New to Tournament Fishing 2024
Djamesbond3 reply :
Hey guys I just joined a bass club down here where I live and fished my first tournament last month. I finished middle of the pack but the guy that won whooped everybody. We mainly fish rivers here in South Mississippi and he had a 16 pound bag which is pretty impressive. I was wondering if there are any tips on how to catch the bigger bass. I caught plenty of fish and usually do on the rivers but they are always smaller. Every now and then I have days where I get a few good ones but never the 15lb bag it takes to win. How do y’all catch the bigger fish?
Catt reply :
Target bigger fish!
Most guys goal is to put 5 in the boat of any size.
My goal is I'm in it to win it!
Those same guys will tell ya, that aint how the Pros do it!
To which I reply, they have 3-4 days to win it, I got 1 ????
Troy85 reply :
Do you fish the Pearl River system?
Djamesbond3 reply :
Yeah we fish the pearl about 3 times. That's where our first tourney was last month. Caught over 10 fish but all small. The guy who won had 16-17 pounds. Idk if it is certain techniques to catch the bigger fish or if the bigger fish pattern is different than the rest.
Catt reply :
If all ya catching are small fish...move ????
CroakHunter reply :
I'm with @Catt most guys go after 5 and then look for a kicker. I fish for 5 kickers! I also am not scared to pick up and leave if all I'm catching is small ones. And a big key is to always have confidence in yourself and don't worry about the other anglers.
Catt reply :
On 2/13/2018 at 4:23 AM, CroakHunter said:I'm with @Catt most guys go after 5 and then look for a kicker. I fish for 5 kickers! I also am not scared to pick up and leave if all I'm catching is small ones. And a big key is to always have confidence in yourself and don't worry about the other anglers.
Fish the lake...not against the other anglers! ????
Djamesbond3 reply :
On 2/13/2018 at 4:23 AM, CroakHunter said:I'm with @Catt most guys go after 5 and then look for a kicker. I fish for 5 kickers! I also am not scared to pick up and leave if all I'm catching is small ones. And a big key is to always have confidence in yourself and don't worry about the other anglers.
When you fish for the kickers, are you just fishing bigger baits like jigs? Also if you ever fish rivers do the bigger bass generally sit out a little deeper? I know when I fish lakes I routinely catch bigger fish out deeper and off the banks but haven't tried that in the rivers
Catt reply :
On 2/13/2018 at 4:46 AM, Djamesbond3 said:When you fish for the kickers, are you just fishing bigger baits like jigs? Also if you ever fish rivers do the bigger bass generally sit out a little deeper? I know when I fish lakes I routinely catch bigger fish out deeper and off the banks but haven't tried that in the rivers
What part of the river system do you fish?
Is it tidal effected?
When I'm talking bigger fish I'm not talking double digits, that would be nice. The bigger your kicker fish the smaller your 4 can be.
Troy85 reply :
I know some of the guys will fish the marsh first(South of the hwy 90), because there are more numbers down there, but smaller fish in general. They will get a limit south, then move north of Hwy 90 or fish the West pearl to try and pick up some kickers. Everyone I talk to around there says the closer you get to the West Pearl the bigger the fish get, the biggest fish being in the West Pearl. The down side is, the West pearl is usually the muddiest and has the most current of all the others. Also, I'm not sure what your tournament rules are, but I know for some of the bigger tournaments in that area that don't have an off limits, some of those guys will run all the way to Delacroix to fish. I just started fishing the Pearl river system about a a year ago, so I'm far from an expert. The above is just what I have learned reading and talking to guys who fish the area.
Djamesbond3 reply :
On 2/13/2018 at 4:54 AM, Catt said:
What part of the river system do you fish?
Is it tidal effected?
When I'm talking bigger fish I'm not talking double digits, that would be nice. The bigger your kicker fish the smaller your 4 can be.
Oh no im not talking about double figures either. Just those 3-5 pound fish will work down here. There have been 8-12 pounders caught in these rivers but usually 15-17 pounds will get you a win or top 3 in almost all tournaments here. Honestly some tournaments are won with 10 pounds but our club has a guy that is consistently averaging 15-17 pounds so I am trying to figure out what he is doing differently. All of our rivers are tidal.
TylerT123 reply :
I'd use bigger lures, the little guys can't eat them. If the river is muddy, go for baits that have scent, vibration, etc. It'll attract fish better.
WRB reply :
Catt is trying to help you!
The tactic of catching a limit of 5 small bass when bigger bass are active is counter productive because you are wasting precious time. Target kicker bass first, then fish for easy to catch size bass during the slow periods.
