Sure, it'd be nice to have entry fees paid, a big sleek boat to fish in and tackle supplied by sponsors, but kingfish don't really care what kind of boat you're in, and as far as I can tell they don't know if you have sponsors. Besides, when you bust up the costs between three or four others it's not that big a deal compared to what you could win. Surround yourself with a dependable crew while tournament fishing. Seldom will you get a second chance to land a 40-plus pound kingfish in a day. Better be ready when it comes along.
Nothing matters more than the gathering and condition of bait.
It has never made much sense to crowd my livewell with 2-inch whitebait while Hog huntin'. Yeah, it has happened, but I'd rather take my chances trolling something a foot long. I'll cage bait sometimes but don't like to. Other than bluerunners and cigar minnows, most don't stay very healthy. The only bait better than one caught the morning of the tournament is one caught while you're out there fishing.