The guys I know that fish tournaments may longline most of the year but usually tightline the tournaments. Tournaments aint about how many you can catch but catching the right 7 fish...so I'm told. From what I understand those 7 fish are sought after at strategic locations and downlines can present the baits at exact depths. Although that being said, I have heard of some tournaments being won from longliners. Guess it mostly depends on the water conditions along with the time of the year (pre-spawn and spawn) as to which is the best method for any tournament.