TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — A key adjustment early on Saturday, Sept. 21, enabled Okeechobee’s Kyle Monti to stay with his offshore game and finish in the money in Cherokee Casino Tahlequah Bassmaster Elite at Lake Tenkiller.

Special to the Lake Okeechobee News/Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

Kyle Monti, of Okeechobee, was leading after day three of the Cherokee Casino Tahlequah Bassmaster Elite at Lake Tenkiller.

Monte finished fifth in the tournament with 17 fish totaling 46 pounds 8 ounces.

After placing third Thursday with 14-4, Monti slipped to fifth with 23-2 Friday. On Saturday, he added 16-9 — the event’s heaviest catch so far. His Day 3 bag included four largemouth bass and one spotted bass. For two days, Monti fished an offshore sandbar with isolated hard spots and caught his fish on a drop-shot rig. Saturday, he shifted gears and caught most of his bass on a wobblehead jig.

“I caught one right off the bat that clued me in that the fish were still there, but I caught it on a bait that I haven’t caught a fish on all week,” Monti said. “That clued me in on how to catch them without dropping straight down to them with a drop shot.”