Info on entering tournaments

So I got this wild idea about maybe entering a small tournament coming up at my local lake. I've never even been to a bass tournament although I've been on the lake in a kayak when one started and got waked out by the chaos of what had to be 20-30 bass boats all trying to get up on pad leaving the launch area. Anyways any info from start to finish would be appreciated. I hadn't put down my entry fee yet because my lack of familiarity still has me a bit reserved. The only details I know is it said two anglers per boat with a two fish limit or something to that extent. I'm running a alumacraft 165 classic with an e-tec 75, HDS 9 gen 3, minn kota 55 tm, and I have a livewell but still not sure if that'll get me laughed off the lake if I cruise up to the launch point. Any thoughts or advice would be helpful.

You should be fine. Just make sure to enjoy yourself.

Enter up & cruise in there like you own the lake. You'll be welcomed. I've been fishing a few years & I always watch out for guys in tin boats. They'll prove you don't have to have 20+'boats, a gazillion hp motor, & $4K+ electronics. The fish don't care what kinda boat they ride back to get weighed & released. Go for it & enjoy.

Oh yeah I know I'll be fine. I mean these guys aren't trying to blow me up or mow me down with ak-47s or anything lol I'm just needing some do's and do not do's from those that have experience in tournaments.

I have personally witnessed the guys in a 14ft john with a tiller steer and an igloo cooler with a 110 livewell sticking out of it, walk up with a 18lb bag and take the overall win from the guys in the 60-70krigs. No one will say anything, go and have fun, and concentrate on getting a limit, be it 2-3 or 5 fish and walk up there with your bag and weigh it, no one is looking where it came from, until you get back into it to go home, then they are put in their place!!

Only drawback, and I run into this with my old heavy rig with only a 150, guys will beat you to your 1,2 and sometimes even 3rd spot, especially early for topwater bite. We have a guy in our club running a tin boat older than me, I have never heard anyone say anything about him behind his back or about him as he always weighs in fish, and I would gladly MF them if they did.

I remember how nervous I was the first time I was in a tournament. I think the one thing that comes to mind when you are in this position is to check out a local club. When I first joined Century Bass Club I went as a non boater and learned real quickly the in's and out's of tournament fishing. It was a lot easier to get to know some guys who would take the time to help out and teach you certain things that can help you get used to everything involved with launching, take off especially if you have to learn to get in line with other boats for a livewell check, running the lakes and weigh in at a tournament. After a while you will learn that everyone had to go through a first time and eventually you will get used to everything involved so that you just have the excitement of fishing tournaments and will not be able to wait for each one. You can always check out Century Bass or Ray Hubbard bass clubs or even Denton County Bass Club and someone like myself will always help you out with anything you need to start enjoying tournament fishing. You can email me any questions and I will try to help out best I can.
tbassyates@yahoo.com

So when they say a 2 fish bag is that saying they are only going to weigh your largest 2 fish or how does that part work. It said 2 anglers with a 2 fish bag I think.

Be careful its addictive . putting a little money in the pot makes it a lot more fun.Read the tourney rules of that tourney.dont want to catch a good one and be disqualified for something stupid.Just go do it and enjoy yourself .. and thank you for your service sir!!

Awesome thanks.

Read the rules to the tournament that you are going to fish. Some have different rules and you will want to know them to keep within them. Do you have a kill switch? That is one of the basic rules, some let you trailer, some will require that you have your safety jacket on whenever the motor is cranked. Just make sure that you know what that tournament expects and you should be fine. Other than that just go have fun

That is what I would read that to mean, though I've never seen a tournament of that format.

Are you talking about the Tuesday night tournaments at Roberts? They do a 5 fish limit

Whats your home lake?

Think strategically. When I first started fishing tournaments I was in a boat that would only run about 40 mph. I quickly learned that I would always get beat to what would be my first choices. I just fished areas that would be the other guys second or even third choices. Fish them thoroughly, and just enjoy yourself. If you are used to kayak fishing, you probably already know how to pick an area apart. I have been in several tournaments where the guy in the small boat kicked my butt, or where the guy with mechanical issued that had to stay trolling distance form the ramp won it all. Just have fun and don't let anybody make you think that you don't belong there.

Make sure to get a printed copy of the rules if available and ask questions like:

Lifejacket rules - anytime big motor is running, on plane only, not required.

Distance between anglers

Weigh-in times - I say this because some tournaments have different rules like; stop fishing at a certain time, be at the ramp (off plane and not fishing) at a certain time, or you have to be physically standing in the weigh in line with fish in hand at a certain time, etc.

Dead fish - some will not you weigh them at all, some with a penalty

I say all this because it is the first thing I do after having been burned a couple times. There is nothing more frustrating.

Don't let the smaller boat worry you. You are the kind that I worry about because I used to be, and still am one of those with a smaller, slower boat. I fished with all the more determination to make those guys in the nice rigs look bad. They impress you with their boat, but you can impress them with your skills.

Thanks randy harrell that's the stuff I'm looking for. I've never had problems keeping fish alive in my livewell but I've also never had to keep anything alive in it for any reason. That was one of my concerns for sure though so I had bought some livewell treatment.

Splash some peroxide in there if you run out of " release me" always good to have a bottle on the boat for accidents also. Summertime is when you have problems, not a real issue now. Be sure to recirculate once it gets hotter, we have all had them die, no matter what kind of well they are in.

My advise is: If the tournament is a shot-gun start hang back at take off (I'm sure you already know this) due to your slower boat. Have fun and don't get to involved with what everyone else is doing, I have been to very few where someone didn't zero. And be back for weigh in plenty of time. I wouldn't want to be the new guy showing up late.

I always go to were I am the most confident in catching keepers, then go and find bigger fish.
Good Luck Sir!

Just a few that come to mind...

1. Be familiar with the rules. Every tournament has a little different set of rules.
2. Get in the water early the morning of the tournament. This way you won't be in a rush to do anything. In a rush = mistakes
3. Put your navigation lights in while preparing for launch. Don't forget and try to do it once you are on the water.
4. Have all your lures and tackle ready the evening before the tournament. Don't try to be tying on lures in the dark the morning of the tournament.
5. If it's a tournament where you all take off from the same spot in a numbered order, once you get on the water, go beach your boat on the shore away from the ramp and get out of everyone's way.
6. Once you're beached on the bank, sit and watch other boats. This will teach you what to do and what not to do. You will see when boats get in the way of others. Take note and don't be that guy.
7. Make sure you know what time you must check in. Also, know what "check in" means. Will there be someone on a dock that checks you in when you pull in, or do you have to walk up to the weigh in and simply check in or do you have to be in line with your fish by check in. There's about 5-10 minutes difference the first option and the third option.

Back in the day, a fellow in a bass buster used to give everyone in the Granbury Bass club a thrashing on Proctor and Lake Stephenville, even with his dead fish penalties.