T ournament fishing can be fun, exciting, an adrenaline rush, and disappointing. The employment of a tournament depends upon what you expect from the event. If you go with learning as a priority with the hope of a good finish as a goal, you will probably be happy. If you go with a ‘first place or bust’ attitude, you will likely leave mad, whipped and embarrassed.
The following are tips that can help you with your recreational fishing or for testing your skills in a tournament near you.
Tip #1. The most critical link to winning crappie tournaments is finding fish. Not just any fish, but the big fish. This is what separates the good fishermen from the rest. Skill is required for consistently finding crappie and then pinpointing the big ones.
Tip #2. Pre-fish wisely. Use a systematic approach that includes test-fishing as many areas of the lake as possible.
Tip #3. Prepare a game plan for tournament day. You want to fish your high potential areas. You need a spot that will guarantee you a tournament limit of fish, usually seven, and spots that will likely hold big fish.
Tip #4. Slow trolling, also called spider rigging, is without a doubt the most successful technique for catching fish from most lakes during any season. Ronnie Capps and Steve Coleman have proven this by winning many tournaments and a lot of money with slow trolling. Sharing their tactics in books and articles have helped other fisherman learn this technique.
The basics include setup with long poles out the front of the boat. Both fishermen set side by side and share fishing catching, trolling motor, netting and baiting chores. Slow trolling is done into the wind for maximum boat control. During high wind fishermen go with the wind but drag a big logging chain to slow the boat and keep the boat straight. The key is to present multiple baits using a slow, controlled method.
Tip #5. Fast trolling is a fun and productive way to catch fish. Florida’s George Parker is always a strong contender and finishes well in the Bass Pro Shops Tournament Trail tournaments. He uses fast trolling in many lakes across the country to successfully catch crappie that are scattered and suspended. Florida is an ideal place for this method. For example, the 2008 Crappie Masters classic on Florida’s Harris Chain in October was won by fast trolling small jigs.
Tip #6. Vertical jigging is alive and well. Truman and Mark Twain lakes in Missouri are two examples where a jigging pole will likely beat slow and fast trolling. The reason is standing timber. Crappie love wood so trees are a great place for them to hold, feed, and survive. Fishing is typically one-pole jigging with precision, patients and fighting a fish all important factors.
Tip #7. Trolling crankbaits has arrived on the tournament trail. The tactic will catch big fish and is a good choice when the wind is bad. Crankbaits, often the Bandit 300-series, are placed 50 to 200 feet out the back of the boat. Poles are in holder. When a fish hits the fish will come to the top of the water and he is reeled in. It’s a simple technique but can be deadly when fish will hit the crankbaits.
Tip #8. use the right equipment. Problems happen but by keeping your boat and equipment maintained, prepared, and organized you’ll have fewer problems and less frustration on the water. This one is a no- brainer..take care of your equipment and it will take care of you.
Tip #9. Preparation is part of the fish-finding puzzle. Preparation for fishing may include studying maps, calling fishing friends, checking lake websites and calling marinas for current information. Some fishermen swap GPS coordinates. Preparation helps find fish faster.
Tip #10. I’ve observed that good fishing partners make each other better fishermen. They know what the other person is going to do, when they are going to do it and how. They are a team. Some of the best tournament teams are long time partners and best friends. Some are male/female like the Florida team of Don and Toni Collins.
Tip #11. Put all information into your brain and process it. What are you learning from each area fished and each fish caught? Ive learned by watching fishermen on the Bass Bro Shops Crappie Masters Tournament Trail that they pay attention to what is happening and putt it all together. They work for form a pattern of the best spots, presentation and area.