Author Topic: Ice Fishing Tournament Tips (Read 9162 times)

DFresh75 · « **on:** Jan 10, 2013, 10:01 PM »

Guys I'll be at a fishing tournament and I'm curious if anyone has any advice.

Its a total free for all, do I just study overall structure and try and use Navionics to put me on a shelf or a weedline or is it just luck of the draw if you will catch anything?

Dumb question? I'm sober.

Whopper Stopper · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 11, 2013, 04:12 AM »

Tournament is like an exam you can get there ahead of time and study, study,study. A contestis just luck of the draw.

WS+

bait trap · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 11, 2013, 05:52 AM »

On tourney day get out on the ice very early so you can get to your spot that you've decided to fish. As the sun comes up you'll see the wave of late starters coming out. As the day progresses don't be afraid to move around, remember no one own the ice. It's every man/woman/child for themselves during a tourney, tempers may flare.

bwana72 · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 11, 2013, 07:01 AM »

You already got the best advise you could have gotten. If you seriously want to compete, you have to pre-fish and know exactly where you are going to go, what you are going to use, etc. before you get there on tournament day. And make sure that you do your pre-fishing early in the morning so that it will be the same as on tournament day. And then, like was also said, make sure that you get there very early and get set up on the spot that you have chosen as your starting point. And also make sure that you don't just find one spot and expect to do well...you need to have a plan B, plan C, and maybe even a plan D. I usually like to have several spots in mind, and then try to stay away from the main pack as much as I can. But the best advice of all is to remember that it doesn't matter if you get a bite as long as you have a fun day on the ice.

hnd · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 11, 2013, 08:45 AM »

as with any tournament, its all about prep work the day(s) before.

1. if its an unknown body of water, talk to a baitshop or 2.
2. prefish. you can do this generally in one day. when i find a spot that holds good fish, evidenced by catching a few of them. i'm done fishing the hole. save it for the next day. create a milkrun of spots that you know hold fish. also having multiple spots also helps if someone is one your spot or spots. nothing worse than having your go to hole and seeing a guy set up on top of it because he got out at 4am to claim it.
3. don't follow the crowd. its easy to just go where everyone else is going. some of the best spots through are just off shanty town. pressured fish move off the pressure to the nearest spots. the only problem is these fish can sometimes go negative.
4. Prepare all of your stuff the night before. make sure everything is charged. string up all your poles, have your bait ready. i like to load up the truck the nigth before and pull it into the garage. that way we are ready to go in the morning. grab bait pucks and i'm off. i make a list.

if you want to win. these are the things i do to prepare.

If you want to go and have a good time of fellowship and maybe catch a few fish (90% of people at most of the tournaments around here) i would just prefish it find a decent spot and set up on it.

good luck.

eyesonice · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 11, 2013, 05:33 PM »

After seeing way too much cheating over the years I let everyone else go there and have other spots to myself. I do occasionally buy a raffle ticket as long as I dont meed to be there to win. Good luck

adkRoy · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 11, 2013, 06:36 PM »

Crap like this is why I avoid tourneys and contests:

http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/50647/man+wins+fishing+tourney+with+fish+stolen+from+aquarium/

Fontona19 · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 11, 2013, 06:41 PM »

Just enjoy yourself.

slekeith · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 11, 2013, 09:02 PM »

Strange that you can go to a turny year after year and see the same people win. Coincidence maybe not. My thought is prefish held overnight.

7lazy77 · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 12, 2013, 01:39 AM »

Also a "coincidence" that the winning fish is always turned in the first hour of the first day! (like a local tournament here)

eyesonice · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 12, 2013, 05:54 AM »

The last one I fished the gun shot was still echoing accross a small lake and a guy ran out of his shack wih about a 10lb northern. Yep, he won it and a lot of people complained and did no good.

Fatfish · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 12, 2013, 11:07 AM »

A long time a go down here in a PDC icefisharee a whole family won everything. Well it wasn't long before they were not allowed in a nother. I like an Ice derby a lot more,a lot less chance of cheating. Them fish have to be alive. I keep mine,when I take then in. In a ziplock bag in my pocket. Jerry

meier247 · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 12, 2013, 01:04 PM »

Quote from: Fatfish on Jan 12, 2013, 11:07 AM

A long time a go down here in a PDC icefisharee a whole family won everything. Well it wasn't long before they were not allowed in a nother. I like an Ice derby a lot more,a lot less chance of cheating. Them fish have to be alive. I keep mine,when I take then in. In a ziplock bag in my pocket. Jerry
[/quot

heard about that...was the guy from Cassville or something??

bigmike7272 · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 12, 2013, 02:03 PM »

get away from the crowds. most tournaments i've gone too the winning fish always seem to come from the guy that is sittin on his bucket all alone, away from the crowd of shacks.

Michaelo · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 12, 2013, 04:31 PM »

Prefish the lake the weekend before or so and get a few spots figured out. Study a map and just do your homework.

Seedtree · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 12, 2013, 06:19 PM »

I would go back to InFishermen's system of FLPS. Fish + Location + Presentation = Success.

Learn about the species you are targeting. What is their forage base in the water you are fishing? Where is that forage likely to be when you are there? What is the best way to "match the hatch"? Then make a programme and implement it. Adjust and fine tune as you go.

AugustWest · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 12, 2013, 08:22 PM »

Like I posted previous...if you are not a local, get to know the locals

AW

Hard Water Maniacs · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 13, 2013, 08:46 PM »

Study the lake, the structure, cribs, weed lines, ect. Prefish during the hours you will be fishing the tournament. Keep in mind most permanent shacks are in their spots for a reason, never a bad idea to check those areas. Use the internet as a study tool, you would be surprised what you can learn about a lake before you even step foot on it. Also check different forums about the lake you will be fishing. Northeasticefishing.co m interviews the winners of a bunch of different tournaments, see if the lake you are fishing on is there, they share tips and strategies. Always talk to the locals and local bait shops, dont be afraid to ask them what they are using. last but not least, Have Fun!! ~Mandy

reddog11 · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 11:31 AM »

Dynamite.

cobber · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 11:53 AM »

thanks

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Author Topic: Ice Fishing Tournament Tips (Read 9162 times)