Texas Fishing Forum

what was your first tournament like?

Posted By: coachallentca

what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 01:58 AM

I fished McDonalds big splash tournament and the last of a hurricane hit fork. It started raining Friday night and rained all day Saturday and the wind was bad. Yes I fished in the rain and did not see to many boats. Caught one fish Saturday and it was 22 inches long. Sunday was a different story and it was packed. I don't remember weighing in anything. I have came along way since then.
Posted By: SteezMacQueen

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 04:05 AM

My first tourney was when I was 7yrs old. My dad signed me up and drove the boat for me. I caught A BASS. it was a 3 pounds or so. Nothing special. It was a HUGE tourney on Lewisville. This was 1978. I caught a TON of crappie my dad said "ya gonna go weigh in that fish?" I said no at first. What's the point? He insisted.

I placed 7th. Won a "new trolling motor" and a butt seat....and a little money. We had a jet boat. So the seat and trolling motor went on MY first boat. A bass buster for pond fishing. Second tourney was 4 years ago. My
Dad was my fishing partner and he died from cancer not long after that fishing trip. I couldn't fish for years without feeling guilty that he wasn't there.

The "good ol' days".
Posted By: Lil joe

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 04:17 AM

I fished a sealy open team tournament at Rayburn with one of my uncles when I was about 15 or 16. I caught 4 keepers and my partner didn't catch one fish the whole day. I also had on a 4 to 5 pounder that got hung up and broke me off. We ended up with 12+ pounds and a few ounces out of the money frown
Posted By: Thad Rains

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 04:23 AM

First T was a team T for Coppell BASS club. 2 day out of Cypress Springs in March. At least, my first T when I was an adult. It was raiing on Sunday and my partner had all the gear and we got dressed up and WON the T. First 3 or 4 bass I caught on a C-rig. He had big fish of the T at 6.93,I believe. We kept going back to that cove to see if anyone else had taken up residence, but no takers. Caught most of our fish out of Panther and down by the dam. GREAT experience. I filled in for him, since his wife was on vacation in Cancum or somewhere like that. Had a GREAT time with the guys and still think of Mark Merkt running into a VERY clean plate glass door. Eating out and playing poker. GREAT FUN and we didn't even know where the lake was, but we saw signs saying Chalais(sp) and Chateaus, so we thought they were lying, but NOPE, they weren't. I think it only paid out $540 to each of us, but it was a GREAT START and a LOT OF FUN. GREAT MEMORIES.

Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains
Posted By: FXfromTx

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 06:42 AM

12 years ago I fished my first and only junior tournament when I was 9 years old. I won it, the prize was a huge box of soft plastics, a bunch of custom spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, and a shakespeare baitcast combo and a savings bond. That was all it took, I was hooked and have spent WAAAAY more than that savings bond was worth on fishing since then... lol
Posted By: Allison1

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 11:34 AM

My first tournament was with the San Antonio Bass Club around 1967. The boat my dad and I used was a wood boat that we painted with epoxy paint. It had a 20 hp Johnson on it and no trolling motor. We eventually put a trolling motor on it, then switched to a aluminum flat bottom a couple years later. We did not catch many fish but had good times.
Posted By: James Biggs

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 11:51 AM

Working mans on lake Arlington with my dad when I was 12. Larry Ladnier was running them back then. My first tournament keeper I threw next to a bush and backlashed. When I picked it out my line was 10' away at the next bush. Deep hooked that fish. Missed a check by that dead fish penalty.
Posted By: Bruce Allen

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 11:59 AM

MY first federation tournament was a wake up call. Up until that time I had only fished out of smaller aluminium boats in club tournaments.

This boat was 20' long and had a 200 hp motor and the guy blew my ears off running down the lake.

And then preceded to back seat me the whole day. Not a good experience but certainly a learning one.

Our club tournaments were of a very friendly nature. The federation was a shock. However within 5 years our club began to dominate the federation because our members "shared" information and spots whereas the other clubs were all about "ME".

A trend that basically changed their whole thinking over time.
Posted By: fouzman

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 12:17 PM

Club tournament on Lake Lavon. I was 17. I caught one fish about 2 lbs. My partner zeroed. But hey, I got to weigh in roflmao
Posted By: beartrap

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 12:46 PM

first tourney was on Lake Ferguson in Greenville,Ms probably around 1970...may have been year earlier or year later.......back then didn't own a boat...all I had was 9.5. hp E-rude and I would rent flat bottom aluminum boats and sculling paddle was my trolling motor..
first tourney got drawn with a guy who had stick steering 14 ft Terry bass boat with 25 hp Johnson,motor guide trolling motor and swivel seats.....I caught two fish on top water nip I didee...one about 5 lbs and one about 4lbs...won second place and big fish....I think I got a couple of small gift certificates to Kroger store which had a outdoor section back then.....
Posted By: TBassYates

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 12:46 PM

Fished a tournament on Palestine in early 90's with a friend from work. Stayed with a friend of ours in his house on the lake and two friends of his came stumbling in during the middle of the night who had driven I believe from Floriday from a Bassmaster tournament. Our buddy Eddie Whaley said he was going up to Kickapoo which didn't mean a thing to us but he pointed out Saline Bay and Highsaw/Ledbetter for us as good places to fish. We both ended up catching one keeper each which was awesome to us at the time for our first tournament. It has been a long time but if I am remembering right I am thinking Randy Qualls of Legend Boats might have won that tournament where you had to use specific baits.
Posted By: aggieangler03

