After reading the # of days fished post, I was adding up the different tournaments fished which sent me down a rabbit hole of compiling an overview of 2023 tournaments.

 

Tournaments fished-13(not counting lunker events)

Finished in the money-6

Wins-3

Full bags-11

Lunker pool wins-2

Largest field-43 boats

Heaviest Fish-5.32

Unique Fish-20.5" fish weighing 3.36 lbs.

Total winnings-Probably a little more than the total expenditures(entry fees,gas,tackle,food,ect). Overall a successful and enjoyable year.

2024 plans-Don't have dreams of chasing national trails, will stick to the local derbies and hopefully fish 15-20 enjoyable events.

Highlight-Was on a 3 week burner going 3rd, 1st, 1st in July.  2 different bodies of water on 3 different patterns.  Lost 2 fish that would have won it during the 3rd place finish.

Low point-going into the final tournament of a trail with the point lead and being one fish short. 

How was your year?

 

I participated in 4 organized "events."

 

A crappie contest in early May against about 1500 participants and I did not win anything even though I weighed in my one legal fish.

A bass derby against 2 other boats in early August, got first place.

A bass derby against 2 other boats in early October, got first place.

A continuing, year long work fishing contest for 2023, got first place.

 

I feel like I had a good season in the fake competition world.  I'd get my butt whipped in any kind of real organized fishing tournament.

I did pretty good for 2023. Fished about 7-8 tournaments. Largest fish was over 9lbs with a few 8's in the mix and a boat load of 7's. Wins were maybe 4-5 with all others in the top 3. Earnings were decent and paid most expenses. For unique fish, had one 24" fish that was barely pushing 6lbs! Long but so darn skinny. Even caught her in a good nutritious area. So I couldn't understand her being such a lightweight. High point was winning a tournament with a few cast, like three 7 pounders in less than 30 minutes, almost back to back. Low was losing a tournament that I was so sure I'd won! Another high/low was qualifying for a national event out of state but low point was that I couldn't make it. Maybe for 2024, that's what I'll do, hit the trial. 2024 is gong to be a wait and see kinda year for me with tournaments because I have a lotta other stuff going on. Lotta commitment with these bass tournaments, whole lotta hard work, commitment, & dedication! 

I entered my first tournament in 2023 on a tough body of water with no bow mount sonar. (Long story) it was a buddy and ten boats out of 30 caught a scoreable fish. Only first and second had a full bag limit which was 4 bass over 15” we catch a scorable bass. 
 

looking forward I am hoping to do 2 or 3 in 2024. 

I had a streak of 12 consecutive years of entering both B.A.S.S. Nations and BFL’s broken this year because of having another back surgery. 
 

I had more quick getaways in 23 than I ever have and did better than I thought. 
 

The best day was last month on Lake Placid where my partner and I bagged more fish over 7 with a few smaller ones in a 5 hr span than any 2 day tournament. 
 

We hit it just right and ran into 2 wolf packs just cruising. 
One time he got the leader about 30yds from the bow which turned the rest around and we picked them off for 1/2 hr. 
They just stayed within casting distance. 
Darnest thing I ever saw 
Never had that happen. 
 

 

 

Mike

4 hours ago, Mike L said:

The best day was last month on Lake Placid where my partner and I bagged more fish over 7 with a few smaller ones in a 5 hr span than any 2 day tournament. 
 

We hit it just right and ran into 2 wolf packs just cruising. 
One time he got the leader about 30yds from the bow which turned the rest around and we picked them off for 1/2 hr. 
They just stayed within casting distance. 
Darnest thing I ever saw 
Never had that happen. 
 

 

 

Mike

 

I know the feeling on that one, man, one right after the other. It's like striking gold! Funny how they're all the same size, too! All my 7's were mere grams apart. Like you said, the "wolf pack" 

I think I fished zero tournaments this year. I did fry a lot of fish, those days are always a win 

59 minutes ago, Zcoker said:

 

I know the feeling on that one, man, one right after the other. It's like striking gold! Funny how they're all the same size, too! All my 7's were mere grams apart. Like you said, the "wolf pack" 

It was something fir sure!!

Been bass fishing all over the SE in tournaments with local guides and professionals as my boater and never had that happen. 
 

Even when I Marshalled for the Elites I Saw it maybe once or twice but they only picked off maybe 1 or 2 before it was over. 
To actually see them turn around and hang relatively close by was a sight in itself. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

1 hour ago, Mike L said:

It was something fir sure!!

Been bass fishing all over the SE in tournaments with local guides and professionals as my boater and never had that happen. 
 

Even when I Marshalled for the Elites I Saw it maybe once or twice but they only picked off maybe 1 or 2 before it was over. 
To actually see them turn around and hang relatively close by was a sight in itself. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

 

I don’t think I’ll ever see something like it again. I mean, I had it happen once recently and I started to get my hopes up but it turned out to be just two, which was still nice. When the Wolfpack deal happened, it didn’t matter where I cast it was like a giant was there waiting—boom! I haven’t seen anything close to that or like you mentioned the gang turning around as if waiting for the lure! There’s a lot more to bass behavior than most think, in my opinion.

 

This gang-like behavior of the bigger fish is a very interesting subject! I've seen them corral an area, blocking off all points, as if working together to isolate and then attack the bait. I know this because I've been there and have seen it. And being in the middle of it at that exact moment is probably the reason for these spectacular once in a blue moon catches. 

One of the great things about kayak bass tournaments is using TourneyX. They keep track of all my stats. I started off great but the rest of the year I couldn’t find the big ones. Luckily I finished strong at Okoboji. https://tourneyx.com/app/profile/Hawkeye

 

I also fished in a bunch of Tuesday nighters and had a pretty average year.