MLF Format Brings Out the “True” Keith Poche
TULSA, Okla. – Major League Fishing pros on the Bass Pro Tour experience plenty of emotions on the water: happiness, joy, anger and frustration just to name a few. But few anglers wear their emotions on their sleeve when they’re on the water quite like Keith Poche.
“I feel like I’ve always been a guy who gets really excited when he has a good catch,” Poche said. “I wasn’t able to let that side of me out until I came to MLF. The ‘true Keith’ was able to come out when I came here. It really has opened up my personality and I feel like a different person.”
No Stranger to MLF
The Louisiana native came into the Bass Pro Tour very familiar with the MLF format. He started fishing the MLF Selects in 2014, and took to the format immediately, racking up three wins while working his way up to become a full-time Cup angler in 2018.
So while some anglers on tour are still trying to figure out how they can make the format fit their style, Poche feels right at home.
“This format forces me to fish my style of fishing, the type of fishing I’m comfortable with,” Poche explained. “I always know I’m going to figure it out if I just trust myself, have confidence and just go and explore the water. I know without a doubt I’m on an even playing field in this format. It’s mano a mano and it’s just guys out there going at it until it’s over.”
Trusting His Gut and Style
Poche had a difficult start to the season, grabbing a 39th-place finish in his group during Stage One on the Kissimmee Chain. Knowing he needed to make a change, Poche opted to trust his gut instead of his practice when Stage Two rolled around at Lake Conroe.
“When we were in Florida, I tried to fish off of what I learned in practice,” Poche reflected. “I just wasn’t successful. When we came to Conroe, I forgot about practice and just tried to fish with an open mind. When I fish on the fly it really helps me put things together and fish in the moment. I don’t fish because of what I did in the past, I just focus on the here and now.”
Part of that “here-and-now” strategy includes the willingness to junk fish, and to fish fast.
Poche built much of his success on Conroe throwing a Berkley PowerBait General on a shaky head; he used a heavy 7-foot-3 Abu Garcia Fantasista rod and a Revo MGXtreme 8.0:1 reel spooled with 15-pound Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon.
“I prefer that setup because it’s more of a power-finesse set up,” Poche said. “It allows me to pitch around and fish fast. That setup gives me confidence that I’m going to get bites, and most of the time, it happens.”
“True Keith” Emerged on Conroe
Poche’s instincts definitely helped him in Texas, where he locked up a 12th-place finish and was just 2 pounds, 12 ounces short of making into the Championship Round. During his Knockout Round, Poche spent most of his time hopping from boat ramp to boat ramp around the shores of Lake Conroe.
With the time winding down and the camera on him, Poche was able to reel in two scoreable fish in the final 23 minutes of the round, but was unable to make the move above the Elimination Line. He didn’t go home with the finish he wanted, but when he has eyes on him and the pressure is on, that’s when the “true Keith” comes out.
“When that camera is on me I feel like I can perform in the clutch,” Poche explained. “Now, it doesn’t always happen, but when it does I let all of my excitement and personality out. I just can’t hold it in because I love what I do. I love to fish and I just let it rip, man.”
Poche and the rest of the Bass Pro Tour field return to MLF competition on March 26 for Stage Three from Raleigh, North Carolina.