Any angler that has been in a fishing tournament knows that the difference between coming in first or second place can be a razor thin line. Everyone is trying to find the little details that will give them that slight edge up in the ranking order. This is especially true in larger events with bigger prize pools and even bigger names competing against you for the win.

That is why we have outlined five steps you need to take to get your bass boat tournament ready. Missing these crucial steps can put you at a major disadvantage, especially when competing against other professional anglers. By being prepped and prepared, you will have a significant competitive advantage.

Check your Power and Electronics

One of the first things you can do to make your bass boat tournament ready is checking the power and electronics. First, verify that the trolling motor batteries are between 13 and 14 volts and that the cranking batteries are at minimum 12.2 volts. Additionally, you should confirm the lithium precision sonar batteries on a float charge.

In addition to the batteries, you should check your other electronic equipment. All graph and sonar screens should be wiped down as fingerprints or water spots can make tracking fish much more difficult. 

Lastly, before you jet off, you should do a quick test of the equipment. Making sure that your bilge pump, aerators, and navigation lights are fully functional before you leave the dock are incredibly important for any fishing trip, but are especially crucial when getting set up for a fishing tournament.

Prep your Livewells

When competing in a fishing tournament, it is important to prepare your livewells to properly support fish from the local environment. You can keep livewell water cool by adding frozen water bottles. That way, they can be easily removed if you need the water to begin warming up. 

Depending on what you are catching, adding treatments to the water can help calm fish and preserve their slime coat. A livewell treatment solution can help mellow out your fish, giving you one less thing to worry about when managing the stress of a fishing tournament.

Lastly, implementing a culling system can be a great strategy when competing against other anglers. Using a culling system with numbered clips and foam noodles inside the livewell can help protect the fish.

Ultimately, your livewells should be prepped in a way that will not shock the fish that you are storing. These are some strategies that can help prep your livewells for success.

Organize your Tackle and Rods

Everyone has their own way of sorting their tackle and rods. As long as your utility boxes are streamlined, you are set up for success. One popular way of organizing equipment is using separate utility boxes to store equipment for particular applications. Then, label these containers with a waterproof pen to make sorting through boxes easier. Lastly, make sure to pack a day box with planned and spare lures. The last thing you want is to be missing a piece of equipment and not having something on hand for a quick change. 

Another way to prepare for a fishing tournament is by pre-rigging your rods. Organizing fishing rods into primary and secondary techniques with fresh lines, strong knots, and proven lures make it so you can grab the right gear for the job at a moment’s notice.

Lastly, there is weight management. Storing lighter lures in the front and heavier, soft plastics in the back of your storage compartments not only optimizes your tackle storage, but can even optimize the running performance of your boat.

Be Prepared for Anything

One of the most important things you need to have stored aboard your bass boat is safety equipment. There should be at least one life vest aboard for every passenger that is on the boat. Additionally, your outboard kill switch should be connected to your wrist or throttle.

In addition to your typical boat safety equipment, it is always good to pack equipment that can be useful in certain situations. For example, packing a landing net, measuring tools, a scale with spare batteries, and basic repair tools can be the difference between first and second place. In some circumstances, it may even be beneficial to include spare parts aboard for quick repairs during a fishing tournament.

Pick the Right Boat

The most important step to having your bass boat tournament-ready is to have a bass boat that is designed to win. This goes beyond simply having a boat built for competitive anglers. You need a boat that is built by anglers for anglers, where every detail is carefully considered by those who know what makes a bass boat tournament ready.

Blazer Boats manufactures several bass boats that are ready to roar across the lakes and rivers of America. For those really looking for a competitive edge, the Pro Tour series is an incredible line of boats that are fully customizable to your needs. This way, you can design your bass boat to match your fishing strategy, making navigating the water during the competition second nature. This series of boats includes the 650 Pro Tour and the 625 Pro Tour, two fantastic models that have received accolades from across the marine industry.

For anglers looking for the same great Blazer Boats experience but either want to do the customizations themselves, are happy with the base model options, or are more budget conscious, then the 650 and 625 are perfect choices. 

The 650 is modeled after the 650 Pro Tour with the same specs and dimensions, meaning you are getting the same great Blazer experience. The only difference is the amount of customization. By reducing the manufacturing costs on these models, those savings can be passed onto our anglers so that we can get more people on the water on tournament day. This is also the case with the 625, which is modeled on the 625 Pro Tour.

To learn more about Blazer’s high performance bass fishing boats, check out our full digital catalog of bass boats. Here, all of our models are listed with their specifications, standard features, options, and a complete photo gallery.