Not all anglers are in it for relaxation. If you love fishing—and winning—you can indulge your competitive spirit for profit. These tips on getting started in fishing tournaments can give you a taste of the big leagues.
Keep It Local
Even if you have landed every trophy fish in the world, a tournament is a different animal. You’re starting at the beginning, but you’ll feel less pressure and spend less money if you begin with the tournaments in your area. Look for flyers at boat ramps and ask around at nearby bait shops. For a more relaxed vibe, search online for a charity tournament. If you haven’t joined a local club, get involved. Most welcome fishing enthusiasts of all abilities.
Find Mentors
You’ll have to start at the back of a boat, partnering with a pro or a team. You don’t want to have to operate the boat as you’re learning, and you can pick up a lot of tips you’d otherwise have to acquire through experience. If you don’t know anyone else who’s participating, you can contact the tournament organizers to see if they can match you up. There are also plenty of online forums with posts looking for teammates. Some tourneys will let you sign up on your own and get randomly set up.
Prepare Thoroughly
Get out on the water to get a feel for the area and how the fish are biting. Pre-fishing can help you work out patterns as you develop a tournament plan. You won’t be able to bring all your gear on the boat, so be careful in packing your tackle. You can ask your boater if they think they’ll be using the same technique all day or if they like to change it up as the day progresses. If so, you’ll want to be ready.
Ask Questions
If you want to compete on the tournament level, you’ll have to observe, ask, and listen. You’ll want to be a respectful guest on the boat and let the pros focus, but it’s a team activity and communication is essential. Be honest about what you know and what you don’t know. You’re not competing against your finned arch nemeses anymore, nature, or yourself. You’ll be going up against other anglers, and you’ll need techniques that you just haven’t learned yet.
Try Different Kinds
Bass tournaments can be epic. They also can be very crowded with competition. It’ll take time, experience, and confidence to succeed, but you’ll want to have fun in the meantime. You can get into the swing of things with all kinds of specialized tourneys. You can angle for catfish instead, sign up for an ice fishing event, or even get into a real challenge like bowfishing. If you’re not the only fishing enthusiast in the family, you can pick up tips on getting started in fishing tournaments at contests for your kids, too. The whole idea is to tap into the camaraderie of angling, so get out there—and be a good sport.
Van Rundell is a writer and author who specializes in transportation, travel, guidance, health & fitness. With over 10 years of experience in the industry as a driver and an entrepreneur, he has seen it all. His tone is professional but friendly with a dash of humor thrown in for good measure. In past, he has been advising, educating and writing about transport for the public and professionals alike.
A qualified fitness instructor with over 5 years’ experience as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, Van brings his deep knowledge of health and exercise science to his articles on health & fitness.
