Fish-Hawk.Net

Hi All... I have been considering entering a fishing tournament for a couple years now but unfortunately none of my fishing buddy’s are ready (scared to come in last) for competition fishing. The FLW Shootout cost is reasonable at only $200 per team and I figured it would be a good place to start. I am looking to enter either:

JULY 17, 2016 BIG RIDEAU LAKE - http://www.flwcanada.com/product/17

and/or

AUGUST 21, 2016 MUSKRAT LAKE - http://www.flwcanada.com/product/5

I am open to other bass tournaments as well... even filling in last minute if needed.
I do have my own boat but it’s not built for tournament fishing but can be used if needed. 16ft legend xtreme, 30hp, Minn Kota Terrova 80lb I-Pilot, Hummingbird 859 and Helix 5 DI in the front.

I would say my skill level is upper intermediate and would love to learn how to fish deeper water for Bass. Send me a private message if you are interested in teaming up for either tournament and let me know if you have a boat that is better geared for tournament fishing.

Any suggestions on starting competitive fishing are welcome.

Carlos

Carlos,

Be careful what you wish for! The tournament bug is quite addictive!

Good luck on finding a partner but if this is something you end up being very interested in, I would suggest you check out the Ottawa Valley South Bassmasters (OVSB) for next years series. It pairs boaters with non boaters and has a total cost for all tournaments that is very reasonable. It's a great bunch of guys as well. I fished with them last year and had a blast and learned a lot.

Your boat will definitely be on the slower side but would be well suited to quite a few of the water bodies they fish. Many of the members of this club are also members here including their current and past presidents.

I know it isn't helping you now but just food for thought for next year.

Adam

To further Lape0019's advice, there is also Pettawawa Bassmasters. Between the two series, you should be able to fish every weekend in some interesting water!

Craig

Great feedback guys! I will definitely enrol into one of the tournament clubs next year. I didn't know that they actually would partner you up with someone within those clubs, which is fantastic.

Still hoping someone will want to give the FLW shootout a go with me this year.

Carlos

Not all of the clubs in the area are like this. OVSB is the only one in the Ottawa area that I know of that does this. The Renegade Pro am pairs the "am" with a "pro" for a one day tournament. This is also another place you can hone some skills and learn a thing or two within a tournament environment.

Another option for you would be the Renegade Opens. Your boat fits the bill for these events with 100% payback.

RJ

You'll have no issues with or without using your boat in any of the Shootout events. You're right about the cost, at $200 per team it's a great way to fish competitively and not really care where you end up on the scoreboard. Anything can happen and as a guy who just started fishing tournaments last year at the age of 39, it's a blast. Fished in only two events last year, but this year my partner and I are doing the whole circuit. With the first event at Mississippi drawing 80+ boats, I think it draws more anglers than any other local tournament circuit. It also depends on where you live as well, saves you money hauling your gear around with a lake or river near your home.

At the end of the day, it's a lot of fun and the guys on the Shootout are awesome to chat with and you'll learn a lot in your first year without breaking the bank. Hope to see you out there at some point.