Onward and Upward: Reflections on a Fast-Paced Fishing Tournament Weekend
Onward and Upward: Reflections on a Fast-Paced Fishing Tournament Weekend
In the world of competitive fishing, time is often the greatest challenge. With only 24 hours to prepare for our most recent tournament, Emily and I faced a whirlwind of logistics and strategic decisions. Instead of spending our time pre-fishing and learning where the bite was we had to spend our time gathering tackle, spooling reels, bait fishing and putting together a team.
We competed on Invincible’s new demo boat, the 43 Open Fisherman, based out of Miami with Captain Trey Claus at the helm, Emily and I on the rods and Dylan Wheeler and Ryan Kocourek on the kites. On day one, we left the dock before the sun rose in search of good water and tailing fish. At 8am it was lines in and we set up near the Fowey Lighthouse. After about an hour of next to no action we had to adapt and change plans. We made the decision to navigate 100 miles North to Palm Beach in search of better prospects.
Despite the initial setback, our efforts were not in vain. We reeled in a total of 6 sails, which was just enough to keep us on the board and get Amanda in the running for Top Lady Angler. However, our day was far from over. With fuel reserves low, we made a pit stop at Sailfish Marina before embarking on the long journey back to Miami where we cleaned the boat with our GTechniq Marine products, dipped baits and prepared for another early morning.
On day two we woke up at 3:45am in order to have enough time to get some fresh baits and make the 100 mile run back to Palm Beach before another 8am lines in. This time, our efforts were met with greater success. By day's end, we had reeled in a total of 7 fish, which was enough to move Team Invincible x Gale Force from a top 9 position to a top 8 overall position and Amanda was able to take home 2nd Place Lady Angler!
With our first tournament under our belts, our team can take a deep breath. We accomplished a great amount in such a short amount of time and now we can focus on our next competition, the Jimmy Johnson, Quest for the Ring. This time, however, we are thankful to know we will have the time to bait fish, pre-fish and go into the tournament feeling rested and determined.
As we look back on our whirlwind weekend of fishing and competition, one thing is clear: the journey is as rewarding as the destination. With our eyes set firmly on the future, we eagerly await the challenges that lie ahead, knowing that whatever the outcome, we will face it together as a team.
Acknowledgements: None of our accomplishments would have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors, GTechniq Marine and Invincible Boats. Their belief in our team has been a driving force behind our success, and for that, we are grateful.
