Tournament mindset... what drives you?

[seamonkey]

Originally Posted by crabcrusher

What drives me to tournament fishing:-
1) Excuse to go fishing prior to the Competition. Ie: Practice fish
2) Another Excuse to go fishing On the comp days
3) A reason to buy more lures
4) A reason to buy more rods
5) Competing against likeminded peers, is a great opportunity to find new innovative techniques
6) Socialising in fishing is more rewarding than work
7)The detrmination to get just one more fish......
8) 7 Hours behind and electric is better than 7 hours behind a keyboard.
9) The locations that the Tournie scene will take you to.
10) One day ill beat that b..as..rd

Pretty much spot on!

[CHUNQX]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

Pretty much spot on!

Agree with that except for point 9. Few years running now and it seems the comps are still being held in the same spots year in year out. Let's see, Hopkins, Glenelg, Coota, Lakes Entrance.. sound familiar? Many of the systems are big enough to require many years of exploration but somewhere like the Hopkins, I reckon a few times in there and you'll pretty much have seen every bank along the 9km of navigable water (especially in a boat).

[projoe]

I guess myreasons for fishing tournos are i have done just about every style of fishing (except Gamefishing) & i just love using the artifical baits these days whether its fly or lure with all the tackle & tech stuff that goes with it problem is i just dont get enough time these days but if a local tourno is on i'm there.
as for the time between bites you just have to fish that bit harder, change lures, technique or move on to another spot & if anything the time goes to quick for me. there have been plenty of times i've donuted, but twice now i have won comps & i guess that little competitive streak i have keeps me going back.

[Bear]

Originally Posted by CHUNQX

I have never been part of the tournament scene but have recently seriously considered doing one from the yak. Because of that, I've been trying to put in "practice" sessions in local rivers. What I've found is that if I go to say, the Patto, for 2 weekends in a row and for only for 4 hour sessions, I get bored really easily if nothing's biting for the first 2 hours. Much worse in the second weekend at the same spot because I've already been there and tend to lose interest after 2 hours.

I can see the appeal when you get an early hot bite and you hear of stories of guys getting their bag by 7:30 and just looking to upgrade after that. But I'm wondering what drives the seasoned tournament anglers when most are struggling to get their bag in 7 hours of fishing, when cast after cast after cast comes back with nothing to show for.
Perhaps its only me who's got a short attention span, but I find 4-5 hours on the water is plenty and if I don't get so much as a hit in the first hour, every bit of me wants to pack up and leave. With that in mind, I find the prospect of a tournament scene a bit daunting and I curious as to what drives you in a comp to stick at it for 7 hours with possibly nothing to show for it?

1 New friends
2 Old friends
3 Fishing
4 New ideas
5 Shared ideas
6 and because one fish can change your weekend

[IceManDude]

Originally Posted by CHUNQX

So much so that i was dreading an upcoming yak comp that I decided to do some time ago....and then it got cancelled and more than anything else I was relieved. I'm thinking I've just got to get back into the enjoyment of fishing.

I too was going to fish that one mate...i'm still going down and will have a social catch up with a few blokes...you should come anyway!!

[IceManDude]

Originally Posted by Bear

6 and because one fish can change your weekend

thats it....one dropped fish is the most gutting thing in a comp, especially if it is early in the day. but on the flipside getting that one early is a huge confidence boost and an unreal feeling!!

[CHUNQX]

Originally Posted by IceManDude

I too was going to fish that one mate...i'm still going down and will have a social catch up with a few blokes...you should come anyway!!

Looks like the event is happening after all, without the actual tourney part of it...