Ugh, Humiliation....again. One day I'll learn.

[inNOTof]

Well, I had a tourney this past Saturday. My 3 practices, which spanned about a week and a half before the tourney, had me boating over 65 bass all being keepers with some 3 and 4#ers in the mix. I was on 15-18# bags each practice. I was catching them everywhere...foundations, shallow grass, deep overhanging trees, willows...everywhere. I was getting them on spinnerbaits, tx rigged brush hawgs, swing-head creatures, small 4" worms and the ned rig. I was texting my buddies pics of the fish I was catching and how confident I was going into tourney.

My last practice day was Tuesday and I was READY to go win this thing! If not win I was going to place well, for sure. Well, we all know what happened last week - the severe heat wave brought the lake temp up to 90 on tourney day from 86 during my practices. We also had some storms in my area that stained up the areas that I was fishing. So, when I made the hour run to the top of the lake I saw the water and wasn't sure where this day would go. On my way up, I stopped off at a few trees that I was getting solid fish from every time in practice - NOTHING. Quickly, my mind started racing with all the "What if's"...

I somewhat stuck to my plan of getting away from most of the anglers by making the risky hour run up. But instead of going to the head waters I stopped about 10 minutes shy to try some of the areas that were producing for me. I worked the areas fast buy methodical. After about 3 hours I had 3 fish in the boat for about 5lbs. I knew it was going to be tough for everybody that day but I need to upgrade quick so I elected to come back down lake and fish deep points and deep trees - 0. I never upgraded from those 3 dinks.

Winning weight was 13lbs. 2nd was 12lbs and 3rd was 9lbs. So, definitely a tough day.

I hate those days that you just can't figure it out and if you went out the day after you still wouldn't know what to do or how to catch them.

Of course, my buddies were all saying, "Bro, what happened to you? You were ON them?" Ugh, the humiliation.

[coldfront]

back when i was doing the club thing, I'd be sure not so hook fish during practice.  wanted 'em as dumb as possible on tournament day. 

plus, i'd check them a week out and then leave them alone.

[Steve81]

It happens. You could say that you might have put too much pressure on them yourself but who knows. There are so many variables that go into fish behavior that we will probably never understand most of them.

Personally, I don't put a lot of stock into the mindset of not setting the hook during practice. You have to do it to at least some of them just to make sure they are the size you are looking for. I try to find an area where I'm able to get a number of quality bites and then leave it alone. Then plan to develop that area during the tournament day.

[cd1]

What is most important to you, catching fish?  Or winning a tournament? 

You fished four days.  You caught them really well for three days.  One day out of the four you didn't do well.

It just so happens that the tournament date fell on day you didn't catch them well.

If I stacked them up 3/4's of time I got to fish I'd be quite happy about it.  Focus on the fishing, not the tournament, and it'll all work out in the long term. 

Also, enjoy and remember the days that go well rather than focusing on the days that didn't.  There is no humiliation, there are just hits and misses; and you'll have more at-bats.

[D.W. Verts]

BT, DT. Many times. Too many times.

[Oldfart9999]

Been there, done that, too many times.
Rodney