We've got some handy fishing tips to give all our anglers an edge this summer during their bass tournaments. Take a look at these 6 useful tips on how to increase your chances of success while fishing for that record size, tournament wining, big guy.
Take a look next month for another 6 great bass fishing tips to help you with your tournament success. At Nils Master Lures we want to give you the best opportunity to haul the biggest and best fish into your boat. That's why we are happy to offer Canadians a superior fishing lure to any other. Shop Nils Master Lures, today and enjoy receiving your lures securely purchased and shipped speedily to your front door.
1. Master The Bait Caster
If you want to keep up with the other anglers in the fishing tournament then you'll have to master your bait casting. Bait casting gives you more control, longer casting distance and better leverage for reeling in that prize size fish. Bait casting can be a little more temperamental so practice even when you're not out on the water so you save yourself from catching your line in a tree or snagging someone's dock. Go to a local baseball diamond and practice casting from home plate and trying to hit all 3 bases. Extra practice will help you with your accuracy. You might get some funny looks from people passing by but you'll be thankful you brought your "A" game to the lake come tournament time.2. Keep An Eye On The Forecast
For some reason or another the weather come game day is never the same as when you pre-fish. Stay ahead of the game by knowing the forecast and being adaptable with your fishing strategy. Be willing to change your presentation, location and switch lures to adapt to what the weather has in store come tournament day.
3. Seek Out The Veterans
If you are a newbie to tournaments then don't be afraid to ask the well seasoned anglers what they are using and how they are using it. Most long time competitors will share some tips of how they succeed at fishing because they want a good competition at the tournament. You should never stop trying to improve your game and veteran fishermen can offer some of the greatest advice so make sure to rub shoulders with them at the tournaments you enter.4. Know The Water
No two lakes are the same. Shallow, deep, clear or dirty, each lake offers different fishing gold mines and it's your job to find that out ahead of tournament day. Researching can go beyond a simple pre-fish by browsing the internet for past tournament results, seasonal patterns and average bass sizes. This gives you a little more time while pre-fishing to focus your efforts. Anglers will also look up local guides and read the past history of the area. If you can find out about a sunken ship, secret roadbeds or other man-made sunken structures that could be potential bass magnets, then you are on to something. It's important to find the productive hot spot areas and bass patterns before the tournament so you don't waste time during the competition weeding through an entire body of water looking for that record size fish. You'd be hard pressed to find an angler on the podium that has not pre-fished the lake prior to the competition. It's definitely worth putting in the time to pre-fish plus it means more time and enjoyment for you on the open water.
5. Love Your Boat
Although it's nice to drool over that big expensive bass boat, it doesn't mean it guarantees the owner's going to win the completion. Sure it's great to look the part but don't get hung up on the boat you drive affecting your ability to catch record size fish. Don't be intimidated at tournaments because of all the luxurious bass boats. You can get the job done in your 17 foot boat and 50 horse outboard no problem. The ones going home with the winning prize money are because of the fish they caught, not the boats they drive.6. Change It Up
Loyalty is great when it comes to family but not when comes to fishing with your favorite bait. If it's a bait you swear by and it's not working for you on tournament day, then switch it up. Give those fish whatever they want because it could be the difference between making it on the podium or going home with an empty live well. One of the big differences between anglers that bring in the winning bass is that they have fine tuned their ability to adjust to the ever changing conditions. Noticing subtle changes such as water levels, suspending fish, sudden temperature fluctuation, surface breaking shad flies, fishing pressure, sun position are all changes that effect where the bass will be in the lake you are fishing. The angler who notices these subtle cues will be the one who finds the bass and wins the tournament.
