Article Date: 11/01/04
Tournament
Day Tips
Three, Two, One, blast off…… 
We
have all experienced that large adrenaline rush each time before
a tournament. It is so important to harness that feeling and slow
everything down. So many times I have found myself flying through
the water to my first stop and continuing with that rush as I
begin fishing. Nothing good can happen from this. What usually
happens is that we fish ineffectively because we are not presenting
our baits in the right fashion. Here are a few simple ideas to
assist you with your tournament day.
The
Night Before......
Be
sure that your vehicle and boat is gassed and full of oil. Never
make any unnecessary stops before a tournament. (I will explain
later) Make your lunch and or pack all your drinks and snacks
that evening. Prepare all of your gear that you will be using,
and set up all of your fishing poles accordingly. Zero out your
scales and have your culling buoys neat and in order along with
your livewell additives to assist your fish. Check your graphs,
lights, and batteries to insure all is in proper use. Lay out
your clothing and any jackets you may be wearing. Leave your keys,
glasses, wallet, tobacco, or anything else you will need to take
in your pockets. Last but not least, line your truck up to your
hitch so that you will not have to fuss with alignment in the
middle of the morning.
The
Morning Of......
You
want to wake up at least one hour before you have to leave your
home or hotel. One hour wil
l
allow you to take care of all of your morning rituals. There is
no running around searching for anything. You know that everything
has been done the night before so you can slow everything down
to a nice pace where you are thinking about nothing but the fish.
Once you are hooked up and ready to go, you can then plan on any
stops you need, ice, coffee, or picking up a partner. When driving
to the tournament, make sure you do not speed, but keep the even
paces going. As you arrive to the site, you now have everything
at your finger tips. No unforeseen surprises with burnt bulbs
or dead batteries. Put the rods on the deck, get the live wells
checked, and put the running lights on. When launching, you never
want to wait until the last minute. Provide yourself with some
time to warm the engine and settle any nerves you're having.
The
Blast Off......
Know
your launch number and the numbers of those around you in the
water. Ask around, "what number are you?" This will
allow you to set up next to the boats in your flight. It is always
a good idea to fill your livewells half ways to three quarters
of the way. This gives you more fishing time at your first stop.
When your number is announced, be aware of those around you. There
will always be those daredevils who are out of control. Drive
safely and obey ALL zoning regulations. Now that you have arrived,
lights come down, net comes out, and trolling motor is in the
water. Set your trolling motor on a very slow speed, so that you
are not barreling through your spot. Before you make your first
cast, flip, or pitch, take that deep breath and listen to the
sounds of the other boats, birds and or wind. After two or three
casts you can set the trolling motor on the correct speed desired.
By doing this you have made yourself aware of your surroundings
and are concentrating on the fish.
Courtesy of Vince Hurtado
www.vincehurtado.com
Pennies
on the dollar for fishing rods, reels, baits, lures, and more?
You be the judge!
