Tournament Tips Before the
Tournament Day
Tips
obtained from the Orange County Bassmaster web site
and modified by Charlie Blasi
1)
Please make every attempt to inform the Tournament Director of any mechanical
or personal conflicts
with your tournament attendance NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY NIGHT. Don't wait till the
last minute.
2)
Prepare your tackle. Always include:
a) Fishing License (CT or NY)
b) Vest
c) Lunch
d) " Fish Ties" or safety pins
(you should always carry 5)
e) Rain Gear
f) Sun Glasses (to protect yourself from
your partner!)
g) Money
h) A small dose of aspirin and possibly
Rolaids by chance you do feel ill during the day out.
i) Chapstick, sunblock
3)
Boater and non-boater should always try to ride to the site together. Ensures
that partners both arrive and boater is not left alone if/when breakdown
occurs. Otherwise, non-boater could be left stranded. The Tournament committee is not responsible for
getting the partners to and from the tournament site.
4)Non-Boaters:
a)Please don't
bring "the kitchen sink" when it comes to tackle. Try to arrange your
tackle as compact
as possible and don't bring rods that you likely will not need.
b)Always plan on
contributing a minimum of 50% of boat fuel, truck fuel, launch fee and tolls
(plus
Things
that you must consider in fees:
** In
** Some lakes have launch fees, others do
not.
5)
Boaters:
a) Always carry your truck registration,
trailer registration, insurance cards and driver's license.
b) Check your tire, your hitch and lights
before leaving and before making the return trip home.
c) Truck oil and transmission fluid level
check.
d) Grease your trailer bearings frequently.
I'd suggest before every trip and possibly before a long return trip.
e) Extra set of car and boat keys in boat.
f) Check your boat lights, livewell aerators, battery state, bilges before leaving for tournament.
g) When you stop to pickup your partner,
check your wheel bearings by touch. Heat buildup might indicate a problem that you
don't want on the highway.
6)
Set your watch to a reliable source, such as the Weather Channel.
Before Launching the Boat
1)
Drain plug in!
2)
Find tournament committee representative and take care of "all" of
the following "before" launching:
a) Livewell
check
b) Get official time from the
Tournament Director/Committee to adjust your watch.
c) Receive your boat number "flag".
d) Receive notification of when
tournament ends.
e) Pay
3)
For your own safety, make sure to inform your partner (or Tournament Director)
of any medical/physical conditions that could affect you during a tournament.
This could range from having a bad back that is affected by bumpy rides to something
like being a diabetic and letting your partner know what to do if you by chance
passed out.
4)
Non-Boaters:
a) Don't feel like you have to back in your
partner if you're not comfortable doing so. I'd suggest you try it while prefishing and not for the 1st time during a tournament.
The general rule I would follow is to never EVER work someone's standard
transmission if you are at all uncomfortable.
b) Know where the
boater has located the fire extinguisher.
c) As a good double- check before launch,
ask your boater if he's got the drain plug in the boat.
d) Ask your partner if he wants you to net
his fish.
5)
Double-check that you both have life vests, lunch cigarettes or whatever else
you might forget
in the truck.
During
The Tournament
1)
"Always" let your partner know if you are moving to the middle of the or are right behind him. It might save you from getting
hooked.
2)
Some anglers like to talk quite a bit while fishing and others don't. Try not
to break your partner's
concentration if you sense he's not up for too much discussion.
By the end of the day you'll have more than enough time to chat! Just use common
sense. Some of the biggest yackers at the meeting are
the quietest when
they start fishing.
3)
Boaters:
a) It is your responsibility to know what
the speed limit is on a body of water and keep your speed within.
b) Please be careful and work with your
non-boater to look out for water obstructions when running.
c) Respect all other boats before
approaching or leaving an area.
4)
Non- Boaters:
a) Don't leave all your lures dangling before
the next run. Fasten them before blasting off.This
will save you tangles
and prevent gel coat scratches on the boat.
b) Take into account how the boater is
moving the boat as to where you decide to make your next cast.
c) Asking the boater to move in to get a
hung lure can ruin a good spot. Be careful of ropes and other obstructions that can make a bad cast turn
into a lost lure.
d) Try not to get fish scents/formulas on
the boat carpet or gelcoat. They are usually oil
based and require extra
work in trying to remove after the tournament.
e) During the day ,
help your boater by watching out for and preventing the rear of the boat from running into any obstructions. This is a
big help when flipping close to docks, piers, etc.
5)
Never carry car keys in hand on the dock. keep them in
your pocket!
6)
Give yourselves plenty of time to return to the weigh-in.
7)
Don't perform unnatural acts on a fish to make it's
tail break the 12" line.
8)
Be extra careful taking hooks out of a fishes mouth.
Getting hooked can be very serious and doctor's are not close by.
9) NEVER EVER leave a tournament early unless
you have informed another club member of your departure, "and" are assured that this member
will be present at the weigh-in.
After The Tournament is Over
10)
Stay away from the boat launch unless you are dropping
off your partner our coming in to hook up.
11)
If requested, please let tournament committee members "cut in line"
so that they can get
their boats out of the
water to help with the weigh-in.
12)
Partners square up on money.
13)
please weigh your fish in by boat. You must return
your boat flag at the weigh-in before your fish will be weighed.
14)
Check the following before leaving for home:
a) Oil level, transmission fluid.
b) Tires (check for beads on outside and
inside).
c) Hitch and trailer lights.
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