Most tournament pros will agree that thorough preparation is a big key to being successful on a consistent basis. There is much more to being successful on the professional tournament trail than merely finding and catching a few bass from time to time.

You must be consistent to excell in this business. And in order to do that, you’ve got to do your homework – lots of it.

When I’m preparing for a tournament, especially one scheduled to be held on a strange lake, I’ll actually begin readying myself for the event long before I ever hook up my boat.

Depending on the situation, I may do this by studying lake maps, reviewing seasonal patterns or flying over the impoundment to depict areas I believe will be most productive once tournament times rolls around. At times I may even do all three.

Perhaps the best starting point in tournament preparation is to obtain a good topographical map of the lake and review it thoroughly so you can learn as much as possible about the geographics of the impoundment before you get there.

What you’ll want to look for are fish-holding structures such as rivers, creeks, points, ridges and humps. Pinpointing some good landmarks also can be helpful down the road.

Another good way to get a grip on what to expect from a strange lake is to research old magazine or newspaper articles about the lake.

Scrimp for every tidbit of information you can get, but focus the most attention on timely pieces including valuable data about how and where the biggest stringers of bass typically are caught at the time of year you’ll be fishing the impoundment.

Such information also can tell you what to expect in terms of water levels, water temperatures, varying water clarities, available forage and cover.

The next thing I do when preparing for a tournament involves chartering a local flight instructor or pilot to fly me and a partner over the lake. Through experience I’ve found that I can eliminate a tremendous amount of water from the air in only an hour or so, which in turn cuts way back on the valuable time I have to spend running during practice.

From the air you can see in plain view the various types of available cover as well as breaklines in the grass (if it is available). You also depict areas of the lake that are clear, muddy or slightly stained.

Granted, hiring a pilot can run up your expenses in a hurry, especially if you go at it alone instead of sharing the cost with a partner. But it is worth every penny when there is big money on the line.

Another way you can gain information about a lake is by simply communicating with people. Personally, I’ve never been one to solicit fishing tips, but some do it quite frequently.

Use good judgement if you take this route. Time and again I’ve seen good anglers place so much confidence in the advice of second-rate guides that they wind up spending valuable time looking for bass that aren’t there or trying harum-scarum techniques that are virtually useless.

If someone offers you information, listen to it, but don’t bank on it being the key the fame and fortune. If you are a good tournament angler, chances are good you’ll be much better off fishing the way you know how.

Ask 10 of the top anglers on today’s professional fishing circuits what it takes to get in the money consistently and I’ll guarantee the majority will rate “preparation” high on the totem pole. In this business, the competition begins long before the first cast is made.