Would it be improper to fish when they are doing a tournament, or practicing?

If it’s a public body of water then go for it. Tournaments or tourney organizers can’t claim a public lake. 

I avoid lakes that have tournaments because most lakes I fish are small and when there are 20 boats it's quite crowded. I don't go for their sake, I don't go for mine. That said I think it's silly anyone would expect someone else to not go fishing so that they could. 

If I’m out fun fishing and there’s a tournament going on, I’ll give them a little extra space, but I’m not going to be run off my spots either. 

Our tournaments have to register and get a permit.  The state has a site where you can pick a year, month, and lake.  It shows launch site, date and time.  I check that then plan as far away from them as I can get so they won’t be in my way.  I’ve never been on a spot and had tournament anglers want it or cut me off.

 

 The lakes that I fish are between 26,000 acres with hundreds of miles of shoreline and 50,000 acres with close to 1000 miles of shoreline.

I fish a lot of local tournaments on 1000-2000 acre lakes and I don't expect any extra courtesy from other boaters because I'm in a tournament. If I'm choosing a lake to fish for fun I will absolutely avoid a lake with a tournament on it if I can. If I accidentally end up on a lake with a local tournament going on, I'll usually give tournament boats extra space. Only exception is when I'm already being extra courteous and a tournament boat encroaches on me because they feel entitled due to being in a tournament. You do that to me and I'm throwing the biggest, heaviest bait I own on 65 lb braid across your bow until you get the message. 

 

I think a pro level event is different. Personally, I would choose to avoid fishing a lake with a pro level tournament going on out of courtesy/respect. I may ride around and watch, but I wouldn't even bring a rod. A lot of those guys are fishing for a living and I'd rather not interfere with that. 

If I know a tournament is on the same day I plan to fish that will switch to another lake that doesn’t have a tournament if possible.

In our small local lakes the tournament boats get priority to be on the water 1st, don’t like that and the reason to switch lakes.

Tom

To me, public ground/water is for ALL.

 

If you have a day off (or whatever) and want to fish, 100% fish.

 

You have the EXACT same right to fish that body of water.

 

Might not be the best fishing with the increased activity but if you want to fish, fish!

I agree with others.  You are entitled to fish a body of water just as much as an angler in a tournament.

 

That being said, depending on the size of the water body, you may want to avoid it when there is a contest happening.  Really big lakes, it may not make much of a diffference.  But medium to smaller ones, it can get cramped.  Plus the added pressure alone can make it tougher fishing.

 

Here in MN, tournaments need DNR permits to be held.  And each permit states that the contest cannot occupy more than 50% of the available parking spots.  So if a lot has 40 spots, they cannot exceed 20 boats.  For this reason, I often focus my efforts on lakes that have limited parking.  No tournament is going to be held on a lake that only has 10 or 15 parking spots.

 

Some of the tougher bass fishing lakes here have the most tournaments.  Go figure.  Its pretty simple...

2 hours ago, Jig Man said:

I’ve never been on a spot and had tournament anglers want it or cut me off.

Wow, it’s rare for me to be on a lake where a tournament is happening and I DON’T have a tournament boat cut me off or tell me to get out of the way because they are in a tournament. 

I treat tournament guys like I do anyone else. 

44 minutes ago, Scott F said:

Wow, it’s rare for me to be on a lake where a tournament is happening and I DON’T have a tournament boat cut me off or tell me to get out of the way because they are in a tournament. 

If that ever happened to me there would be a scene at the weigh-in.  Along with a call to the DNR.

We try to give anybody on the water the same courtesy. That being said, we don't extend extra courtesy to anyone just because they are in a tourney.

Every post above is correct.  That alone shows the wide range of opinions on this topic.

 

For me, I fish for fun.  I don't want the stress of dealing with other boats.  That's why I don't fish tournaments in the first place.  I keep bookmarks on all of the local clubs and trails and if I'm fishing on a weekend I just make sure I'm not on a lake they are.  A couple times I've been on lakes with tournaments and it's always annoying at best, maddening at worst.  The last time it was on my favorite 120 acre lake.  I launched at 4 AM and had been on the water for about 2 hours when they started streaming into the lot.  12 boat in all for the tournament plus 2 others who had just come to fish there that day.  That's 15 boats on 120 acres, all pounding the shoreline for bass.  I was running down one bank headed for a grassbed, trolling motor on fairly high throwing a buzzbait.  Very obvious what I was doing.  When the tournament kicked off, all 12 boats fan out and make a beeline for their spot.  This boat runs straight to the place I was fishing toward.  Started fishing about 50 yards in front of me.  I got heated, and decided that it wasn't worth my time or effort.  I pulled a 180, fished some water I'd fished before on the way back to the ramp, chatted with another of the tourney guys who was fishing it with his 6 year old as his buddy and had a nice hour cool down before I left and went to another lake (which incidentally was having a kayak tournament and there were 11 kayaks on 50 acres.  I didn't even launch).  Neither of these clubs were in my bookmarks, nor do they make their tournament dates public.

 

Net net- I don't mess with lakes where there is likely to be another boat, let alone a tournament.  Last night I was on 2200 acres and there were 3 boat out, all trolling the deep for trout.  Can't beat that with a stick.

I treat ppl how I want to be treated. If I’m fishing a tournament, I’ll ask to fish an area if I have a waypoint or something and someone is already on it, competitor or not (I’m talking general areas - I’m not asking to fish on top of them). If it’s a no, I’ll move on - no harm no foul.  I just expect the same treatment.

On 7/9/2025 at 2:32 PM, Jig Man said:

Our tournaments have to register and get a permit.  The state has a site where you can pick a year, month, and lake.  It shows launch site, date and time.  I check that then plan as far away from them as I can get so they won’t be in my way.  I’ve never been on a spot and had tournament anglers want it or cut me off.

 

 The lakes that I fish are between 26,000 acres with hundreds of miles of shoreline and 50,000 acres with close to 1000 miles of shoreline.

I've never had it happen either. I have had a couple guys closer than I personally would have been but if they are in a derby and just ask I'll move for them.

Taking my personal experience, I don’t care to fish on any waters where a tournament is taking place.  

Every large body of water down here will have tournaments almost every weekend from September to July, some lakes having more than one. 
Just the way it is, can’t get away from it and can’t stop ‘em. 

I get the whole public waters thing.
But If I’m on fish and got a few which made my trip worthwhile I have no problem giving up a spot if asked nicely and respectfully which for the most part is the norm. 
Most tournament anglers will respect the “50 yd rule” and some do not. 
 

It’s your choice how far you want to take it. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike
 

If you only have one day to go and want to fish, go fish. Personally, I'd take a day Tuesday-Thursday off and go. I've encountered many a tourney angler who didn't mind crowding you, fishing beside you or trolling between you and your target. The nicer ones asked. Where I'm from, there are more tourney weekends than there are non-tourney weekends. Part of the reason I stopped fishing the big lake. There's a reason you never see Bill Dance on a big lake with boaters and jet skis zipping by. Consider that many of those anglers won't be from your area and know they'll never see you again. That changes their attitude a little.