“The key was fishing reeds, isolated patches of reeds,” Crochet said yesterday. “I figured it out about 11 o’clock the first day, but I really hadn’t totally committed to it. Then Friday I had another good bag, and I sold out to it, concentrating on that. (Saturday) with the water up, the fish pulled up on cypress trees, and I caught a couple of good ones on cypress trees. I hope Mr. TVA pumps two feet of water into this lake.”
That’s not going to happen, but Crochet is making the most of a day that he didn’t think he’d be fishing at the close of Saturday’s weigh-in. The potential rules violation and appeals process concerning Luke Clausen put 13th place Crochet into today’s finale, making it a baker’s dozen instead of the usual top 12.
And Crochet is making the most of it. BASSTrakk currently has him in seventh place with 12-4 today. So he’s continuing his four-day climb in the standings from 64th place on Day 1 with 11-2, to 46th place on Day 2 with 13-13 to 13th place yesterday with 18-1.