Tournament
Strategies to Improve Your Panfish Game
By: Garett Svir
Competition drives anglers to fish
at the top of their game. Human beings are competitive by nature and when
anglers compete, great ideas are born. Tournament anglers learn how to manage
inefficiencies. They find fish that other anglers overlook. They learn how to
catch discerning fish, and not just accept that they are not biting. In a
winter panfish tournament, success is measured by ounces rather than pounds.
Missing a single bluegill could be the difference between cashing a check or
leaving empty handed. Even if you don’t want to approach your next ice outing
like its tournament day, the techniques that are developed in the heat of
battle can help all of us have more fun on the ice this winter. Here are some
tournament winning strategies that will make you more successful on the hard
water this winter.
Schooley Reels-
Michael Thompson, from the USA Ice Fishing Team, has been using Schooley Reels
since the 1980’s. He likes the fact that these reels do not twist line. The
twists that are caused from line being spun around a fixed spool can be a
panfish deterrent. Picky panfish want a jig that will rock and kick seductively
but not spin. Schooley Reels have a plastic spool that revolves on a pin and
wraps line on straight without twisting it. They are also extremely light
weight and comfortable to jig with. The cost effectiveness of the Schooley
allows an angler to rig multiple rods and switch presentations quickly.
Mormyshka Jigs-
These jigs have been a guarded secret among tournament pros for a long time. Instead
of having an eye where line is tied on, these jigs have a hole that runs
through the center. The line is then snelled around the hook at the base of the
jig. This imparts an action that is irresistible to bluegills. These jigs also
stay horizontal and eliminate the need to reposition your knot after every
fish.
Tricked out Buckets-
Michael Thompson’s fishing bucket is not something you will find in a sporting
goods store. It is rigged up with a Ram mounted Vexilar. The flasher is mounted
in an ergonomic position that allows him to see how fish are reacting to his
presentation and watch his line for bites in the same field of vision. Looking
back and forth between line and electronics could cost an angler that
tournament winning bite. A clip on the bottom of the bucket holds excess
transducer cable in place for ease of moving between holes. This is taking
efficiency to an entirely new level. He can walk up, set his bucket next to the
hole and begin fishing right away with no set-up required. According to
Thompson, you are not catching fish when your jig is not in the water so a
tournament angler must learn to limit down time.
Michigan Rigs-
This season, I have become obsessed with Michigan rigs. It’s really nothing
more than a drop shot rig for ice fishing. I start out by attaching a piece of
leader material to my line with a blood knot. This leaves me with two tag ends.
I pick the straighter of the two ends and attach a fly. The other end is then
trimmed off and discarded. On the bottom of the leader I attach a split shot.
Where it’s legal to use two hooks, a small horizontal jig like the Genz Bug can also be very effective. I’ve been using a #14 soft
hackle from Jeff’s Jigs and Flies. com with great success. The slightest shake
of the rod handle will bring these flies to life and allow them to swim
perfectly in a horizontal manner.
Shallow Cover- I have had some of my best day’s
bluegill fishing in less than 7 feet of water. Predator fish, along with heavy
fishing pressure, will often push the biggest bluegills into heavy cover. The
key is to find small open areas near green healthy weeds. An underwater camera
allows an angler to search out these openings and judge the quality of the
weeds. I have also noticed that bluegills will often use specific “highways” to
navigate through cover. I’ve had days where we hooked fish all day in a highway
through heavy cover while anglers 10 feet away never seen a fish. Finding these
pathways is not magic. It comes down to lots of drilling and camera work.
Speed Fishing- Tournament anglers’ fish fast. Fishing
with a partner allows one angler to drill and the other to scope things out
with the flasher. If no fish are present, the transducer is swung in the hole
like a pendulum in all directions. If any suspended lines are seen this will
give you an idea which direction to drill. The goal is to cover as much water
as possible and connect with aggressive fish. Tungsten jigs fish fast and allow
anglers to punch through slush without wasting time slush scooping holes.
Consider fishing a tournament this winter. Competing with
other anglers will get you thinking like an innovator and will improve your
panfish game. Just make sure to share some of those great concepts with me.
