Preparing For A Bass Tournament

Tips to enjoy a trouble free day on the lake.

There are many little things you can do in preparation for a bass tournament or any trip to the lake, to make it a trouble free and enjoyable day on the water. After all you don't want to get to the lake and find your big motor want crank or there isn't enough juice left in the trolling motor batteries to push your boat around during an average 8-9 hour day of tournament fishing..

Check your fishing log.

It is a great idea to keep a little journal about your day on the water you can refer back to in preparing for a bass tournament. This can be a simple notebook and pencil kept in your boat or vehicle. There is even software available you can load onto your computer to add the information. This can be a very valuable resource over time.

It doesn't have to be all that elaborate. Simple things like weather conditions and water conditions and temperatures. Was it a clear, partly cloudy, or overcast and rainy day. What were your lure choices, area of the lake and techniques used to catch the fish. Even if not so good a day then write that down also.

Boat motor and trolling motor.

When preparing for a bass tournament I always make sure my big motor will crank. Just hit the ignition switch and as soon as it fires then turn in off. Test the tilt and trim on the motor. Is the lower unit oil OK?

It's a good idea to pull the hub and prop off your trolling motor from time to time. Old fishing line and even some moss can get caught up and spun onto the shaft causing the motor to work harder and drain the batteries sooner. It's a good idea to keep an extra trolling motor prop, shear pin, and hub bolt in your boat just incase you loose or break one.

Batteries.

If they aren't sealed or jell cell batteries you will need to check the electrolyte level at least once a month. Fluids are lost during charging and recharging. Once the fluid drops below the inner plates of the battery it may short out and not give proper voltage to the motor or trolling motor. Or not even work at all. Simple testers or volt meter will tell if the battery is holding a proper charge.

Rods and Reels

Test your reels to ensure they are working properly. A small drop of oil on the spool bearings and worm gears works wonders for any reel. Reels are expensive and complicated so a professional cleaning about once a year will help keep it trouble free for many years. Does it have plenty of fishing line on it? Having a correct amount of line on the spool will definitely improve performance and cast ability.

Rods are pretty durable but it's a good idea when preparing for a bass tournament to check and clean the line guides. Many modern line guides on rods have a ring of ceramic around the inside of the guides and do break from time to time. The guides are easily replaced with new ones.

Lure selection.

I always choose which baits to start the day with and have them tied on even before I leave the house. I primarily use bait casting type equipment and but also have at least one lighter spinning rod rigged and ready. I recommend on having several rods for different lures. I usually have at least 5 rods rigged up and more in my boats rod locker. Saves time from having to constantly change baits throughout the day. I usually have a rod rigged for plastics, one or two for crank baits, one for a spinner, one for a jig, and a spinning rod for finesse fishing.

When setting up my rods I always retie every lure on them prior to the tournament. Check for frayed line several feet up from where the lure is tied on. Monofilament lines can weaken and fray over time and use. It's also a good idea to totally replace the line periodically.

Plan your day.

Before even leaving the house you wand to have already decided where start the days tournament and the baits to use when you get there. Mother nature may have other ideas so plan for the unexpected. Windy conditions may force an angler to start in another area. An overnight rain may really muddy up an area. Rainy weather and even pre- or post frontal conditions can really affect bass behavior.

Good preparation for your bass tournament, and planning how you will fish it can really make the difference in your tournament success and may even give you that little edge over the competition. It's the little details that can really make a difference in your tournament success. And with that being said I do have some things to attend to as I do have a bass tournament in the morning. :)