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 01:06 PM

Breckenridge Bass Club when I was about 7. Hubbard Creek
Posted By: GIG'EM AGGIES

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 01:13 PM

Century Bass Club, two night tournament on Bob Sandlin, won big bass. Thought I was big deal. Lasted one month, lol.
Posted By: DillonCan'tFish

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 01:30 PM

Workin' Man on Lake Jordan in Alabama when I was probably 10. Used to fish them with my dad and uncle. I was running a Storm Swimming Shad and hooked up with a Hybrid. Ended up winning the kid's big bass pot with it. (They let kids weigh whatever they catch)
Posted By: Rhino68W

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 08:57 PM

First BIG kayak tournament was the North Texas Kayak Championship Series' Heroes on the Water charity benefit tournament on Lake Fork back in fall of 2015. I ended up getting 3rd out there somehow. The deck of my kayak was covered in lures because I was getting dooped by those fish that day. I was sure I hadn't even finished top 10, much less 3rd lol.
Posted By: John175☮

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 09:13 PM

Tommy Climer spanked me. He spanked us all.
Posted By: Rockie Martin

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 09:17 PM

Tongate Classic 1984! Borrowed a jon boat with a small engine. Live well was the leaking rivots in the bottom. Caught a few but had engine problems.... Over all fun time and got me hooked!
Posted By: the skipper

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 09:40 PM

Anglers quest on rayburn. We had found a big group of big fish in one area and thought we had it all figured out and the next step was getting into tournaments. Went out that morning and the fish had pulled out of the shallow stuff. I managed one almost 6 on a frog but it was hooked weird and ended up dying. We scrambled for the other four pretty quick. Then we fished the outer part of the area and every time we would pass the jug we would hang in to a big one. Every one broke my line. Different rods, different pound line, didn't matter, they broke it. That's when o realized how unprepared we were to catch bigger fish. Heck we didn't even realize those fish were holding in that one spot (brush pile) until way later. We were really just clueless. Were better now but sometimes it doesn't seem like a whole lot better. Lol
Posted By: Chris Borden

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 09:48 PM

2012 media at Hubbard creek. I remember my heart beating so hard I thought I was going to pass out.
Posted By: Chris B

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/09/17 10:35 PM

About thirty years ago I fished with my uncle in a Texoma Bass Club event and we won. Been hooked ever since.
Posted By: JD/76708

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/10/17 12:12 AM

Mid 80's, but a wee lad (teenager), fished several of the Wednesday night working man's tournaments on Waco, usually with my brother. I think 3rd place (twice) was the best we ever did, usually seeing the same 2 names at, or near the top....Jones (Alton, Sr.) and Lovett (Kendall)...and I got to fish with Jerrell Pringle a few times out there as well. I remember being nervous the first few tournaments, mostly because we felt overmatched, running a Tracker-style 16' with a Johnson 40hp, several guys were running 150hp, or 125hp...but we had fun regardless.
Posted By: Phototex

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/10/17 02:21 AM

I fished my first tournament in 1972. It was a San Antonio Bass Club event on Canyon Lake. I won the tournament with a single fish - a 6-10, if I remember correctly. I do know that it was a cold winter day.
Posted By: rb7764

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/10/17 02:36 AM

I've only fished one tournament. Was in 1993 on Fork. I won first prize (really), but I hated that day of fishing. I want to enjoy my precious time on the water and not feel the pressure of having money on the line. I've never fished in one again and have no plans to do it in the future.
Posted By: Thad Rains

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/10/17 03:32 AM

rb7764,

rb, just go fish, that is what I do. The amount of money you can win, unless it is a BassChamps or BASS Open or something like that is not enough to worry about. Like I stated in my first post, $540 X 2 = 1080, so not enough to worry about. Now, if ou fished the North Dallas Bass Hogs, there was some money in that one. Won the first one there and it brought 1070 each, so it was a higher entry fee with a little more money on the line, but winning is still winning. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains
Posted By: JDJ01

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/10/17 04:36 AM

First Tourney was on El Capitan in SoCal. Was a great experience and really sparked the fuse. I love our lakes but the days on them SoCal Reservoirs will always be my favorites
Posted By: toddfish

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/11/17 07:37 AM

October 1994 Richland Chambers. Mike Barber put on his first tournament for state employees. We caught a small limit, (8.76 to be exact) and I didn't even want to go weigh them in. We ended up placing 13th out of well over 100 teams. After that I always go to weigh in no matter how bad I think I've done!
Posted By: reeltexan

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/11/17 12:20 PM


My first one was on Lake O The Pines, back in the early 80s. Tough day.
While idling, we hit one of the patented steel stumps that Pines is so well known for. At that time I was running an aluminum prop....goodbye aluminum prop.

We limped back to the landing, drove into town and bought another prop.

Back on the water. 30 minutes later we hit another stump and bent that prop too.

We did manage to put a pattern together using buzzbaits. The fish were feeding on black dragonflies so the buzzbait did the job.
We didn't win but we did learn that a stainless prop would be standard equipment on the boat from then on.



Posted By: saibling

Re: what was your first tournament like? - 06/11/17 12:45 PM

Fished a team benefit tourney in 2002. we pre fished finding fish. Tournament morning cold front temps below freezing. Partner upset with the weather wouldn't fish till weather warmed. I caught two keepers around 11:00. Partner then joined the fishing. We placed 5th winning a check.
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