Highlights of 2025

- Attended the SUF Spring retreat and got to meet BLat and the SUF family in person.

- Met Brian Barde in person and began a friendship fishing in the Northeast Division BFL ( thank you BLat!)

- Finished 38th overall in my very first year participating as co- angler in BFL

- Won my first ever club tournament on the Potomac River. Barde was my boater as he came down to fish with me.

- I got to fish in 6 different bodies of water that I had never fished.

- Broke my PB for Smallmouth Bass at 5.7 lbs

- Developed skill in Lake breakdowns and saw success. ( Thank you BLat)

- Becoming a next level specialist, more confident, more intentional and more calm to my fishing tournaments.

- Caught the largest bass of the Club Classic tournament at the end of the year at 4.8 lbs and won $220.

- Thankful for the support of the SUF family and the experience being provided.

Gotta see the last picture….

BLat- Happy Birthday!!!!!

Look who I found today….. Brian Barde came into my area for work related business and we were able to enjoy a dinner together. It was great catching up with him in person and talking about our trials and tribulations in tournament fishing. Got me excited to fish with him again in 2026. The 2026 Spring SUF retreat is not that far away 😀😀😀.

Tried a new technique today with the Damiki Vault blade bait in 20 feet of water. Caught one but I think I learned something. Looking forward to trying it again.

Happy Thanksgiving SUF Family!

Oops , I did it again! 5 more youncers on a red crankbait in November (what!!) Fished the rocks in 10 feet with 51 degree water temperature.

Got 5 Youncers on moving baits today in 53 degree water temps. Crankbaits and spinnerbaits on rocky bluffs. Bulk up your spinnerbaits in cold water.

Happy Veterans Day SUF family. I thank all that are currently and have served in the Armed Forces for our country. 🙏 Thank you!

This weekend was our last club tournament of the year. Today, I caught my largest bag of the year at 15lbs and 10oz. Yesterday, I caught no bass!

In the past, I would have been so dejected and probably would not show up the next day.

This year has been a huge confidence building season for me with realistic expectations. Some days, it ain’t happening! Sure, sometimes we could be more prepared and other times it’s just nature.

Yesterday, I found the good grass, good tide, good water clarity, birds diving after the bait. Caught stripers, catfish and white bass. No LMB!

Came back the next day, full of confidence gained this year through B.Lat’s angler development program. I completely changed my strategy and went to area that is conducive with my specialist skills. I went up the Occoquan River to bounce a crankbait off the rocks and boulders.

I am so thankful to have the wisdom to listen to B.Lat, support of the SUF family and blessed to have developed a friendship with my BFL partner, Brian Barde.

This is the actual text Barde sent to me on the day of the tournament.

“ Good luck have fun and get in the zone. You have everything you need to win it just let the ecosystem tell you how to do it.”

Barde also came down to the Potomac River BFL a day early this summer to be my boater for a club tournament. He was there when I won my first club tournament ever. Boom!

Trust the system. Crawl, walk and run. There are no shortcuts.

Did a Club Tournament at Smith Mountain Lake in Southwest Virginia. Never been there before so fished two days and then the tournament. Found enough fish to finish 3rd with 5 fish for 11.8 pounds. Bait fish were everywhere so it was tough to get’em to bite an artificial lure.

Caught them in open water below bait balls on a soft swimbait ( Sexy Shad colored), Crankbait ( Sexy Shad) and a 6 inch spoon ( sexy Shad). Notice a theme?

Did some map research and found some rocky bluffs in 20+ feet of stained water. Didn’t let the light rain and 20 mph winds keep me away. Threw a shad colored rock crawler along the rocky bluff 10-12 feet deep in 71 degree water. Rewarded with a 4 pounder and two 3 pounders in less than 3 hours of fishing. Make it simple just listen to B.Lat!!