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Bass Fishing Tournaments...
Bass Fishing Tournaments are a great way to improve your skills and learn from other passionate Bass anglers. There are many different levels of tournaments for a person to get there feet wet in (sorry for the pun). There are local single and buddy tournaments all the way up to the pro series. There are even fishing tournaments that you can fish with your kid and introduce them to this great sport. These are just a few of the Bass Fishing Tournaments that a person can get involved in. You can fish in these as an amateur or a pro, as single or as a team with your favorite fishing buddy.
1. B.A.S.S.
After a few years of fishing team tournaments, I moved into the pro-am style format. This allowed me to further my fishing education by going out with some of the best fishermen in my area. Here in Minnesota there is a wide variety of options for this type of series. When I started there was one specific bass fishing tournament that was called the Don Shelby. There were the most successful fishermen from the area and as the prize money grew it attracted several big name pros. I was able to learn a lot from these guys. You can get involved on the amateur side of these in the FLW, BASS and most likely some more local or regional tournaments. A few years of doing this and I was ready to take matters into my own hands and jump into the pro side of things. It was here that I was able to apply the knowledge that I gained and make all the decisions for myself and my amateur partner. With this style of tournament you are randomly paired with an amateur for a great day or two on the water. I hope I was able to pass some of my knowledge to the amateur but I was also able to learn from them as well. I figured out very early on that as the pro, you could never be close minded enough to ignore what the amateur had to say. I then moved into “club” bass fishing tournaments and joined the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation with a local club. Let me tell you, this may be the very best way to improve your knowledge and abilities! I was able to pick up many great ideas, techniques and tips from this bunch of fishermen. I was fortunate enough to qualify for the State Tournament every year I was a member of this club. I held many positions with in the club and even became the Regional Director for the State. This was a great experience and I would recommend to you and anyone you know that is interested in gaining more knowledge to JOIN A BASS FISHING CLUB!! I have now moved back to my roots. As I grew older and the traveling took its toll on my pocket book, I decided to move back to the team tournament type format and I am still fishing with my old college buddy. I still kind of miss my pro days but I have a great amount of fun doing these events and have been pretty successful doing it. I have even gone as far as setting up a new team series here in Southern Minnesota called the Mankato Area Bass Tour. We will be fishing 4 different lakes this year to qualify for a Tournament of Champion which will be a two day event. This will be 50 - 60 of the best anglers in the State competing for cash, prizes and more importantly BRAGGING RIGHTS”! My son is now 8 years old and becoming a great little fisherman in his own right. I am hoping that in a year or two we can get involved in the Legacy type series that will give him a taste of Bass Fishing Tournaments. He has already shown the tell tale signs of catching the passion! As you can see, there are many different levels that you can participate in. I truly believe that tournament fishing leads you down a path of knowledge and success not only on the water but in your every day life. It makes you look at things in just a little different light.
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