BlogCast #2: Prefish Puzzle - Jamie Stevenson
This week's angler spends a lot of hours on the water hunting down a wide variety of species. She is always looking for the next bite and she's ready to put in the work. Known by many as Northern Kayak Angler, she's passionate about Kayak fishing and a great ambassador for the sport.

Jamie Stevenson - Port Lambton, Ontario
Kayak FIshing for 5 years
Sponsors: Fogh Marine Hobie Fishing Team, Mig Sig Outdoors, Team Tightline Anchor
Pre-fishing is a fickle beast and I’ve had various results from the amount of effort I put in. Pre-fishing is very useful to get a feel for the lay of the lake but to be successful pre-fishing, you need to have a plan, and then five more plans for anything that is thrown your way. Some of the best events I’ve fished, I put the least amount of effort into them. I use the term “effort” loosely; there is pre-fishing hard and then there’s pre-fishing efficiently. While I’m still learning the ins and outs, I spend a lot of time reflecting on my past experiences to figure out the right course.
I don’t think you need to pre-fish to perform well in an event. For some anglers, a lot of lakes, especially in a home region will fish the same. They have the experience to recognize what areas will hold fish and where they can target fish during the different times of the year. Sometimes studying maps ahead of time might be enough for an experienced angler. I require a lot more time scoping out a lake because I’m still learning. The more time I spend pedaling around and investigating new lakes, the more I learn about fish behavior and how they relate to structure.
The first thing I do before a tournament is map study. I look for areas on a lake where I think I can locate fish and areas that will compliment my skill set. I mark points of interest on my Lowrance unit as well as boat launches. Before I arrive, I already have a plan in mind of where to start exploring the lake and GPS waypoints. Arrive at the lake early and map out all of the potential boat launches. Then, mark them all on your GPS and phone in case you need a backup plan or there’s an emergency. Don’t let others' assessment of the lake and what’s working for them affect your mindset. Stick with what you know and what you feel confident in.
Don’t get discouraged if pre-fishing isn’t going well, so much can change on tournament day, including the weather. If pre-fish didn’t go as well as expected, keep moving around the lake until you stumble upon something that works. Plan for the weather and wind. Make sure you have a plan in mind where you can shelter from the wind or thunderstorms and still be successful. Don’t wear yourself out. I’ve had events where I wore myself out pre-fishing instead of resting. More often than not I have done better in tournaments where I didn’t dedicate large amounts of time to pre-fishing. Some of that might have to do with my tendency to overthink a situation and second guess myself. If you pre-fish during the week, don’t forget to account for the weekend leisure boat traffic. When you don’t know a lake very well you might choose an area that is too busy with boat traffic on the weekend.
In my last tournament on the Tri-Lakes with OKBT I spent a few days pre-fishing but I couldn’t locate any fish of decent size. The weather was changing every day making it difficult to decide where to launch. Before the event, I launched out of four different launches keeping my eye on the weather forecast. I chose a launch where I knew the wind would be manageable and in an area that I knew held fish. Knowing the wind direction, I was able to find a point with a good transition. The wind was blowing into the point and was holding decent fish. My goal after pre-fish that week was to keep moving until I found an area that was setting up to hold fish. I will never forget this event because I learned so much and was my most successful pre-fish/tournament on a lake I’ve never been on.
During pre-fish I choose baits that I can cover water with and baits I am confident in. I love throwing a jerkbait in weedy areas with pockets to see if I can locate fish. I’ll throw a drop-shot or ned rig in almost any situation. Sometimes I just pedal around the lake and observe what’s going on, scanning the water for signs of baitfish or structure that fish will relate to.
Tournament fishing for me personally, is about challenging myself more than it is about being competitive or winning. I have learned so much from fishing lakes I would have never otherwise visited. If you don’t maintain a positive mindset before and after the event you’re forgetting, it’s just fishing! Have fun and experience new things. No matter how well you do, you’ll be a better angler in the end.