# tounament bassin



## chopper (May 15, 2004)

I was just wondering how you guys approach a lake for a tournament? I guess my question is how to know when to go deep or stay shallow? Fast slow, big, small. I get a plan in my head and don't change quick enough. How long do you stick with a bait or a plan? alot of questions, thanks, Chopper


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## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

Wish I knew those answers a little better... Generally I start out in areas that should hold fished based on the season and go from there. Make adjustments accordingly based off of what you are seeing in the moment... Fish the moment..


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## KWaller (Oct 3, 2010)

I start out with studying numerous maps of the lakes and looking online at pictures of the lake and the lakes recent bass tournament outcomes. I start out fishing my strengths by flipping and pitching cover. From there I pay attention to detail. For example, look for shad, fry, frogs, bluegill, ghost minnows, seagulls/diving ducks, herons, and any other possible pattern or clue to better help you. If I can not get any thing going flipping in coves I will back off the bank a little and shakey head, throw a tube, or crank. Every fish you catch is a piece of the puzzle. Check that fish out, look in its mouth to see what its eating, feel its stomach gently to try and feel for things it's eating, if the fish is lighter in color chances are its been in deeper water. 

Moral of the story, start out with your strengths and let nature and the fish tell you what they want


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## chopper (May 15, 2004)

Thats good advise. How long do you stay with a bait or plan? I die with a bait that I think should work but isn't. Or I'll stay in a spot because I got them there before. I do pretty good most days, its that I can't adjust on the bad days.


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## mpd5094 (Jun 20, 2005)

I'm definitely a shallow water fisherman. I love to fish shoreline structure/cover all year round. A lot of times I find if my fish aren't tight to that shoreline cover, I back out from the shore until I find the depth they're holding at. It works for me, but not a guarantee!


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

I have the same problem you have in that I get a plan in my head and stick with it, even if it isn't producing right off the bat. I'll usually give it half the day before I consider changing things up. And I won't change until I have exhausted all bait options, and changed presentations. If you've been fishing big baits without success, switch to smaller baits. If you're fishing a fast presentation try slowing it down. If you are fishing slow try fishing it faster, or even slower. Assuming your plan is solid from the start, and is based on locational factors, and not a specific bait that you want to fish, I think changing your plan too quickly can be just as bad as not changing your plan at all. There are times when the fish just aren't biting, and you have to suffer through those times. 

If there is one thing I've learned over the years, it's that you should never base your plan for the day solely on the bait you want to fish. It's as LOTP said. Fish the moment. Let the moment determine your bait. Not your personal preferences


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## Bass_Hawg (Apr 12, 2004)

If you have a plan it is done 1 of 2 ways usually one you are just fishing what you are comfortable with because that is how you caught them before on this lake or 2 because you did your homework on maps, season, temp, and your confidence. If it is plan one change as soon as you realize in your head it is not working. If it is 2 . . . . stick with your main plan just make minor adjustments like color, size, speed, or boat positioning.

I'm usually number 1


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

chopper said:


> Thats good advise. How long do you stay with a bait or plan? I die with a bait that I think should work but isn't. Or I'll stay in a spot because I got them there before. I do pretty good most days, its that I can't adjust on the bad days.


$500,000 question. I burned myself by not changing up when I knew I should have this past Sunday. Stuck with my "morning" game plan till 11:30 even though our best 5 would have been lucky to make 5#.... finally scrapped it, fired up the motor and ran 11 miles up river to a place and pattern that I wanted to be on by 9:00. Culled the entire livewell in a little over an hour and ran out of time. Missed the money by a pound and left the fish biting.... the way I look at it, a tournament with 50 boats will probably have 35-40 boats that are good enough to win. The one that makes the right decisions AT THE RIGHT TIME will win. Those decisions are the biggest battle in a tournament, and I sure as heck haven't figured it out yet.

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## chopper (May 15, 2004)

Your ideas sound good. My bite is also shallow. However I think that I am also looking at deeper areas. My next plan is to start shallow for 2-4 hours, and then finishing the last few hours working and learning the deeper bite.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

chopper said:


> Your ideas sound good. My bite is also shallow. However I think that I am also looking at deeper areas. My next plan is to start shallow for 2-4 hours, and then finishing the last few hours working and learning the deeper bite.


