Had my first club tournament last weekend. I did not make the right adjustments in time and only had 3 fish for 7th place out of 10 boats. I will get my groove back. I learned some things from this tournament. The lake changed massively in two weeks and I was fishing 2-3 days ago and the lake was different on tournament day.

Good day

First tournament of the year for me on Saturday with the club.

Ray Brunetti For me, IMHO, for jerkbait fishing, rod selection is indeed manufacturer-dependent as mentioned, but for me, my general guidelines. I prefer a shorter rod (6'6" for my 5'11" height) with medium power and fast action.

The shorter length is ideal for the tip-down approach typical with jerk baits, giving better control over those sharp, precise movements. Medium power provides the right balance—enough backbone to handle fish without being too stiff. Combined with fast action, creating that natural shock absorption.

I think fast action is crucial because it allows for the quick, sharp twitches that make jerk baits so effective—the tip recovers quickly between jerks. A moderate-action rod would flex too deep into the blank during the twitching motion, making your retrieves less crisp and defined.

Every blank has its own 'feel' as mentioned, the M/F combination tends to work consistently across brands for this technique. What feels right to you is critical.

I look forward to good times with my buddy Ken this year.

On a good day, it is 20-foot clarity.

Hint: It dumps into Champlain

Don't change your diet too much before a tournament. The last thing you want is an upset stomach on competition day! 🤮💩

I focus on protein the night before and morning of since it provides longer-lasting energy. I pack RXBars for snacks/lunch because they offer dense nutrition in a quick snack.

At my age, I need to be more strategic about most things. More than the young bucks who can eat whatever and still have endless energy (they have that magic youth elixir!). I strategically time 1-2 Jocko Go's throughout the day for an extra boost.

Other essentials:

- Hydrate well the days before and consistently during the tournament

- Prioritize quality sleep leading up to the event

- Maintain a relaxed mindset - it's extremely important!

- Focus on finding your "zone" - that calm, reactive, zen-like state where everything flows

Good luck out there! 👍

I am thrilled to hear about your positive news, and I always know that my best days may be ahead of me. I am glad to hear you found a passion in bass sobriety. Stay positive and feed that passion; nurture it. I love fishing because it keeps my mind active, focused, and fulfilled. Thank you for the good vibes. Yeah, I am interested to see how someone transitions from local competitions to the big leagues too, LOL :-)