Tom
Catt reply :
Fish the West Pearl River when it's below 8'. Target drains, even at slack tide & cypress-tree points. At 9'+ don't fish the West Pearl.
First to stop falling & stabilize is the East Pearl, then the Middle Pearl, then the Middle West Pearl & finally the West Pearl.
Djamesbond3 reply :
On 2/13/2018 at 5:03 AM, WRB said:Catt is trying to help you!
The tactic of catching a limit of 5 small bass when bigger bass are active is counter productive because you are wasting precious time. Target kicker bass first, then fish for easy to catch size bass during the slow periods.
Tom
Oh I definitely want to just fish the bigger bass. I want wins, I know sometimes only hunting for kickers will bite you but I want to wins. I am just trying to figure out what tactic and where to find the bigger ones.
On 2/13/2018 at 5:05 AM, Catt said:Fish the West Pearl River when it's below 8'. Target drains, even at slack tide & cypress-tree points. At 9'+ don't fish the West Pearl.
First to stop falling & stabilize is the East Pearl, then the Middle Pearl, then the Middle West Pearl & finally the West Pearl.
Thanks man. Our next tournament is the 24th at the Jordan River over here in Bay St. Louis. Hopefully I can find some bigger ones this go around. Then next month we fish lock one on the pearl which I have never even seen so may have to make a trip over there to practice.
WRB reply :
Where do the bigger bass go after being released? Answer, not far!
Tom
Catt reply :
If ya looking at 15-17# to win, you can average 3 lbs or any combination to get there.
J Francho reply :
The hardest thing to do is deciding to leave biting bass because you think there are bigger fish biting. Knowing previous results from your club's tournaments and other clubs can paint a picture of what you should be fishing for. For example, in the club I fished, Oneida might produce an 18# day from a northern open. Keep in mind, those are the best sticks from all over. 15# might win it my club. In fact, I won on a tough day with 14#, and came in second another time with 12.5#. Alternately, some lakes just churn them out. A place like Conesus gets hammered with a tournaments every day of the week, and multiples on the weekends. In any case, regardless of skill, you need 20# to even consider yourself in contention. I've bags approaching 30# from really good anglers.
So, aside from all the very good advice above, it really helps that decision process if you know about what you need to have.
CroakHunter reply :
On 2/13/2018 at 4:46 AM, Djamesbond3 said:When you fish for the kickers, are you just fishing bigger baits like jigs? Also if you ever fish rivers do the bigger bass generally sit out a little deeper? I know when I fish lakes I routinely catch bigger fish out deeper and off the banks but haven't tried that in the rivers
I always have 1 or 2 jigs tied on, a couple pitching/flipping setups with heavy braid and big hooks. As well as a rod set up to fish deep cover/structure.
scaleface reply :
On 2/13/2018 at 1:54 AM, Djamesbond3 said:but the guy that won whooped everybody.
That happens every time . 
scaleface reply :
On 2/13/2018 at 2:56 AM, Catt said:Those same guys will tell ya, that aint how the Pros do it!
To which I reply, they have 3-4 days to win it, I got 1
Good point .
The first bass tournament I won , a club event , was pure luck . I bought a used Ambassaduer 5000 and put a big handle on it . I could not cast anything but big lures so I bought a 1/2 ounce spinnerbait with a giant colorado blade "C.C. spinner" for you veterans who remember . I caught 3 bass that weighted thirteen13 lbs . The second place guy caught ten dinks that weighed twelve . I remember his lure too a Hot Spot in Smokey Joe color .
DropShotHotShot reply :
I will br fishing clubs this summer for first time. I plan to trow baits that typically get fewer, but bigger bites, and my partner will throw a wacky senko to get us up to a limit
Catt reply :
On 2/13/2018 at 7:56 AM, scaleface said:The first bass tournament I won , a club event , was pure luck . I bought a used Ambassaduer 5000 and put a big handle on it .
I started with a ambassadeur 5000 with a big handle, with my winnings I bought a Shimano Bantam!
kingmotorboat reply :
As a person that tournament fishes a tidal river regularly, I keep a jig and big plastic on on tournament day. I have sunrise to 3 to catch 5 fish, 5 small keepers equal 3 average size fish, it's all about weighing your options
RyneB reply :
first tournament and middle of the pack is solid. It took me 3 years to win my first club tournament. I, like you, got tired of losing to bigger bags. Even though I caught a limit or caught fish. The only thing that helped me, was getting better. Presenting my bait better, becoming a better caster, learning how to fish focused with someone in my boat, etc. Then I started to find more success. I still lose more than I win, but that's the name of the game. Acquire enough information and put yourself in a position to where you think you have the best chance to win. If there was a certain secret I knew to catch bigger fish, I would be fishing for a living.
bonzai22 reply :
I have fished some down there in your area. My wife's family has a vacation house on the biloxi river and the fishing there is pretty tough. It's the only tidal fishery I've fished and I started doing my best when I noticed there were a lot of small minnows up in the shallows. I started throwing a micro chatterbait and actually caught the better size fish. I was throwing bigger baits before and wasn't getting bit so I guess if the bigger baits aren't working you can always try matching the hatch.
