Want to talk about night and day differences on new water? 6 years ago at Schroon Lake, I was that guy - new boat, zero plan. Every spot looked "perfect," and I was paralyzed by options until exhaustion forced me to throw a spinnerbait for a couple lucky catches.

Then came BLat's wisdom about "keeping it simple" and doing homework. Club championship day (AOY on the line), I wasn't just prepared - I was confident. Studied the lake like a final exam, eliminated water, and got "in the zone."

Tournament morning: Two fish by 7 AM, limit by 11, hunted a kicker. Result: 15lb 1.6oz bag edged out one of our best by less than a pound for AOY. Real victory was the mental game - executing with confidence.

Thanks BLat - from "deer in headlights" to a winning strategy!

Perseverance and grit are what it takes to be successful. Nice story and it sounds like memories were made.

20-25 mph and I am probably staying home.

Cold does not scare me, but that drive to get there would be a bit long.

Agree. It's a great community, and I look forward to 2025. - "Chosen or not greatful to be here with people that share the same drive and passion about the sport as me. Greatful to meet all you and continuing the learning and getting better each time I go out." - Your building something great Brian Latimer

Love it! Welcome

BLat was talking about rocks warming up/cooling down in this Live. I listened to it again and wanted to dig deeper into this. Here is what I gathered: Think of rocks like a coffee mug that you leave in the sun - they soak up heat and stay warm even after the sun disappears. In the winter, this is like a warm blanket that fish like.

During winter, bass are cold and adapt to their ecosystem - they know where to find warmer water. That's where rocks come in. When the sun hits rocks during the day, they warm up by a few degrees. It might not seem like much to us, but it's like finding a heated pool in the middle of winter to a bass!

Best places to fish rocky areas in winter:

Look for dark-colored rocks - they heat up better than light ones

Focus on south-facing banks because they get the most sun all-day

Fish riprap (those man-made rocky banks) - they're perfect heat collectors

What do you guys think?

Brian LatimerJust keep doing you.

For me, by myself it was a 21 lb tournament mixed bag for the win. It was freaking awesome. I was so "in the zone" - It was this last cull of the day - https://youtu.be/l026uOP6o8I I am cheating and giving three because making memories with my family is what it is really all about to me, it is when I was able to get both of my sons into big carp. One was caught on a very light spinning rod with 6 lb test, we had to chase it down with the boat. He caught it during a fishing derby - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0-3TuIOWJv/ and one more memory made when my dad, my boys and I camped on an island for a weekend fishing trip. It was great fishing and weather was not great but memories were made.

I'm glad you were able to make memories - invest in memories. They are the most important.