The ice was all gone,and we had a day that reached nearly 70°. It seemed like it was going to be a great day. I hadjust picked my boat up from the repair shop. I took her home to get ready for the 2022 season. Restocking the boat isalways an exciting time for me. It’s fun reorganizing tackle boxes. I’m sure each of you have had similar experiences.You clean them out. You sort and combine all of the lures that went array last season. And don’t forget, you have allof those new lures and equipment that you purchased over thewinter and have to get stuffed into those same oldboxes. You think maybe it’s time for an 11th tackle box on the boat! You make sure all of the equipment works. Yourfish finders, trolling motors etc… You throw a set of muffs on the engine and give thata crank and it fires right up foryou(For the non-boat owners, it’s a lot louder out of the water since the exhaust sounds are not muffled out like they arewhen you’re in the water) it’s pretty exhilarating actually! So back to the 70°-degree day. The boat is all dialed in andyou get to the boat ramp hoping that you’ve checked everything thoroughly and also don’t forget to put in the drainplug.So,you’re in the water now as happy as a newborn calf getting its first milk and you power across the lakeheading towards that favorite fishing spot from last season and you realize that the water clarity is really off. No bigdeal. You stay positive as you start to fish and realize that the recent freezing rains have kept the water temperaturedown. No big deal. Then you realize that you have been out fishing 4 hours and haven’t even felt a fish strike yet.Nobig deal. Then just about the time that you make the decision to head back into shore it happens!! You are fishingin 18 inches of water casting out a spinnerbait and hook up on a 3-pound bass! The 2022 fishing season hasbegun….AND THAT’S A BIG DEAL!!!