Troy85 reply :
On 2/13/2018 at 5:06 AM, Djamesbond3 said:Oh I definitely want to just fish the bigger bass. I want wins, I know sometimes only hunting for kickers will bite you but I want to wins. I am just trying to figure out what tactic and where to find the bigger ones.
Thanks man. Our next tournament is the 24th at the Jordan River over here in Bay St. Louis. Hopefully I can find some bigger ones this go around. Then next month we fish lock one on the pearl which I have never even seen so may have to make a trip over there to practice.
I'm assuming its Lock 1 Canal side. Last tournament I fished there, the guy that won told me that the navigational canal is the closest thing to a reservoir in SE Lousiana. He says if you can find a pattern you can catch them up and down the canal.
Djamesbond3 reply :
On 2/14/2018 at 10:19 PM, Troy1985s said:I'm assuming its Lock 1 Canal side. Last tournament I fished there, the guy that won told me that the navigational canal is the closest thing to a reservoir in SE Lousiana. He says if you can find a pattern you can catch them up and down the canal.
Is it primarily deep? I figure just being a canal its got to be sharp drop offs from the bank
Troy85 reply :
Average about 8-9' and it gets deeper near some feeder creeks. Most of the shoreline is pretty consistent with the sharp drop off. There are a few creeks that feed into the canal and a couple ponds attached, At the far end there are some old gravel pits that are 20'ish, the water back there is usually very clear. At lock one is where they do a Thursday night tournament, so all the fish get released there.
Djamesbond3 reply :
On 2/14/2018 at 11:58 PM, Troy1985s said:Average about 8-9' and it gets deeper near some feeder creeks. Most of the shoreline is pretty consistent with the sharp drop off. There are a few creeks that feed into the canal and a couple ponds attached, At the far end there are some old gravel pits that are 20'ish, the water back there is usually very clear. At lock one is where they do a Thursday night tournament, so all the fish get released there.
That's good to know thanks. Sounds like ill bank fish in the morning and maybe I medium diving crank in the afternoon. I have to believe with this warm weather the spawn is coming here in the next few weeks
Troy85 reply :
On 2/15/2018 at 2:15 AM, Djamesbond3 said:That's good to know thanks. Sounds like ill bank fish in the morning and maybe I medium diving crank in the afternoon. I have to believe with this warm weather the spawn is coming here in the next few weeks
Practice skipping, a lot of low hanging cypress trees.
kingmotorboat reply :
Tidal fisheries can be tough, I fish a small one regularly
Troy85 reply :
On 2/16/2018 at 6:43 AM, kingmotorboat said:Tidal fisheries can be tough, I fish a small one regularly
I agree. I fish them pretty much exclusively. Fish usually bite good on falling tide, pretty good on rising. Slack tide can be the killer, and you can't really trust the tide charts in SE LA, chart could say falling, but if you get a moderate south wind, it will usually cancel out and you will have very little water movement.
kingmotorboat reply :
On 2/17/2018 at 12:29 AM, Troy1985s said:I agree. I fish them pretty much exclusively. Fish usually bite good on falling tide, pretty good on rising. Slack tide can be the killer, and you can't really trust the tide charts in SE LA, chart could say falling, but if you get a moderate south wind, it will usually cancel out and you will have very little water movement.
Yup I'm in swla and that south wind is a killer some days
Sam reply :
007, I thought you were in Alabama, but Mississippi is a great state, too.
Here is a pro's philosophy that I discussed with him about tournament fishing. When he tournament fished he won so many tournaments that he was barred from fishing some local ones.
He said that most guys want to put five in the well before they start upsizing their baits for the big ladies. That is not a problem in itself, other than you are taking valuable time to catch five small ones and losing time trying for the big ones.
The guy throws only 1/2 ounce jigs. That's it. On a Steetz rod and a Steetz reel, so he is into high cotton equipment. He has four color combinations from blue/black to an orange and red crawfish color.
I have his jigs and will throw them more this year than in the past. Why? Because I am one of those guys who want five in the well before trying for the giant ones.
