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| FishTails |
Preparing For State Qualifiers
Pre-Tournament Checklist
[April 11, 2003 by Jim Davis]
It's almost that time of year again. West Virginia's state qualifiers will be here before we know it. I know there
are lots of seasoned anglers that have fished too many of these to remember. The truth of the matter is there are
always new faces at the qualifiers each year. As I began preparing for an up and coming Fishers of Men regional
championship, I found myself going through a mental checklist. Some of the items included lodging arrangements,
licenses, tournament dates, meeting times, off limits periods, official practice periods, equipment and etc. There
are a lot of things on your mind preparing for a tournament. I had also begun thinking of tournaments past. I have
seen a lot of things happen that could have been prevented with a little pre-tournament preparation. I witnessed
a competitor, in an Anglers Choice tournament on Kentucky Lake, launch his boat 10 feet short of the ramp because
he arrived at the launch late and got in a hurry. "OUCH". I also remember as many of you do, witnessing
a near tragedy on Sutton Lake, when a competitors boat sunk to the bottom because of something as simple as forgetting
to put the drain plug in. This prompted me to put a simple list together for the new fisherman attending this year's
state qualifier, to help make it an enjoyable experience for all. There are items on the list that may or may not
apply depending on the regional location of the tournament.
Information Gathering
* Tournament Date's, Practice Periods, Off Limits Periods.
* Meeting times, Launch times.
* Entry Fees and Deadlines.
* Lodging Arrangements.
* License Requirements.
* Maps, GPS information.
Equipment Preparation
* CHECK YOUR BATTERIES! MAKE SURE THEY ARE FULLY CHARGED!
* Make sure you have plenty of gas and oil.
* Make sure running lights, live wells, bilge pumps are in good working order.
* Carry extra trolling motor prop and misc. switches for on the water repairs.
* A roll of duct tape can come in handy!
* Don't forget extension cords or battery chargers, if needed.
Misc. Items
* Rain Gear, Life Jacket, Sunglasses, Sunscreen, Lunch, Drinks/Ice.
Tackle Preparation
* Make sure your rods and reels are in good working order.
* Put on new line, replace and or sharpen hooks.
* Make sure you have plenty of the baits you plan to use.
* Discuss with your partner fishing techniques you will be using so you are prepared with the proper rods and lure
assortments.
Ramp Check
* Show up to ramp at least one hour prior to launch.
* Make sure boat is un-strapped from trailer.
* MAKE SURE DRAIN PLUG IS IN!
* Have boat prepared for pre-launch check, live well lids open, running lights on, life jackets out etc.
* Make sure headlights are off while backing down ramp.
To some of us these pre-tournament checks are burned in our head and we do them without thinking . However it never
fails, someone's weekend is ruined because of something as simple as forgetting to put in a drain plug! Good luck
to all who qualified for their respective state qualifiers! Hope to see you at the State Championship! |
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