Only takes one bite to be your first bass of 2023 - but I played it safe and got 2 ? from the only pond that was about 85% ice free. Everything else I saw was still locked up.

 

 

Just went out for an hour or two as I wanted to start a new tradition in line with this thread.

 

Caught two and enjoyed the beautiful hot blue bird day.  

 

Happy New Year fellow Bass heads, and to those who have to wait up north, the first fish will only be that much sweeter.

First 2023 bass.  Jan 1 2023 at ~9:15 EST.   

 

Unexpectedly got to fish today, rock pit was as crowded as it’s ever been (not with fishermen, just New Year’s Day I guess). Took me forever to get a spot 

First fishes of 2023.

 

 

caught on a  UV Speed worm. 

First salamander of 2023 ?

First fish on the first cast of 2023 at my pond today. Nice solid 7............ inch. Fought like a 9 inch.

Started a similar post on the Smallmouth Forum. Wished I had seen yours first so as not to doubledown.

On 1/2/2023 at 9:52 AM, N Florida Mike said:

caught on a  UV Speed worm. 

Of Course you did!!

?

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

On 1/1/2023 at 4:58 PM, Woody B said:

First 2023 bass.  Jan 1 2023 at ~9:15 EST.   

 

Real nice Spot. I'm green with envy! That one could has eaten all the Spots I caught the past couple days!

First fish of the year 18.5 inch smallmouth caught on a ned rig on Lake Cumberland also caught two more.

Nothin to crow about but we got out and caught fish all day.  This jus happened to be the first.??. Leaving for Florida and Headwaters Lake at the end of the month and hope to catch some ditch melons.

way too rainy for fishing just yet.  first clear stretch of weather an I will try to have something to contribute to this awesome thread.  I hope it isn't in Feb. or MARCH!!

 

but we are adoring the rain.  

4 hours ago, Les Williams said:

First fish of the year 18.5 inch smallmouth caught on a ned rig on Lake Cumberland also caught two more.

Welcome Les!

Send that one on down the river to Nashville so I can catchem'!

First,and second of the year.  Also got 17 perch, 2 crappie and a pickeral.. not bad for 2 hours in january

 

Got the canoe in late morning and dodged what was left of the broken ice sheets.  Not gonna say fishing was great but got my first January bass ever...

 

scott

 

First fish of 2023, first bass of 2023 and what could possibly be my first ever whitebass/hybrid!!!! Had the chance to go out for a couple hours today and the 3" keitechs killed it! Overall tally was 5/6 crappie, 5 dinks, and 1 whitebass/hyrbid.

Posted up in the Latest Catch Pics Thread already but here’s the first bass of 2023

This was the first of 2023:

 

 

This was the second (and last so far):

 

 

Both on a weightless TR with a Neko Macho in General’s Melon on a Gamakatsu 3/0 EWG.