as much practice as you can get
|
| watching the shoreline in the area for
| |
| | doing this before entering major
|
| contours to indicate dropoffs and other
| |
| | tournaments is a definite plus! A big
|
| structure. After surveying the lake, we
| |
| | part of this game is mental. You must
|
| then section off several of the best
| |
| | learn how to to maintain a high level of
|
| possible locations, and start fishing
| |
| | concentration also. Don't pay attention
|
| there. First starting with a search bait,
| |
| | to other things other than your line, the
|
| such as a spinnerbait, buzzbait, and a
| |
| | lure, and the fish. Ignore other anglers
|
| crankbait for active fish. We mark the
| |
| | and spectators that are close by. Keep
|
| locations of where the active fish are on
| |
| | your focus, and stick to your game plan.
|
| the GPS, and move on to the next spot. We
| |
| | Don't try to show off. That comes later
|
| never stick more than two fish in an
| |
| | at the weigh in with a twenty pound
|
| area. Sometimes we fish the baits without
| |
| | bag!Maintain and use the best quality
|
| any hooks in them, and when they hit you
| |
| | equipment that you can get. This plays a
|
| just pull it away from them. Try to find
| |
| | big part in confidence also. It doesn't
|
| three good sections of the lake with
| |
| | always have to be the very highest
|
| decent fish first, before exploring
| |
| | quality equipment, but you must have
|
| further for the kicker fish. You can go
| |
| | confidence in it, and in your own ability
|
| back to these areas later the next day,
| |
| | to use it properly. Sometimes I go
|
| and slow down to find the fish that you
| |
| | through thirty crankbaits and jerkbaits
|
| need to win. Sometimes early in the year
| |
| | before I find the best ones. Don't
|
| bass will stage on a single piece of
| |
| | neglect the basics either. Learn how to
|
| cover as small as a stick or blade of
| |
| | tie all the proper knots for the baits
|
| grass. It doesn't even have to be real
| |
| | you are using, and use the highest
|
| structure sometimes, they just hold next
| |
| | quality hooks available. I can't stress
|
| to it. Most of the time, the larger bass,
| |
| | this enough. Follow these guidelines, and
|
| five pounds and up, are alone. They
| |
| | get out and practice as much as you can,
|
| occupy the structure in the area by
| |
| | and your recreational fishing as well as
|
| themselves, rarely schooling with fish of
| |
| | tournament fishing will improve
|
| the same size.UNCONVENTIONAL BAITSMost
| |
| | drastically.1998 Big Bass World Champ
|
| pros won't reveal what they really catch
| |
| | book author,tournament angler, and
|
| the larger fish on. Most of the fish in
| |
| | professional guide.
|
