|
Check Back Often, I am adding stuff all the time. Bob La Londe - Webmaster Last Update January 2nd 2023 |
| Bob's Tips |
||
| Bob's Tips For Anglers |
Bob's Tips For Boaters | Bob's Tips For Tournament Directors |
| Bob's Tips For Anglers #1 Go When You Can If you only go fishing when everything is perfect, the tide is right, people confirm its going to be good for you, and the stars align you won't go very often. As a result you won't have very many great days fishing. "Oh wah! Its hot!" If you truly can not tolerate any heat for any time I am very sorry for you. I couldn't imagine being trapped inside 50% of the year. More in some parts of the world. If you can't take it for very long then don't go for very long. Go in the morning or evening when its a little cooler. Drink lots of water. Wear loose fitting light clothing. Get a big wide brim hat. Go when you can. "Oh wah! Its cold!" Well I'm not a fan of cold and some kinds of weather are dangerous, but if its just cold invest in some decent clothing for the temperature and go fishing. It sure beats sitting home having your brains sucked out through your eyeballs in front of the big flat panel brain sucker box. In most but the worst cold weather its possible to be reasonably comfortable outdoors. "Oh wah! Its hard to control the boat when its breezy." Read the conditions, put good batteries in your boat, fish into the wind. Learn the area so you know where you can get out of the wind and still fish if it gets to be more than your current skills will handle. The more you go the better your skills will get. "Oh wah! My boat is to small." Go to smaller waters. "Oh wah! My boat is to big." Go to bigger waters. "Oh wah! What if I get stuck on a sandbar." Keep a book, a lantern, and a couple meals in your boat. "Oh wah! I don't have a boat" Fish from the shore. "Oh wah! There is to much brush along the shore." Push through it and be glad there is so much shoreline cover to hold fish you can reach. "Oh wah! I don't want to work that hard." Hire a guide or go on a charter. "Oh wah! I don't have any money." Get a job, do chores, or start a business. "Oh wah! I am to busy in my business." Go when you can Bob's Tips for Anglers #2 If Something Doesn't Seem Right CHECK IT If your casting doesn't feel right, sounds odd, or distance comes up short check your rig. I've quite often had a wrap where the line is around the rod behind the tip top. It really kills your casting distance. If you keep breaking off... you could have bad line, but you might not. I was wailing them on a Curly Buzz Frog (version 2) one morning. Had the line break swinging a fish into the boat 3 times. All decent fish. I had not used the rod in a while so I assumed it was some old rotten braid. I stripped back 30 feet of line, cut off, and retied. Next fish broke off as I swung it in the boat and landed on the sole. I got to looking it over. The tip top had a crack that was cutting the line. As I swung the fish in the line would slide over across that crack and the edge of the ceramic would slice right through it. Now for the fun part. All those fish that broke off as I swung them in... landed in the boat. No matter what it is don't just keep flailing away hoping it will get better. Check your rig and find the problem. Maybe you can fix it. Maybe you can't, but knowing the problem will reduce anxiety and improve your fishing. You can either fix it or deal with it once you know what it is. At one point the little MLXF spinning rig I like for the Curly Buzz Frog Mini just wasn't casting right. I glanced down the rod, but it was fine. Guides were good. No wraps. Line was falling into the roller on the reel. At a glance it looked ok. On one longer cast it really didn't feel right, and periodically the reel felt like it was binding. Finally I'd had enough. A careful inspection show the line down deep in the spool had at some point looped in under the spool. I removed the spool, fixed the problem, and it was like new after that. If it doesn't feel right check it. Frog Molds From CNC Molds N Stuff |
Bob's Tips for Boaters #1 Always Check The Plug Is In Always check the plug is in before launching your boat. Just yesterday I was angling with somebody and I asked them if the plug was in before we launched. They said yes, but I checked anyway. The plug was not in the boat. Always check yourself. You don't have to say anything, but always take the extra half minute to walk around back of the boat and look. Bob's Tips for Boaters #2 Keep a Spare Plug in the Boat I don't mean always make sure you have a plug. I mean always make sure you KNOW there are **two plugs if you only need one. Always have a spare so if anything silly happens you can always grab the spare. ** My second bass boat was a Baker Custom Tunnel with two tunnels full length of the hull. It required three (3) bilge plugs. Bob's Tips for Boaters #3 Create a Mental Check List Create a mental check list for: Before you drive away every time. * Bow strap. * Break away secondary * Hitch is latched. * Safety chains. * Electrical Plug. * Tie downs secure. * Motor support secure. Before you back the boat into the water every time. * Plug or plugs in. * Tie downs removed. * Keys in boat. * Bow strap disconnected and safety removed. * Somebody in the boat or safety rope attached. Go down your check list every time. Always check even if somebody is helping. Look for yourself. | Bob's Tips For Tournament Directors #1 Don't Argue With Potential Anglers No matter what you say if you aren't saying what they want to hear you will not win the argument. They don't like a rule. They don't like the format. They don't like the date or time. They don't like you. They don't like one of your sponsors. It doesn't matter. You might think you can argue with them or persuade them, but even if you win the argument you will lose when they do not show up on Saturday. Instead just thank them for their point of view and tell them you will consider what they have to say for next year. Then think about it. Even if its for just two seconds to tell yourself they have a stupid point. Don't lie to them. Don't argue with them. Just thank them and end the conversation as quickly as its polite to do so. Spend your time on something more productive. Bob's Tips For Tournament Directors #2 APPRECIATE Your Sponsors If somebody donates something whether cash or prizes try to give them the same recognition as any other sponsor. Publicly thank them. Mention their business name if they own one. Put their business name on a sponsor banner if you have one. If you have specific sponsorship levels make sure the sponsor knows what they get for their level of sponsorship and make sure you live up to it. Never belittle a sponsor or diminish them directly or indirectly if you can help it. If you can't support a sponsor then do not accept their donation or sponsorship at all. This really is good advice for any event coordinator. Not just tournament directors. Bob's Tips For Tournament Directors #3 Promote Where You Can I see what I perceive to be this attitude sometimes, "Well if they want to know about it they can come see me, or they can visit OUR website." I know it takes a little time, but you really should promote your tournament on forums that allow it. You should put fliers in stores and businesses that will let you. Every one of them. People who aren't a member of your club or one of your fishing buddies or who do not shop in the same local tackle store you do may never hear about it. If you do promote on various forums and social media check back in before your next event and answer any questions people may have asked. Leave your contact info, but understand that some folks will just ask a question in a reply wherever they saw your info. Don't forget about community cable channels that promote local events., often at no charge. Maybe your local newspaper has an outdoor column or a community events section where you can get your information added. |