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Competitively
Fish Derbies and Tournaments
BY: Russell Gahagan
Over the past 10 years I have competitively fished many tournaments for
both Salmon and Walleye. Over those 10 years I have learned lots of things
from lots of great fisherman including my dad George Gahagan. I owe a
lot to my dad but one of the biggest things he taught me was to pay attention
to details. Sounds simple right? For example I have fished on tournament
teams were we had a hot diver rod let's say 101 ft out and we were catching
fish on it and all of sudden half hour goes by and that rod hasn't moved.
I walk over there and the line counter says 104. Now most fisherman might
say 3 ft different on the counter can't be 3 inches in the water column.
Tell that to the fish and my dad. Paying attention to details is the number
one thing you can do in a tournament to be more competitive. I have made
a checklist of things you should check every time you catch a fish and
put your lure back in the water.
1.
Check the line (fly leader, any leader line, main line)
2. Check your hook make sure its straight and not bent or broke
3. Check the tape on your spoon or flasher make sure it's not hanging
off
4. Put the bait back in the water and make sure it running correctly
The
early morning bite is very important when fishing salmon tournaments.
Most tournaments start between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. The best bite will generally
be right away. It's important to get your hottest rods in the water first
to give you the best opportunity to catch those early morning fish. Be
very careful to always remember one on the line is better than two in
the lake. I have seen lots of fisherman get a fish on while setting up
and keep setting rods because they are "biting" next thing you know they
have a huge tangle and no fish. When setting up in the morning for a tournament
always setup short of your best spot so you can get all your rods in when
you get there and go the direction that has been best for you in previous
days.
The
late morning is when tournaments are won and lost. I have had my best
success in tournaments catching big King Salmon after 9 a.m.in tournaments.
In the Sheboygan Salmon Cup this year we caught three weigh fish after
9.am. each day. A few key stealth tips can help you put more fish in the
boat after 9 a.m. Planer boards are a key tool we use after 9 a.m. There
are many ways to get your lures to the fish off planer boards like mono
with a weight, copper wire, leadcore and power pro with a weight. All
work well but getting your baits away from the boat in the middle of the
day is a key. Look for clean water to troll through. Boat traffic will
effect a mid day bite. I will move slightly away from my best spot to
get some clean water in the middle of the morning. Drop your walker deeper
divers closer to the bottom. A lot of times mature kings will go to the
bottom in the middle of the day until lunch travels by their nose. Also
generally the same colors that work in lower light conditions may not
be best in sunlight conditions. I find chrome flashers like Michigan Stingers
PK Special, Super Frog, Blue Killer work very well. Also Pro-Troll's plaid
uv flashers work great for me in the middle of the day. I combo these
flashers with shiny flies like Rapture's ventriloquist, no-see um and
oceana.
Next
time your fishing a tournament or derby in your local port use some of
these tips and tactics to increase your chances of winning.
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