My Biggest Lesson from 2025: The Mental Game is Everything

As I wrap up my 2025 season AOY standings (3rd place Greylock Bass w/ two lunker smallmouth, BFL Regional qualifier), I wanted to share the most important thing I learned this year. It wasn't about technique, electronics, or bait selection.

It was about the mental game.

My best tournament days weren't when I had the most practice, the best plan, or even the most confidence in the water. My best days came when I got into what I call "The Zone" - I understand this better now and I think understanding this can help all of us fish better.

WHAT "THE ZONE" LOOKS LIKE FOR ME

My two club 2nd-place finishes at Lake George and Lake Champlain (both with good bags and lunker smallmouth) happened when:

• I fished alone or was mentally alone

• I had one AirPod in listening to Jimmy Buffett or fun, relaxed music

• I told myself: "I'm going to have fun today and go catch fish"

• I had realistic or low expectations - just have fun, catch fish and learn

• I was relaxed and present in the moment

On those days, I felt almost zen-like. I could "feel" the ecosystem. Decisions flowed naturally without overthinking. I trusted my skills and preparation. I was confident but not pressured. It felt like my subconcious was making the decisions.

Here's the crazy part: At Lake Champlain, I didn't even practice because my boat was being repaired. Thanks again Falcon of Newberry, SC!!!! Tim D. is awesome!!! I just showed up, fished my pattern, and had fun. 2nd place with a smallmouth lunker.

THE SELF-TALK THAT WORKS

When I'm in the zone, my self-talk sounds like this:

✅ "I'm going to have fun today and go catch fish"
✅ "I know I can catch fish, I just don't know if they'll be the big ones"
✅ "You know you can fish and you have the competence, just find the fish"
✅ "Let the fish show themselves, feel where they are"
✅ "Like Star Wars - the force flows through you" (trust the feeling)
✅ "Have fun, sing, and know you can fish"
✅ "Let the winner be decided at the scale" - take the pressure of the soze of the bag off you just focus on the next fish.

This self-talk keeps me relaxed, confident, and present.

THE SELF-TALK THAT DESTROYS MY FISHING

When I struggled this year (especially at new BFL waters), my self-talk sounded like:

❌ "Why do people do this?"
❌ "Maybe I won't do them again"
❌ "Just get through the day"
❌ Questioning my competence or if I belong - "Do I even know how to do this?"
❌ Worrying if my co-angler thinks I'm incompetent or if they are  having a good day fishing
❌ Comparing myself to others negatively

This self-talk took me OUT of my zone. It made me overthink. It made me doubt. It made me fish scared instead of fishing confident and relaxing. There was 0 in the zone flow.

WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT PRESSURE

Negative pressure sources that hurt my fishing:

1. Co-angler expectations - Feeling like I need to be their guide instead of fishing MY tournament

2. Self-imposed standards - "I'm AOY, I should perform" or "I'm sponsored, I have to be good"

3. Comparing myself to the field - "100 other boats know what they're doing"

Here's the truth: My best fishing happened when I stopped worrying about everyone else and just fished MY way.

When Tom Levictoire took me out boater-on-boater at Champlain BFL (my boat was broken), he fished simple - jigs on docks and weedy structure. Very similar to how I fish. It gave me a HUGE confidence boost to see someone successful fish like me. He wasn't trying to fish like anyone else. He was fishing HIS way with conviction.

That's when it clicked: Trust your style. Fish with conviction. Let the winner be decided at the scale.

Brian Latimer ,

With the in person 2025 tounament season is wrapped up, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you!!😃

This year was a massive learning experience. I fished the full BFL Northeast Division, qualified for and fished the James River Regional, and finished 18th in Northeast BFL AOY standings, 3rd in AOY in my local Greylock Bass Club. Those results felt great, but honestly, the real win was all the learning to understand what it actually takes to compete at this level - it is a lot to just make your first cast - your guidance through SUF School has been critical in my growth as an angler.

Since joining the school a few years ago, you've helped me develop as an angler in ways I didn't expect. Your approach to the mental side of fishing is critical, staying confident in my own style, and trusting my instincts has increased my success on the water. You asked me a few years ago "What are you confident in?" I could not really answer that back then. Now I can. Now I found I can fish like myself, not like everyone else. Chasing my fish not everyone elses was transformational in my growth as an angler. Thanks!

Being selected for the 2025 SUF School Sponsored Angler Development Program was an absolute honor!!! That sponsorship made it possible to compete at the BFL level and represent you and the school at tournaments across the Northeast - something I'm genuinely grateful for and it pushed me to require more from myself, learn and apply as much as I can and somewhat ignore some of the noise that is not for me. I bought and awesome Falcon from the best boat manufacturer and best owners.

This season taught me a lot about competitive fishing: the time commitment, the mental game, the grind of adapting to new waters and the highway driving and more driving... I proved to myself I belong at this level. Now I'm thoughtfully evaluating what 2026 looks like, but whatever path I choose, I'm so very grateful for the foundation you've helped me build and the help that you provide to so many other anglers on their journey and this community. 

Thank you for believing in me and for creating a community that genuinely helps anglers grow as fisherman and people. 

I appreciate you, Brian Latimer