Mental game
How long was it before you finished in the money with a club tournament? I’ve only been fishing tournaments for 2 years and still believe in my ability but have been getting wrecked either (zeroing, catching only 2 barely keepers, guys smashing 15+ lbs to my 2 lbs) I really wanna win but it’s getting me very anxious questioning whether I belong. Any tips on the mental side when things are going bad?
You may be fishing too conservatively. Almost all club tournaments are won, in my opinion, by the handful of guys swinging for the fences, and not "fishing for a limit". I believe Gerald Swindle talks about this in his most recent seminar https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/gerald-swindles-keys-to-tournament-junk-fishing-success (Keys to Junk Fishing Tournament Success). Why focus on catching fish you are going to need to replace anyway, if you're going to win? Spend all day chasing big bass, if you have 4 with 30 minutes left, maybe go to a high percentage spot and grab a 14" to fill out the limit. Swinging for the fences means zeroing sometimes, sometimes you catch 1 or 2 big fish, and sometimes you're at the top. I feel like rarely do you finish in the money just trying not to get skunked. Check out Gerald's video, I think it will help, as I think junk fishing with a general idea of what you're going to do is a great approach to finishing in the money.
The quickest way to excel is to find a mentor in your club. This was key in my development as an angler. Learn from them and practice what you learn. Some other keys to early success are to identify your strengths as an angler. What do you like to do or what do you do better than other guys. Try to develop your best techniques and build from there.
Focus on the fishing and not the result. I like to set my goals this way. "I want to find the primary pattern or I want to find an early morning bite and an afternoon bite." If you concentrate on the fish, the result will take care of themself. I agree with Jason about Gerald. Also listen to his PMA. It will change everything!
https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/original-positive-mental-attitude-class-gerald-swindle
SA, I'm struggling the same way you are.
I think my issue is, I pay to much attention to what the boater is doing and don't use MY skills to clean up behind him. Thinking about last year, many times my boater would be catching them on a... Jig, so I'd switch to a jig and try to pick apart the structure in different areas than he did. While I did get good at skipping docks and getting deep into cover, it didn't pay off. This year I'm going to do my own thing. I think throwing something different, probably slower and more finesse will get me more bites.
If you are a boater, I'd suggest stepping back in the club and going as a Co a few times and learn what the "good" guys are doing. This is my 4th year in our club, and while I have a boat, and come spring it will be set up better than many of my club members, I'm going to be a Co again for club stuff. I feel I can learn more this way, and I won't have to worry about figuring out a lake, and finding fish AND what I need to do to catch fish.
I also fish a weekly league night, and that I will use my boat for. Last year I landed dead last in that league, partially because I'm still learning how to break down a lake, partially because I'm still learning that instinct of when I need to move, etc.
Running your own boat has it's own set of challenges. I think becoming a solid Co-angler, then moving back to boater may help.
Just my 2cents.
Good luck
Tight Lines!
Update: our most recent event I landed big fish of the tournament and have been fishing with our club President. He’s taught me a ton over the past few times we’ve fished together and it has helped tremendously! I’ve started to stay enthusiastic about a day even when I’ve gone 6 hrs without a bite not worrying about the result. If I lose I lose
Sometimes you just have to grit it out as well. Every time your on the water you need to make sure your not taking the fun out of it is as well....I started fishing club tournaments with a partner as the boater when I was 16 it took us 3yrs to even weigh a limmit yet we'd go fun fishing and have just out standing days. After realizing that my self and him as well we're approaching the tournament with a different mind sit to the point we were so frustrated we wanted to stop. We put the fun back into it and started winning and cashing checks regularly just have fun don't ever forget why you do it...the mid sit goes along way even now when I fish BFLs and ABAs etc. I have to remind my self to have fun and more then not that mind sit will hold you up
