When do you know?

[Gone]

My wife thinks that we should enter into some local bass fishing tournaments. Personally, I'm not confident enough that we would do any good. We have fished among other tournament contestants at various times and have not had the success that the other boats around us did, even though we seemed to use the same tackle. Obviously our technique is weak. We have improved in the past year and a half, though. <br /><br />When do you know when you're good enough to try and not throw the money away?

 

[Ron G]

Re: When do you know?

CD why dont you fish a couple small tourneys?here we have wenesday nighters from 4 till 8 everbody puts in and it pays 1place and bigfish,theres also friday nighters and saturday tourneys,this is a good way to get your feet wet and learn what others are doing,then you can move up to the big money tourneys also join a club.

 

[JB]

Re: When do you know?

You need to try it out, CD.<br /><br />It is not important whether you win anything, it is important whether you would enjoy fishing under pressure to compete.<br /><br />My son and I tried it once, back in the early 70s when it wasn't such a high pressure environment. We actually won the tournament but both hated the experience and neither of us ever fished competitively again. We fish for recreation and pleasure, which the competitive pressure eliminated for us.<br /><br />Some folks thrive on that pressure. You need to know if you do or don't.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: When do you know?

I think that you need to concider joining a family oriented Bass Club, there should be one around you somewhere. They fish Husband and wife teams. You will get a lot of experience and skills there. When you start weinning there tounaments often, then you can fish bigger tournaments.<br /><br />I would love it if my wife asked me to enter a tournament, Even though she loves to fish, there isnt a competetive spirit in her anywhere.

 

[cwilt]

Re: When do you know?

the best thing you can do is to have a good time! don't worry about what or how the others are doing. fish your own game. if you start to worry about others it gets stressful.... and don't give up. i fished a tourney a couple of moons ago and i did not catch my first keeper untill the last hour then it was bam , bam, bam, came in second

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: When do you know?

The small local ones are lots of fun and no pressure. There are small ones around here on weeknights just like the ones Ron G mentioned. I have met some real nice folks at these events. For me thats what it's all about. Getting together with other anglers and sharing knowledge and fellowship. The money and the bragging rights are secondary. I Stay away from the larger more expensive tourneys for all the same reasons JB mentioned.<br /><br />Tightlines

 

[LubeDude]

Re: When do you know?

Originally posted by Flahthead:<br /> I Stay away from the larger more expensive tourneys for all the same reasons JB mentioned.<br /><br />Tightlines

Ya, and you allready have enough money and trophies, right? <br /><br /> Ya, me too! <br /><br />Its nice to give the others a chance once in awhile.

 

[koolerb]

Re: When do you know?

My wife and I are going to do the same thing this year. We did a lot of Internet searches, and found a local tournament series that would let us fish together. I'm also going to fish some American Bass Anglers tournaments solo. I had to sign up as a "Non-Boater"; I don't think my live well could hold two limits. Not being overly optimistic, it's a requirement. I’m not worried about winning or losing; at this stage in the game it’s all a learning experience.

 

[CN Spots]

Re: When do you know?

There's no substitute for time on the water. In all of my fishing experiences, the times when I have learned the most has been when I was fishing with a seasoned (local) tournament angler. I have a bad "Know it All" complex and sometimes getting spanked at something I think I'm good at is always an overdue wake-up call. These guys taught me how to pitch, flip, skip and jig everything in the arsenal and also which rod and reel was best for each task. You can't BUY the knowledge they gave up to me. And keep a fishing log! They stressed that.<br /><br />Koolerb has the right idea, go as a non-boater for a season (or 2) and fish with as many different anglers as possible. One of the guy's who taught me is moving up to the next level of tournaments and for the first season, he is going as a non-boater even though his boat is plenty big. He just wants to learn as much as he can.<br /><br /><br />spots

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: When do you know?

Originally posted by Bassin' Fever AKA LubeDude:<br />

<br /><br />Tightlines

Ya, and you allready have enough money and trophies, right? <br /><br /> Ya, me too! <br /><br />Its nice to give the others a chance once in awhile. [/QB]

LD I only wish I could make a decent living fishing. Never gonna happen. If I had to depend on fishing tourny money I would be living in a cardboard box. <br /><br />By the way,,, did ya get the new boat????

 

[LubeDude]

Re: When do you know?

Originally posted by Flahthead:<br /> If I had to depend on fishing tourny money I would be living in a cardboard box. <br /><br />By the way,,, did ya get the new boat????

I know what ya mean, thats why Im not doing it too.<br /><br />As to the boat, Its still up in the air, and at least two months away!

 

[glasply1]

Re: When do you know?

Try it, you might like it. Don't make the mistake I made: Caught a very nice 16 lb. coho salmon during a coho derby but didn't have an entry ticket because I hadn't planned to fish. Couldn't go until the last minute. Go fish!