If you are a non-boater ask the boater what you should and shouldn't bring on the boat for the day. Reverse this if you are the boater. If you will be late showing up have some decency and let them know ahead of time if possible. Don't go blasting by someone fishing too close unless it can't be helped. Finally don't hog up the ramp when putting in or taking out to allow things to go more smoothly. Lastly have fun!
Loudly yell, "It's a giant, it's a giant," every time you hook a fish.
Don’t eat three bowls of wolf brand chili for breakfast.
DO take a dump before the start of the tournament. DO NOT take a dump off the transom during the tournament....
96 Viper Coral202 225 Opti serial#1B011431
Make sure you have culling balls or a culling system.
A fish ruler and a weigh bag is a must.
Find out what the blast off time will be. Sometimes the head of the club will use a air horn, it may be time specific, or if there is a large amount of boats you may get a number.
Usually its off of plane at the ramp by 3pm. Some clubs are different, so learn the rules.
Get to the ramp early to launch. It will give you more time to socialize and learn the jest of the club. Also offer help to others.
Most important, enjoy yourself and the weigh in, even if you had a rough day.
2016 BassCat Pantera II
Mercury 200 ProXs
Be understanding of the fact that there will be times when you win a check by ounces or lose a check by ounces...but if you have good relationships in the club you'll congratulate the guys who beat you out and then they'll do the same when you get them! Best part of my club is the combination of competitiveness and friendship! All in the love of bass fishing!!
2012 Stratos 189 VLO/150 Mercury Pro XS/MinnKota Terrova
If you lose a big fish, no use crying over it. Get back at it and fool another one.
Watch out for the boat wakes when it's your turn to go. During tournament launch the boat wakes get pretty rough right where you take off.
Be courteous. Make friends and be yourself
" A Few Good Fish"
Please check out my youtube channel
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Fish like it’s fun. You already have a job. Enjoy.
Around here we have relatively small lakes (most small enough you can almost always see 1/2 or more of the guys in the tournament from where ever you are) and tourneys so you are going to be fishing around other guys all day and after 1-2 hours everyone's fishing used water. I go with the rule of thumb that if you are going to pull up in front some one you should be far enough away you cant tell what brand boat they are in. Usually I try to pull up behind some one and go the opposite direction if I want to fish the same bank, if I really want to fish the section in front them I pull in behind them and try stay close enough no one else will try to pull in between us but as far back as I can then fish the same direction. I prefer fishing "deeper" or at least 100' from the bank if I can so I dont have to deal with the crowds and the home owners and the few jerk fisherman that are around.
Inevitably there will be the jerks that will pull up right in front of you to fish the next dock or lay down then blast back out after fishing it to go cut some one else off. only takes a few hours or tournaments to know who these guys are, I deal with them (if the water deep enough) by immediately starting the big motor and going around them at around 2000 RPM so I can make as much wake as I can and try to swamp them and what ever structure they are fishing and move up the bank to the next piece of structure or 50-100 yards. Kinda buzzing the tower.
2020 Ranger 521L, Merc 250 Pro XS
I enjoyed reading that. Good postOriginally Posted by Jamie
Most tournaments have some set of rules. Ask to get a copy of the rules at the boat launch and registration. Or check to see if they have a webpage with the rules on it. The little tournament that I fish with my son just has a Facebook page with info on it. It has been a good experience for both my son and I as we have both learned how to bass fish with this tournament from the other guys. They give my son praise when he beats me and razzes him when he beats them. Just go out and have fun. Take a friend or a kid along with you if you can.
This is from a tournament's webpage for rules.
16. No boat shall fish closer than 100’from another boat, either fishing or anchored. Proper sportsmanship prevails; give each boat an opportunity to fish their spot. NO passing in a “no wake” zone.
2008 Ranger Z520 DC 2016 Suzuki 250SS
1997 Javelin 400TDC 1997 Johnson 200 Venom
I wish all tournament trails had these two rules.
"The man of system is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamored with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it…He seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard.” Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments
At take-off, if you are boat #50, stay to the rear of the pack...out of the way of the other 49 boats ahead of you. If you are boat #1, get to the front of the pack ASAP so you don't have to zip between boats in a crowded take-off area.
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#1 get yourself a good jersey to wear. #2 cut headlights off so u don't blind other people trying to back their boat in. #3 fish & have fun.
You don't say if you're a boater or non boater. Boater you can slide in behind some one going down the same bank.....a little distance mabye....Be safe and just enjoy.
Non boater....don't carry enough gear to crowd the boat, treat the boat as if you were making the payments....contribute towards the boaters cost....at least offer....most won't take it.
Great advice here. I will add, if you're a co or your boat is already on the trailer offer to help other boaters by putting them in or taking them out of the water.
I haven’t fished tourneys for almost 20 years so I joined a club this season as a co angler. We didn’t do the co angler thing 20 years ago so it’s a new concept for me but we all have to evolve.
In my club the co angler pays the entry fee for the boater so the $ is taken care of. If you don’t have a good knowledge of the lakes your club will fish it’s a good idea to be a co angler for a season. I did it because it will force me to fish with new people before I start to really compete against them next season.
Im learning that I cannot bring my normal amount of poles and tackle! Learning to break down and take only what I need is a learning curve for sure!
Some people will talk your ear off and some won’t say 2 words all day! But for me it’s good to learn new personalities and maybe I’ll just learn a few things from fishing with the other guys in the club.
2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV
Something I haven't seen mentioned but goes right along with the great advice already offered is remember it's all just for fun, don't take it too serious. There's something about being in a tournament that will make guys do things they wouldn't normally due. They will take unnecessary risk with the boat, cut you off, run way to close to you/other boats, etc. It's not worth it plain and simple!
USMC Vet!
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