Sometimes the deep bite is better in the morning before the sun gets up and the baitfish are still active. Once the sun starts shining, the fish tend to pull tight to docks, laydowns and brush. If you like flipping and pitching jigs and soft plastics, the sun and fishing pressure will actually position the fish better for that.

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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Not sure if I have this straight or not .... but I wouldn't use tournament time for exploring. If you are talking about fishing deeper areas that you already know where they are, and based on the time of the year, that they are places that should have fish on them. Then yes, there is nothing wrong with giving them a try. But the time for trying to learn a deep water spot isn't during a tournament. At least not IMO.

The time to search out deep spots is during pre fishing.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Bassbme said:


> Not sure if I have this straight or not .... but I wouldn't use tournament time for exploring. If you are talking about fishing deeper areas that you already know where they are, and based on the time of the year, that they are places that should have fish on them. Then yes, there is nothing wrong with giving them a try. But the time for trying to learn a deep water spot isn't during a tournament. At least not IMO.
> 
> The time to search out deep spots is during pre fishing.


Agree 100%

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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Chopper....I was the same as you. A shallow water fisherman that wanted to start fishing deeper water in hopes of catching more and bigger fish, and at the same time, get away from the crowd of other tournament competitors. I'll share how I took on the challenge ...... maybe it will work for you.

First off ..... I'm not disagreeing with the example that Bad Bub gave ....... it's just that it doesn't match my definition of a deep bite. In the scenario Bad Bub presented earlier.... the bass' home is that dock or that laydown. When the bass is out away from it, it's just roaming the neighborhood. He doesn't live in deep water, he just visits it. It's house is still that dock, or that laydown. My definition of a deep bite, is a fish that lives in deep water. A truly off shore fish doesn't head for docks or a laydown tree in shallow water once the sun comes up. They head for their home base on the piece of structure you're fishing. And you need to know where that home base is. Unless you're lucky, it's going to take more than a few hours in a day to find. That's why I say don't use tournament time for exploring. Do it when you're pre fishing. 

As far as your thoughts of fishing 2-4 hours shallow, then heading out to look around deep? I don't know if you are talking about doing that during a tournament only? Or if you mean doing that while pre fishing as well? If you meant doing that while pre fishing.... this is just a suggestion...... but I wouldn't start off your morning fishing shallow, just so you can catch a few fish before you move out deep. Forget about the shallow water stuff ..... you already know it's there, there's no need to fish it. Make finding deep water spots your mission for the day. I wouldn't even worry about catching any fish at all. Concern yourself with finding spots. If you catch fish while finding some off shore spots, great. But finding the structures and more importantly the specific spot on the structure is what is going to be the most important thing to you in the long run. If you don't catch any fish right off the bat, don't worry about it. A lot of times off shore fishing is all about timing, If you've found the right areas, and the right spots on those areas, the timing will eventually match up, and you'll catch fish. 

Anyhow........ just some ideas for you to mull over. Hope you find them useful.


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## KWaller (Oct 3, 2010)

Bassbme said:


> Chopper....I was the same as you. A shallow water fisherman that wanted to start fishing deeper water in hopes of catching more and bigger fish, and at the same time, get away from the crowd of other tournament competitors. I'll share how I took on the challenge ...... maybe it will work for you.
> 
> First off ..... I'm not disagreeing with the example that Bad Bub gave ....... it's just that it doesn't match my definition of a deep bite. In the scenario Bad Bub presented earlier.... the bass' home is that dock or that laydown. When the bass is out away from it, it's just roaming the neighborhood. He doesn't live in deep water, he just visits it. It's house is still that dock, or that laydown. My definition of a deep bite, is a fish that lives in deep water. A truly off shore fish doesn't head for docks or a laydown tree in shallow water once the sun comes up. They head for their home base on the piece of structure you're fishing. And you need to know where that home base is. Unless you're lucky, it's going to take more than a few hours in a day to find. That's why I say don't use tournament time for exploring. Do it when you're pre fishing.
> 
> ...


