How to Prepare for a Bass Fishing Tournament

A bass tournament can be loads of fun for the beginning angler as well as the experienced fisherman. While simply being in a tournament is a great way to spend time fishing, the person that wants to be a serious competitor in such an event needs to do some specific things to be properly prepared.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Step 1

Make certain your rods and reels are in good repair. Go through them prior to the tournament and check for any abrasions to the line or damage to the pole that could cost you a big bass. Oil and clean your reels and have at least two separate rod and reel set-ups in case gets broken or badly tangled to avoid losing precious fishing time.

Step 2

Have a wide array of baits to choose from. Avoid being out on the water and realizing that you don't have the variety of lures to be competitive. Make sure you have plastic worms in many colors, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, poppers, jigs and buzzbaits. The more lures you have the better your chances of finding something that will turn the fish on to biting.

Step 3

Scout the area you will be fishing. The professionals will actually spend up to a week on the water that the tournament is to be held on looking for places that hold big bass. While this may be impractical for most anglers entered in a bass tournament, it is still advisable to get out at least once and check the body of water for potential structure that holds bass, spawning areas and where the deepest water is. Utilize any maps of lakes that are available online or that can be obtained through your state fishing regulation body.

Step 4

Talk to the owners and employees of the tackle shops around the water you will be fishing in. Ask them questions regarding the current conditions of the water. The clarity of the water, the temperature, the water levels and any information he may have as to what bait may be catching fish will be helpful. Speak to the local fishermen about what has been successful for them at this particular lake, river or waterway.

Step 5

Have a Plan A and a Plan B. Go into the bass tournament with a game plan and stick to it. Be prepared to go to the area that you have determined will be the best spot first and, if the fish aren't biting, have several other places in mind that that you think may yield results. Having an idea of what you want to do eliminates guessing and panic when the fish aren't reacting as you want and saves you time out on the water.

Article Written By John Lindell

John Lindell has written articles for "The Greyhound Review" and various other online publications. A Connecticut native, his work specializes in sports, fishing and nature. Lindell worked in greyhound racing for 25 years.

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