I received my 1st boat last year when my grandfather pasted away. It's a 1995 Bass Tracker Tournament TX-17 w/40 HP mercury.  When I received the boat it was in pretty bad shape. I re-did the entire boat(new carpet, all of the wood like the front deck and floor board, new trolling motor, new depth finder, etc.). Now that it is finished I am nervous to enter a tournament for the simple fact that I see all these nicer and faster bass boats in the tournaments around my local lake and really wouldn't appreciate getting laughed at because the boat means so much to me. Should I just suck it up and fish or would it be a waste sence i can't get to my fishing spots as fast as others?

Go fish the tournaments and enjoy. I have never seen anyone "laughed at" because of what boat they use. I have also seen plenty of guys in tin boats administer some butt kickins !!!

Everybody ... regardless of how fast a boat .... gets beat to a spot sometimes. Just go to another spot.

Good Luck and have fun.

Man up , fish the tournaments , why do you care what they may say about your boat ?

I see plenty of tin boats in the tournaments around here. There was a guy in a tin boat with a 60 hp in an open tournament with us last month. We talked to him after the tournament and found out that he went all the way to the lower end and once arriving there, had his limit in 20 minutes. Just as a reference, from where we blasted and where he went, it takes me 26 -27 minutes running wide open with a 250. It took him longer to get there and longer to get back but he won the tournament. He practiced in that creek prior to the tournament via a ramp in that creek and he knew where he was going no matter what kind of boat he had. He did his homework and took a lot of people's money. In a tin boat.

I appreciate all of the comments. I have been pretty nervous because this will be my first tournament out of my own boat. Thanks again for all of the support it was very helpful.

I said it many times before, "Boats do not catch bass people do"

My tournament rig for years was a 15' Alweld flat with a 25 hp Suzuki & my current rig is a 15' 5" Stratos with a 70 hp.

I appreciate it..... I feel alot more confident now and just hearing other people say to go for it has really helped.

Fish man! My dad and I have been fishing tournaments out of a tracker pro team 170 with a 50hp for the last 4 years now. It feels that much more satisfying when you win with the small boat.

Never sweat the ones making comments about you or your boat. they are just donating to the pot.

Enjoy spending it.

I received my 1st boat last year when my grandfather pasted away. It's a 1995 Bass Tracker Tournament TX-17 w/40 HP mercury. When I received the boat it was in pretty bad shape. I re-did the entire boat(new carpet, all of the wood like the front deck and floor board, new trolling motor, new depth finder, etc.). Now that it is finished I am nervous to enter a tournament for the simple fact that I see all these nicer and faster bass boats in the tournaments around my local lake and really wouldn't appreciate getting laughed at because the boat means so much to me. Should I just suck it up and fish or would it be a waste sence i can't get to my fishing spots as fast as others?

Just by reading the subject my answer is FISH! I did take the time to read the rest though. In my opinion, go fish the tourny, and let your rods do the talking. Is anyone gonna laugh when you pull up with the big fish or heaviest bag??? Plus if you fish a tourny with a non-boater, trust me, they will be happy to be fishing on your boat. One more thing, about geting to the "spot" before other people with faster boats. This always concerned me when I started tourny fishing too, but you can find other ways to catch fish. Sometimes it's a matter of going farther than anyone else, and even though it may take you an hour to get there, your fishing alone. Just my .02

And one more thing... Me, you, and all those people your worried about are not professional fisherman. We do it cause we love it. Don't get caught up in " Keeping up with the Joneses". If you go fish and have a good time, then you've already won. Don't lose sight of why you fish in the first place........

Your right evrglades I did lose sight of the reason I fish and got to caught up in the appearance of my equipment instead of just having fun. Thanks man

Fish !!    I started ut with a 14ft sea nymph with a 9.9  moved up to almost the same boat you have,and am now on my second Champion . The  boat doesnt catch fish and in some cases you have the upper hand in a small boat. You can get into places the bigger boat cant, and into different lake that they cant access. No one will laugh about your baot. Ive had my butt kicked my guys in boats smaller than yours. Go enjoy yourself ,and show them what ya got at the scale

They would only laugh at you because there jealous

Roby

Re: 10 mistakes amateur anglers make

Reply #5 - May 16th, 2010 at 8:32pm      Here is a few of my mistakes i made in the past

1.try to hard to be a pro, than what is important

2.not soaking in information from a boater if a co-angler

3.following the trends of what everyone else is doing instead of being ones self

4.not believing in yourself that what your doing is the right move

5.not experimenting, stuck on one or two things or ways

6.understanding and reacting to change of conditions

7.knowing on water experience is priceless

8.intimidated by others, rigs, and product.

9.not giving a 100 %,100% of the time

10.knowing the importance of self image/marketing skills

The last two tourneys I have fished have been won by two guys who fish out of a plastic pontoon that they carry in the back of their pickup. They guys with the Rangers and the Stratus owner doesn't think it's funny. But I do!

If you go fish and have a good time, then you've already won. Don't lose sight of why you fish in the first place........

This Is why you should fish, tourney or not.  Well said Everglades.....

I've been tourney fishing for 5 years now out of a 17' aluminum v hull with a 90hp. First tourney I was in my son said "Dad, you have the crappiest boat here"

It takes me a little longer to get to the spots. Oh well.

Everyone in the club knows our boat because there are only 2 tin boats in the club.

When my "crappy" boat brings home a check, some of the guys with the $40,000 rigs get upset. Most of the guys in the club are decent but some of the guys that are sponsored up don't take too kindly to us. Doesn't matter to me. I've made enough money this season to justify the new equiptment and trolling motor I purchased this year. Had plenty of fun doing it. My son is my partner and this is the only time I get to spend with him anymore. It's all good to me.

Don't be intimidated. You need to start somewhere.

Get out and fish!

Go fish!

If anyone laughs they are just ignorant. I fished a FOM tournament with my bro in a 16' jon with a 25HP tiller. We took second place. The fish don't care what you are fishing in!