 The smallest of keys when fishing can make a huge difference come tournament time. Every little thing matters and the teams that are able to take note of these keys are consistently found in the winner’s circle. Here are a few things that I have noticed that help teams do well during tournament times. And remember, the small things do matter!
I always recommend that you start out by looking back in time. I keep a very detailed set of notes for each event that I fish. I do this so I can look back when preparing and see where the winners were caught, where I fished, and what the conditions were like at the time. Air and sea temperatures are incredibly important, but also look at the barometer, salinity, and wind conditions in the past. I have found that these have been incredible gauges. My team heavily relies on Hilton's Real-Time Navigator. Tom Hilton and his crew do an incredible job with this data and it helps me greatly on the water. Little notes may not seem important at the time, but they may prove to be the key to success later. For example, it might not seem important that the water was full of Sargasso weed last year, but it does! The Sargasso weed generally follows the loop currents until strong winds steer it towards the shallower waters. It's a bear to fish if the water is weedy, but the weeds are good. They harbor a lot of small baitfish, most of which become lunch for other species, but some grow to juveniles and adults. The species of small bait that matter to me are blue runners, triggerfish, and puffer fish. These are all excellent baits for fishing when they are small, but knowing what species likes which one can help when you start targeting them. On the east coast of Florida a number of species cruise the weeds in search of a meal, depending on the depth of the floating weed. This habitat is usually reserved for pelagic species like dolphin and kingfish, but I have seen snappers and groupers feeding in the weeds when the weeds get over the edge of a reef. Once you learn how to read the forecasting charts and compare to what Mother Nature dealt you wind wise, you will have a Plan A.
Teams fishing the tournament trails should always have a back up to their gear. In fact, many of the best teams have backups to their backups. This should not be limited to only your gear though, a backup plan is important as well. Before the tournament make sure you have a back-up plan, sometimes the forecasting services don't get an accurate picture due to clouds or technical stuff, here's where the archives come into play. Lots of times you can look back a couple days and get a good idea where conditions are best for you. Try to keep your starting points close together, most pelagics, like kingfish, feed fiercest at first light, the last thing you want to do is waste time in the first inning!
Another important tool is the world wide web or the internet. Countless anglers now use the internet to share information, and you can use this come tournament time. Try to ply the web a few weeks in advance to see what the past reports have been. Pay close attention to tournament records, especially if they have a boat list for the top catches. You don't have to be Jim Rockford to get some good Intel nowadays!
Lastly, try to stick to your game plan, many times I have heard all the great reports over the VHF, and made the move only to get there in time for the funeral. Remember that the grass may not always be greener somewhere else. If you have put some thought into your strategy before the event, stick it out and don’t chase radio fish.
I truly believe that the smallest of keys are crucial. I think if you follow these suggestions you will improve your catch come tournament time.
Editor's Note: Captain George Mitchell will be hosting a seminar in Riviera Beach, FL on Wednesday, May 28th, 2008. The seminar starts at 7 PM and will be at the Newcomb Hall. For more information on this event, please check out www.kdwclassic.com. This seminar is a must see if you are in the area. |