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!!

Finished 3rd at Lake Anna for my club tournament today with 5 fish for 10 1/2 pounds. Lake was 75 degrees, 20 mph wind gusts and clouds in the morning. Bass are chasing shad so I used a wake bait above the thick hydrilla grass in the back of coves.

BLat preaching the truth on fall cranking. Caught a few today on my local reservoir. 3.9lbs was the largest one.

Barde doing his best to “ be like Keith Poche”

So Brian Barde came into town to prepare for our next BFL on the Potomac River. He was my boater for my club tournament. The weather was not good as we had a Northeast wind/ rain from the aftermath of a tropical storm. I won the club tournament for my first time ever with 5 fish for 10.6 pounds. Barde finished 6th but he was an excellent boater for me.

Weather is looking better today and for the BFL on Saturday. We are going to go for it.