Kickers, When?

zippyduck · July 30, 2018, 08:14:39 AM

When do you look for the kicker?

I know some tourneys require 5 kickers, but if the BOW you are fishing has few kickers when do you look for them.
I personally try for the kicker then look for the limit. I know you need both to win, so I look for the hardest one firsr.

Smallie_Stalker · July 30, 2018, 01:57:47 PM

It was always the opposite for me Zippy. I went for the limit first and then tried for as many "kickers" as possible.

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Mike Cork · July 30, 2018, 04:35:07 PM

I have caught all the kickers that I can remember either at daybreak or between 11 and 1. So if I know where kickers are, that's when I hunt for them. Even my personal best came at noon.

merc1997 · July 30, 2018, 07:44:02 PM

i am going to be the odd man out here, but i can not remember any tournament that i fished that i just fished to squeakers and then went looking for better fish.

i fished for however many bites was the limit, and if i got that many bites, i was going to be in the mix, and if i got more than that amount of bites, i was going to win.

catching lots of sub-legal bass in a tournament is just using up time for one thing, and catching just keepers most of the time will not get you there either.

here is how it will add up on the tally sheet. you catch 30 bass all from 2 up to three lbs.. i catch 5 bass all day that weigh an average of 4 lbs. you had lots of fun, but i took home the cash.

there you have my tournament mentality.

bo

zippyduck · July 30, 2018, 08:12:53 PM

A limit of 2-3 lbers will put you in the money on most lakes here.

Smallie_Stalker · July 30, 2018, 08:26:45 PM

Quote from: zippyduck on July 30, 2018, 08:12:53 PM
A limit of 2-3 lbers will put you in the money on most lakes here.

Up here too.

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Wizard · July 30, 2018, 09:08:07 PM

Quote from: merc1997 on July 30, 2018, 07:44:02 PM
i am going to be the odd man out here, but i can not remember any tournament that i fished that i just fished to squeakers and then went looking for better fish.

i fished for however many bites was the limit, and if i got that many bites, i was going to be in the mix, and if i got more than that amount of bites, i was going to win.

catching lots of sub-legal bass in a tournament is just using up time for one thing, and catching just keepers most of the time will not get you there either.

here is how it will add up on the tally sheet. you catch 30 bass all from 2 up to three lbs.. i catch 5 bass all day that weigh an average of 4 lbs. you had lots of fun, but i took home the cash.

there you have my tournament mentality.

bo

E X A C T L Y!

Wizard

Fun4me · July 31, 2018, 07:09:51 AM

Having never fished tournaments, this opinion is coming from a place of observing tournaments, so grain of salt and all that.

It seems that most anglers are searching for bigger fish, and in the process will keep anything legal they catch up to the limit of 5, whether it's big or not. I don't know if they are seeking out small ones to make a limit, as much as they're not going to throw back a keeper if they have less than 5 in the well.

merc1997 · July 31, 2018, 10:07:57 AM

Quote from: zippyduck on July 30, 2018, 08:12:53 PM
A limit of 2-3 lbers will put you in the money on most lakes here.

well, on table rock now days, a 3 lb. average will get you there on most days. it was a better lake back when i still fished tournaments.

the point is to fish for those better bass from the get go.

bo

D.W. Verts · August 01, 2018, 10:56:49 PM

Bo is correct. Except...

When you fish multiple-day derbies. On a one-day tourney you need to pull out the stops. But when you're fishin' two or more days you need to manage your fish, and unless you're just flat ON 'EM, you need to go the "safe" route and get that limit, no matter what. And that's just MY opinion, you understand.

"Back in the day" (or Lord, there he goes again!") it took an average of 7-1/2 pounds per tournament day to qualify for the Bass Masters Classic. Not much, is it? But look at how few managed to get it done. It would be interesting to know how much it takes today.

Anyway, that's how I trained myself "back in the day". To catch eight pounds each and every day, no matter what, with a secondary plan to catch a "kicker.' Oops- look where it got me.

Never mind.

merc1997 · August 01, 2018, 11:33:47 PM

Quote from: D.W. Verts on August 01, 2018, 10:56:49 PM
Bo is correct. Except...

When you fish multiple-day derbies. On a one-day tourney you need to pull out the stops. But when you're fishin' two or more days you need to manage your fish, and unless you're lust flat ON 'EM, you need to go the "safe" route and get that limit, no matter what. And that's just MY opinion, you understand.

"Back in the day" (or Lord, there he goes again!") it took an average of 7-1/2 pounds per tournament day to qualify for the Bass Masters Classic. Not much, is it? But look at how few managed to get it done. It would be interesting to know how much it takes today.

Anyway, that's how I trained myself "back in the day". To catch eight pounds each and every day, no matter what, with a secondary plan to catch a "kicker.' Oops- look where it got me.

Never mind.

if you are not on 5 bites per day, you have not found much or the fishery you are on is not a very good one.

bo