I agree strongly with this! Especially about the finding structure part and the correct type of structure. Last years Bassmaster classic anglers were on Grand Lake O' a few months before in the winter just idling all over looking for structure on their side imaging. They would scan points, docks, and coves, don't leave anything out! 
Also, if you see structure on your unit, it's hard to immediately put lure and sonar together and find exactly where the structure is. So I get the general area of my deep rock pile and I will launch a Carolina rig or heavy football jig in that area. Just drag them across the bottom and you will pin point the structure allowing you to lighten up to a shakey head, drop shot, or tube and catch more fish. However you can keep fishing that structure with the football jig or Carolina rig but I have more confidence in the others.



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## chopper (May 15, 2004)

THats Great Advice From Everyone. I Do Have A Couple DeepBites. This Lake Is Cover Mostly With Very Little Structures Like Points DroP Offs, Rock piles.I Have An Hb With Sidescan. I Am Spending Hours Looking For More Deeper Spots. Thanks Chopped
I


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Bassbme said:


> Chopper....I was the same as you. A shallow water fisherman that wanted to start fishing deeper water in hopes of catching more and bigger fish, and at the same time, get away from the crowd of other tournament competitors. I'll share how I took on the challenge ...... maybe it will work for you.
> 
> First off ..... I'm not disagreeing with the example that Bad Bub gave ....... it's just that it doesn't match my definition of a deep bite. In the scenario Bad Bub presented earlier.... the bass' home is that dock or that laydown. When the bass is out away from it, it's just roaming the neighborhood. He doesn't live in deep water, he just visits it. It's house is still that dock, or that laydown. My definition of a deep bite, is a fish that lives in deep water. A truly off shore fish doesn't head for docks or a laydown tree in shallow water once the sun comes up. They head for their home base on the piece of structure you're fishing. And you need to know where that home base is. Unless you're lucky, it's going to take more than a few hours in a day to find. That's why I say don't use tournament time for exploring. Do it when you're pre fishing.
> 
> ...


My bad. Poor clarification... deep fish and shallow fish to me are 2 entirely different populations of fish. My point was I feel the deeper population will be more active during the morning, and more accessible before the local floatilla of boats arrive later in the day. You can catch some "bank runners" in the mornings, but I believe the bigger fish in the shallow population will position better later in the day. 

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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

I learned how to fish deep structure by fishing smaller lakes. I'm in east central Ohio and fish lakes like highlandtown, Belmont, Guilford and a small private campground lake in Jefferson county, a lot. These lakes are small enough for me to cover with just the electric motor, but offer all the deep stuff you will find on the bigger lakes. Over the last 7 years or so, I've learned how to read my electronics, how fish tend to position under certain conditions, how long to give a spot before moving on, baits that work for particular types of spots (road beds, rock piles, points, deep brush) and have fine tuned my tackle selection to what I'm comfortable throwing for the long haul. All on these smaller lakes. The theory I had was the smaller lakes were less intimidating, and had much less water to cover, and a lot less traffic to contend with. Once you've got your confidence up, it's much easier to start breaking down the bigger bodies of water.

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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

Im not a bass tourney guy but rising or falling water levels will make fish position differently and should not be underestimated IMO. Also deep and shallow bites can change quickly in spring when waters are warming in the shallows.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Bad Bub said:


> My bad. Poor clarification... deep fish and shallow fish to me are 2 entirely different populations of fish. My point was I feel the deeper population will be more active during the morning, and more accessible before the local floatilla of boats arrive later in the day. You can catch some "bank runners" in the mornings, but I believe the bigger fish in the shallow population will position better later in the day.
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


I knew what you were trying to relay, and totally agree about shallow fish positioning better later in the day. You know where the brighter conditions are going to put them. I also agree on the deeper fish being more active in the mornings. Which is another reason why it's good to go out looking around for deep fish in the morning. If you wait until too late in the day they've usually grouped up at specific spots, and they're harder to find. Find them scattered over a piece of structure in the morning and you know they live there. Knowing fish are there makes it a lot easier to stick with looking for those specific spots. 

And your other post about confidence. Dead on. Especially when it comes to deep water fishing.


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