The big bass, big stage, and big dreams of Bassmaster and other national tournament trails provide a pathway for anyone with ambition to compete at the highest levels of tournament fishing. That’s the pinnacle of bass fishing, but the culture of bass fishing tournaments is perhaps best represented at a weeknight jackpot with a few dozen anglers talking fishing in a half empty boat ramp parking lot, eager for a couple hours on the water after work.
Depending on what part of the country you live they may be called fruit jars, wildcats, week-nighters, jackpots, derbies, or opens, but regardless of the region this community of anglers looks and feels about the same. BassmastHER ambassador Maggie Jo Carsello will be the first to tell you, there is something special about weeknight derbies and local tournaments.
“Small, local tournaments are my favorites because they are almost always lighthearted and fun,” Carsello said. “You don’t have to have a $80,000 bass boat with all the latest gadgets for this kind of fishing, any old Jon boat or bass boat with an operational livewell will get the job done. Everyone gets to know each other, and it really does become a tight-knit community.”
Juggling a fulltime job, content production for her burgeoning social media, and her role as a BassmastHER representative keeps Maggie Jo plenty busy; but she still fits as many local tournaments into her weekly routine as possible. Her longtime boyfriend Andrew is the tournament director for the Madison Bass Club and Maggie is his right-hand woman.
The two run their Wednesday night tournament trail from 5:00PM to 8:00PM each week, along with select weekend tournaments that span the more traditional timeframe of sunrise until 2:00 or 3:00PM. Maggie and Andrew also squeeze in competing in a Tuesday night league and try for at least one team tournament each weekend.
There is no lack of opportunity and Maggie believes there is no better place for an angler to get their feet wet with fishing competition than at the local level.
“It’s always intimidating to try something new but people who are passionate about fishing want to see the sport grow and are quick to be supportive,” the Team Toyota pro offered. “I started out as one of the only females in our hometown trail but now there are lots of lady anglers competing. These tournaments are welcoming and these days there are more resources to get involved than ever.
“You can find a regional Facebook fishing group to join and ask questions in. You can become part of your local bass club, or your high school and college fishing team if you’re still in school. If you’re struggling to make connections, go to a local weigh-in and don’t be afraid to be a beginner. It’s an easy way to strike up conversation and it’ll help you feel more comfortable.”
Maggie has been obsessed with the outdoors for as long as she can remember and has been fishing local tournaments around her home in Wisconsin for close to decade, but she got her start in tournament fishing through many of the tips she laid out.
“I was introduced to tournament fishing in college at UW Stephens Point,” Carsello said. “I joined the school fishing club and made some great friends. I was convinced to fish a bar-league muskie tournament where I met a super friendly man named Greg who kind of took me under his wing. I was super inexperienced, but he had a young daughter and was gracious with his time.
“He invited me to fish my first bass tournament, the Waupaca Open on the Waupaca Chain O’ Lakes. We didn’t win the tournament or anything, but we had such a good time! That experience opened my eyes to bass tournaments, which has gone on to become a huge part of my life.”
The community feel and low-stress nature of local bass tournaments is what lured Maggie in and remains her favorite aspect of competing ‘around the house’. These events offer anglers the opportunity to scratch their competitive itch without a cutthroat, “me-first” undertone.
Where you want to beat your peers, but once you’re standing around the scales at the end of the evening, you’re the first to cheer on and congratulate one another. A scene where competitors are quick to lend a hand if mechanical issues arise. You can find these examples at all levels of bass fishing, but the seeds are planted and grown at local tournaments.
“Every week when we show up to host a tournament and fish, I am just reminded of the love I have for fishing,” Carsello beamed. “Whether there are 70 boats or 14 boats doesn’t really matter, it’s just an excuse to chase some fish, have some fun and spend time together.”
The low-cost, low-stress, and welcoming nature of local tournament trails is why so many people start their competitive fishing journey here. Some aspire to compete at higher levels, and they may move to bigger stages, while others may fish the same tournament trails their entire lives.
That’s the beauty of fishing. It’s a recreational hobby that can be whatever you want it to be. For some, an hour of fishing may be best spent kicked back in a lawn chair on a shady bank, watching a bobber with a worm wiggling a few feet below. Others may need the competition of a smaller-scale tournament to satisfy their fishing desires, and some will not be content until they chase their fishing passions all the way to highest levels of competition.
Strong roots grow tall trees, and the community of local tournaments have grown many of bass fishing’s biggest names. Regardless of where you want to end up with your fishing pursuits, these local events are a great place to start.
