The Garmin Luremasters Trophy 2023 is every year one of the most challenging predator fishing tournaments in the Netherlands. Big waters, changing conditions and a strong field of competitors make this a real test of technique, strategy and perseverance.

In this video you follow Team JAROCELLS during the final tournament of the 2023 season, with the goal: fish a full card and upgrade as much big fish as possible.

Strategy for the Garmin Luremasters Trophy

During the Luremasters, everything revolves around balance:

• catching different fish species
• filling a complete card
• and then specifically upgrading with bigger fish

Our strategy at the start was clear:

• start on the Haringvliet
• fill the card with multiple species
• then focus on bigger fish on the Volkerak and Hollands Diep

As in every tournament, it quickly became clear: plans are one thing… execution is another.

Day 1: a tough start on the Haringvliet

The first day started on the Haringvliet, but immediately under difficult conditions.

• spots already taken on arrival
• limited time on the best zones
• fish that weren’t easily active

Still, a first strong fish came quickly: a 47 cm perch — an important “keeper” for the standings.

Shortly after, a second fish followed, but then it went quiet. As is often the case on big water, you have to switch things up. In the afternoon we switched to other techniques, including trolling, which produced a few pike to fill out the card.

Not ideal, but in tournaments every point counts.

Day 2: Hollands Diep and focus on zander

On day two, the action moved to the Hollands Diep.

The focus:

• fill the zander card
• possibly upgrade with bigger fish

What stood out on this day was how well a finesse approach worked:

• fishing on a Ned rig
• smaller lures = more action

Perch let us down, but:

• the zander card was fully filled
• pike were caught and upgraded

That put the team in a good position heading into the final day, with one clear mission left.

Day 3: everything on perch on the Volkerak

The final tournament day took place on the Volkerak — a water known for its potential for big perch.

Goal:

• catch 3 perch to complete the card
• then focus on upgrades

The pressure was high:

• last chance
• all or nothing
• limited time

As is often the case in tournaments like this, everything comes together in those final hours: tension, quick decisions, and hoping for that one big fish.

Tournament fishing on big water: what we learned

The Garmin Luremasters Trophy once again confirms how complex predator fishing tournaments on big water are.

Key insights:

• flexibility is crucial
• spot selection can make or break your day
• finesse techniques remain extremely strong when fish are tough
• smaller fish fill the card, big fish determine your ranking

Logistics also play a role. During this tournament we stayed at the Volkerak through Anyware Fishing, which made it possible to switch quickly between waters and fish efficiently.

Watch the full tournament video

Want to follow this three-day tournament in full, including strategy, decisions and action on the water?

Predator fishing tournaments as a learning school

Tournament fishing like the Garmin Luremasters Trophy isn’t just competition — it’s also a huge learning experience.

You learn to:

• make decisions faster
• recognise patterns under pressure
• fish more efficiently
• and handle difficult conditions better

We carry that experience into every fishing day, video and sonar training we do.

Want to get started with tournament-worthy gear yourself?

During tournaments like this, you really notice how important reliable gear is. Think of:

• sonar and LiveScope systems
• rods for finesse and power fishing
• lures suited to conditions
• accessories that allow quick switching

Check out our range in the webshop and fish with the same setup we use at tournament level.