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| For those that fish small tourneys on up to the biggest tournaments, do you fish differently than just a regular day on the water? Besides maybe pre fishing, what do you do differently? |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | Drink less beer. |
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Posts: 626
Location: Madison, WI | I'm more likely to camp on a spot during a tournament then if I'm just out fishing. For example, we moved 5 different fish in a small bay at the Pmtt eagle river tourney last year so we fished the same 300-400 yard stretch back and forth all day at different depths. Every time we'd go an hour and a half or so without any action, we'd talk about moving and then another fish would show up! We figured we would wait them out and hope for a window and finally got a shot as it started to rain at the end of day one. Unfortunately we only stuck the fish for a second on a top water then lost it. We fished that same stretch for 8 hours waiting for that bite but that's tournament fishing. A lot of boats came and went that day but none of those fish were caught so we decided to try them again right away day 2. As we arrived we found a new boat on the end I was planning to start on so we started the opposite way I was planning and headed toward that other boat. Sure enough as we met in the middle we got to witness that boat catch a nice 39". We never got a fish but we figured it was dumb to leave that many fish to find others. Didn't work out but that's another part of tournaments - second guess everything you do! Haha |
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Posts: 2274
Location: Chisholm, MN | I just do everything faster. Move from spot to spot faster and don't waste time. I also try to catch any qualifying fish. Not just the big ones. I'm not a camper though. I'll hit as many spots as possible to find the most active fish. |
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Posts: 1209
| I only have two days of tournament fishing but as said above try to catch any musky. I haven't cought a lot of muskies but in fun fishing I try to pull away from sub 40" fish cause id rather not hook them and risk injury. It's just fun to see the little ones in the water not required to handle them. I did do a little camping (an extra lap/ stopped nearby for 20 minutes and went back) and I did return to spotted fish both days. Normally I don't but probably should start.
Edited by Fishysam 2/20/2017 7:20 PM
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Posts: 20178
Location: oswego, il | You will be fishing spots with company, fishing areas that have been fished several times and someone will follow you through as well. |
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| ToddM - 2/20/2017 10:17 PM
You will be fishing spots with company, fishing areas that have been fished several times and someone will follow you through as well.
That is a regular days fishing for me. |
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Posts: 859
Location: MN | mnmusky - 2/21/2017 6:53 AM
ToddM - 2/20/2017 10:17 PM
You will be fishing spots with company, fishing areas that have been fished several times and someone will follow you through as well.
That is a regular days fishing for me.
Yea sounds like a day in the metro. |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | In my limited experience in them, we did better by camping in areas we knew had fish. Never leave fish to find fish...
Most likely, you are just moving somewhere new that has already been hit by someone else. Better to play defense on a spot/area you really believe in |
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Posts: 32784
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | This is why I don't fish big tournaments anymore. I fished like a madman, pounded the heck out of the water constantly second guessing our plan and was on edge all day. I am not cut out for that, I guess.
Smaller events that are mostly for fun, I just go fishing.
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Posts: 239
Location: Elroy, Wisconsin | Don't fish tournaments. For me its the solitude with or without a partner. Fish prime times and don't beat yourself to death. The tournament guys have fun in their way and more power to them. To me fishing is not a competitive sport.
Mudpuppy |
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| Steve, was that while you were still guiding? I would think that puts a lot more pressure on a tournament fisherman, worrying about how your performance in a tournament might impact your business. |
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Posts: 8716
| I like to fish through a spot where there are other boats around and right before we leave yell "THERE'S ONE!" and then do a bunch of figure 8's while saying "BIG FISH!!!" and then watch the spot to see how many of them fish it after we leave.
I don't get too stressed about tournaments. Someone always catches a fish or two, and most of the participants usually do not. Used to beat myself up a lot over not scoring until I started looking at the PMTT results and seeing how many of the guides and hardcore guys come up empty more often than not. |
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Posts: 1220
| The main difference fishing events is you can't say you caught a fifty without having caught a fifty. It's a lot like a high school shower room where all bragging comes to an abrupt halt. You have what you have, and everyone can see (even without a bump-board.) |
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Posts: 32784
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | North of 8 - 2/21/2017 1:28 PM
Steve, was that while you were still guiding? I would think that puts a lot more pressure on a tournament fisherman, worrying about how your performance in a tournament might impact your business.
Yes, full time. It did worry me. |
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