| Across the country, you'll find several catfish | | | | time, you want to be sure to know where many |
| tournaments throughout the year. Fishing in | | | | of these creeks and feeders are because, often, |
| general tends to evoke a competitive spirit in | | | | catfish are more readily found here than in main |
| anglers, but something about catfish just brings | | | | areas of a lake or river. You also need to know |
| out the real beast. There are ways that most | | | | about structures in the water that can damage |
| fishermen go about getting ready for a catfish | | | | your boat, like the many trail and wing dikes in |
| tournament, and there are several tips that can | | | | the Mississippi River. Know where the high mud |
| come in handy when you're getting ready to join | | | | banks, brush piles, and other structures are - |
| in your first. | | | | these are always great locations to find catfish |
| First of all, under normal circumstances, you will | | | | trying to feed. |
| probably settle for whatever bait is available at | | | | Another thing you should do to prepare for |
| the time and work with it. However, for catfish | | | | catfish tournaments is to get used to being |
| tournaments, where you'll be competing for the | | | | around a lot of other boats. You certainly won't |
| most and largest fish, you'll want to seek out the | | | | be navigating an open waterway alone during |
| bait with which you usually get the best results. | | | | these competitions, so you need to brush up on |
| Depending on the type of catfish you are aiming | | | | your boat safety and check out the rules |
| for, this could be night crawlers, crawfish, chicken | | | | requiring that you maintain a certain distance from |
| livers, or some other bait that you have found | | | | other fishermen in the tournament. Prepare |
| incredible success with in the past. | | | | yourself - know what to expect from the |
| Secondly, you want to be familiar with the waters | | | | weather. |
| in which the catfish tournament is taking place. | | | | Catfish tournaments will go on regardless of the |
| Most tournaments will not be at your home lake | | | | weather, whether it is pouring rain or the heat |
| or river, and scouting out the tournament location | | | | index is pushing 115. Therefore, it is important to |
| can give you an upper hand. Also, some lakes and | | | | be prepared for all types of weather. Make |
| rivers have so many offshoots and side pools | | | | certain that you have proper shelter and plenty |
| that it's easy to get lost in them, making it difficult | | | | of liquids to drink. Protective gear, such as hats, |
| to get back on time for judging. At the same | | | | and sunblock is also a good idea. |