Tournament Fishing
Fishing in your first tournament can be a rewarding experience for the whole family.
by Alan Jones
June 1, 2004
The trick is to keep it FUN, and not only show your kids how to work together as a team, but
teach them how to handle pressure.
1. Start Small
If you've never fished in a tournament before, it makes sense to make your debut in a
smaller event in order to learn the drill. There are usually lots of local tournaments that are
designed to be fun for the recreational fishing family. Once you choose your first tournament,
don't go into it with any lofty expectations of winning trophies, but rather view it as a test run.
One of the greatest benefits of fishing in a tournament is that it offers you an opportunity to
compete alongside your children in something that they'll find to be really exciting. The added
bonus is that the experience will almost certainly make your family into better anglers.
2. Learn The Rules
The first thing to do once you've picked a tournament is to learn the rules of the event.
Most times there will be limits on the tackle or baits you can use, and this is good because it
keeps things on a more level playing field. Pay attention to details like when you can start, or
when weigh-in ends. There's nothing worse than showing up five minutes late with the 'winning'
fish. Learn all the latest fishery rules regarding legal sizes and bag limits. A typical rookie
mistake is not having your tackle in tip-top shape. Reels should be cleaned, new line put on,
tackle boxes organized, and your reel's drags set at approximately 25 percent of the line's
breaking strength using a scale.
3. Scout The Water
If your schedule permits, go fishing the day before in order to scout out potential hot
spots. You want to try out as many places as possible to give yourself plenty of options once the
tournament starts. One of the hardest things to do is to stop fishing when you find a spot that is
holding fish, but you don't want to wear it out and make the fish wary. After you catch a couple,
make a note of the place (using your GPS), and write down the time, keeping in mind that if you
have tides, most likely the same stage will be about an hour later the next day. The night before
the tournament starts, get out a chart of the area, and formulate a game plan using your notes.
4. Fish Early
On the day of the tournament, get an early start in order to compensate for the invariable
last-minute glitch.
If someone with a speedier boat beats you to your super-secret honey hole, and it's fairly
small, let them have it as a good gesture to show your kids that courtesy comes first. Have a plan
'B' ready just in case, but be flexible. If you see a large part of the fleet concentrated in one
area, go for it, providing you don't crowd anyone. If you hook a big fish, keep your cool and don't
horse them at the end. And also remember, there are only going to be a few winners in the
tournament, so don't let your final result determine your success. If you've had a great day on the
water with your family, you're a winner.