Doing my first tournament! Any advice?

[thebassingirl]

A one day, 4 hour, 3-fish limit on a relatively tough GA lake. Water temp mid-high 60's, no grass, no natural cover other than brush piles and ledges. Decent areas of riprap and clay banks.

[merc1997]

A one day, 4 hour, 3-fish limit on a relatively tough GA lake. Water temp mid-high 60's, no grass, no natural cover other than brush piles and ledges. Decent areas of riprap and clay banks.

have a game plan and stick with it.  4 hours does not allow to many game changes.

bo

[D.W. Verts]

Fish your strengths. Do not get shook up (deep breaths). And time management is the most crucial aspect of tournament fishin', no matter how long the day is.

Hope you do well- but be prepared to learn, and take something positive away from the day.

Dale

[Lipripper]

breath in breath out Breath in breath out. Relax and fish what you have confidence in. I haven't fished tournaments but if it was me with only 4 hours to fish I wouldn't spend more than 1/2 hour in one spot unless it was producing fish. Given the lake structure you described with brush piles and ledges I would try some jigs and even some jigging spoons. Good luck and will be looking for your report after it's over.

[D.W. Verts]

Or run the crap out of it all with a top water(s)!

[thebassingirl]

I have very little confidence when it comes to jigs, unfortunately. Crank baits, spoons and my MegaBass Pop Max are my three most solid performing baits to-date.

The tourny hours are 1-5pm so not overly confident about the top water, but the weather is going to be overcast and 50 degrees outside so I may get lucky. 

[Lipripper]

I have very little confidence when it comes to jigs, unfortunately. Crank baits, spoons and my MegaBass Pop Max are my three most solid performing baits to-date.

The tourny hours are 1-5pm so not overly confident about the top water, but the weather is going to be overcast and 50 degrees outside so I may get lucky. 

You should do well with them three. Spoons and crank baits work well on ledges and brush piles. Have you seen the post on here about fishing spoons?

[thebassingirl]

Have you seen the post on here about fishing spoons?

I have not seen it! Any idea where I'd find it?

[D.W. Verts]

It's Fall. Like late spring, fish will bite on top all day long regardless of the sky conditions. If anything, a top water is a great fishing-FINDING bait.

Tear 'em up.

[coldfront]

I have very little confidence when it comes to jigs, unfortunately. Crank baits, spoons and my MegaBass Pop Max are my three most solid performing baits to-date.

The tourny hours are 1-5pm so not overly confident about the top water, but the weather is going to be overcast and 50 degrees outside so I may get lucky. 

just guessing.  georgia lake.  fall.  afternoon, overcast.  big cold front coming through.  might slow down the largemouth possibly.   I'm guessing spotted bass will be most active.
what is main forage type?  threadfin or blueback herring? 

have a walking bait tied on for long casts to breaking fish as a back up?

[Lipripper]

I have not seen it! Any idea where I'd find it?

Here ya go  Jigging Spoon Tips

It's Fall. Like late spring, fish will bite on top all day long regardless of the sky conditions. If anything, a top water is a great fishing-FINDING bait.

Tear 'em up.

Yelp like D.W said don't be afraid to throw top water anytime this time of the year. Even a frog will work even if you don't have visible things like pads or weeds give it a try.

[Smallie_Stalker]

Are you going to be fishing alone or with someone else?

If with someone else are you going to be running the boat or are you going to be the co-angler? Either way communication will go a long way. If you are going to be the co-angler ask the boater what his/her plans are and be prepared to adapt. If you are running the boat reverse the situation and communicate to your co your game plan. Also talk about the way you prefer someone to net your fish and ask how they like it done etc.

There are a world of tourney fishing problems that can avoided with just a few minutes of communication. 

Good luck Stephanie and please let us know how it goes. 

[LgMouthGambler]

Dont let one fish ruin your whole day. It used to get me every time.

<")))>{

[thebassingirl]

I'll be fishing with my husband, who introduced me to the awesome world of fishing and shares my passion for it. I'm more like Gilligan than Skipper, and I fish from the back of the boat. Since I don't plan on doing any plastic worms Sunday, his propensity to stand on that trolling motor constantly won't matter as much. 

I've made my plan and selected the baits I'll have on my rods:

MegaBass Pop Max
Double Plopper
War Eagle Super Spoon
Yumbrella Ultralight Tripod
Shallow Suspending Shad Crank Bait

No grass, lots of riprap and downed foliage. The lake is known as a tough one for finding large mouth, but with a good amount of spotted and small mouth. That said, I did catch my first large mouth on that lake last Saturday, so I'm feeling super optimistic! 

[Oldfart9999]

Back of the boat eh, texas rigged plastics, worms, creatures, tubes. You could also try shaky head or dropshot.
Rodney

[thebassingirl]

Here ya go  Jigging Spoon Tips

Thanks, Lip! I am totally throwing my spoons at some docks this Sunday!

[njpaulc]

If schooling fish are a possibility, I'd have a 3/4 Hopkins spoon tied on.  Casts a mile and ripping it through schooling fish usually gets some action.  Throw it out, let it sink for a 2 count, rip it up, take in slack letting it sink while you're reeling, rip it up again, like bouncing it off the bottom in the top 2 or 3 feet of water.

[Lipripper]

Thanks, Lip! I am totally throwing my spoons at some docks this Sunday!

Your welcome and good luck to you and your huby 

[Champriderz]

Relax and have fun.  It's just fishin.

[Lipripper]

Well today was the big day how did it go?

[thebassingirl]

My husband woke up extremely sick and I was unable to go    I was tempted to see if they'd let me enter it via bank fishing!

[cport]

My husband woke up extremely sick and I was unable to go    I was tempted to see if they'd let me enter it via bank fishing!

Aw man, that's a bummer. Hope your old man is OK.

[thebassingirl]

Aw man, that's a bummer. Hope your old man is OK.

Thanks cport. He got the stomach bug which is NOT what you want when you're stuck on a boat for four hours. Just gives me more time to perfect my strategy until my next tourney opportunity!

[Lipripper]

My husband woke up extremely sick and I was unable to go    I was tempted to see if they'd let me enter it via bank fishing!

Sorry to hear this and hope he's doing better today. You will get them next time. Have him teach you how to run the boat so next time you can take it out by yourself and fish for both of y'all.

[coldfront]

I was unable to go 

well that sux.  know I was looking forward to hearing how it went, what you thought of the entire process.