The second problem you have is if you are a nonboater. The boater always gets the prime targets first, leaving you with a lower percentage of hookups. And you can get back-boated, meaning that you will not have the best angle to hit your targets. So if there is a big lady sitting there waiting for you, the guy in the front of the boat will probably catch or miss her before you get the chance.
If you are fishing as a team, the guy on the front of the boat goes for the five and you go for the lunker. That is a good way to fish a tournament unless the guy in the front of the boat can't catch a cold.
One last thing: the guy who won the tournament must fish that river a lot and probably has placed brush piles or Christmas trees in hidden places for his eyes, only. Since you only live twice, you need to watch where the guy fishes. If the guy is in politics, then you have to remember he is from Russia with love and will not tell where he is fishing.
You have to have the specter of good fishing habits to catch the big ones plus the strength to get skunked.
On 2/17/2018 at 1:42 AM, kingmotorboat said:Yup I'm in swla and that south wind is a killer some days
An east wind on the Chickahominy River in Virginia kills the fishing.
Might as well trailer the boat and go home.
riverbasser reply :
On 2/13/2018 at 12:36 PM, RyneB said:learning how to fish focused with someone in my boat
struggling with this myself right now, fish way better alone
Djamesbond3 reply :
Yeah im prefishing tomorrow for the tournament next weekend and its supposed to be a rising tide and south wind so we will see what happens
On 2/17/2018 at 3:36 AM, Sam said:007, I thought you were in Alabama, but Mississippi is a great state, too.
Here is a pro's philosophy that I discussed with him about tournament fishing. When he tournament fished he won so many tournaments that he was barred from fishing some local ones.
He said that most guys want to put five in the well before they start upsizing their baits for the big ladies. That is not a problem in itself, other than you are taking valuable time to catch five small ones and losing time trying for the big ones.
The guy throws only 1/2 ounce jigs. That's it. On a Steetz rod and a Steetz reel, so he is into high cotton equipment. He has four color combinations from blue/black to an orange and red crawfish color.
I have his jigs and will throw them more this year than in the past. Why? Because I am one of those guys who want five in the well before trying for the giant ones.
The second problem you have is if you are a nonboater. The boater always gets the prime targets first, leaving you with a lower percentage of hookups. And you can get back-boated, meaning that you will not have the best angle to hit your targets. So if there is a big lady sitting there waiting for you, the guy in the front of the boat will probably catch or miss her before you get the chance.
If you are fishing as a team, the guy on the front of the boat goes for the five and you go for the lunker. That is a good way to fish a tournament unless the guy in the front of the boat can't catch a cold.
One last thing: the guy who won the tournament must fish that river a lot and probably has placed brush piles or Christmas trees in hidden places for his eyes, only. Since you only live twice, you need to watch where the guy fishes. If the guy is in politics, then you have to remember he is from Russia with love and will not tell where he is fishing.
You have to have the specter of good fishing habits to catch the big ones plus the strength to get skunked.
An east wind on the Chickahominy River in Virginia kills the fishing.
Might as well trailer the boat and go home.
I am trying my hardest to work on jig fishing. I have a big problem with wanting to throw faster moving baits and im trying to learn patience with the jig
Sam reply :
On 2/17/2018 at 5:42 AM, Djamesbond3 said:Yeah im prefishing tomorrow for the tournament next weekend and its supposed to be a rising tide and south wind so we will see what happens
I am trying my hardest to work on jig fishing. I have a big problem with wanting to throw faster moving baits and im trying to learn patience with the jig
As it is said, "patience my a**." Especially in bass fishing.
You have to be patient. Fish the jig like a crawfish, not like a shad, unless it is a swimming jig.
I used to fish with a guy until he passed away. He was a well known guide and an excellent tournament guy. One day we were fishing around an old duck blind and we went around that thing at least 20 times, throwing our Senkos. Finally, I nailed a four-pounder. I thought we were going to spend the night going around that stupid duck blind.
Then, one winter we were fishing cold water and he "dead sticked" a Zoom moccasin blue finesse worm. He threw it towards the bank, lit a cigarette, and just sat there, not moving and smoking. Once he had finished his cancer stick he moved the worm a little and lit another cigarette. And what did he finally catch? A beautiful three pounder. After three cigarettes. I, once again, was ready to jump out of the boat.
During both episodes, I was frustrated as I like to move baits.
Patience. It is all in confidence and patience.
WRB reply :
The difference detween recreational bass fishing and tournament bass fishing is you are competing against good bass anglers on the same lake at the same time. Lure choices are rarely what seperated winners from losers. The ability to make the right decisions quickly and understand why you are or you are not catching bass wins tournaments.
Tom
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