Looking back at the 2022 season, what is one thing you want to brag about?

[Aaron_H]

Title says it. Did you catch a PB? Find success on a new technique? Unlock the secrets of a tricky fishery? Bought a boat?

 

We're all anglers here, feel free to get a little braggy with no shame!

 

For me, one thing I was extremely happy with is that I managed to not skunk the entire year. Got out right at 100 trips this year, and while I didn't always find numbers or size, I never got stuck with the goose egg, either.

 

 

Really hoping I can keep up that streak into 2023, but we'll see how that goes.

[TnRiver46]

Plenty o fishing skunks on my end. I caught 17-18 skunks at my moms house this summer tho . Thatll teach em to interfere with my fishing 

[Dwight Hottle]

New Pb. 
 

[TnRiver46]

28 minutes ago, Dwight Hottle said:

New Pb. 
 

Now see, mine usually stop somewhere around here……. Must be a famine . Yours looks like 2 of them 

[Aaron_H]

31 minutes ago, Dwight Hottle said:

New Pb. 
 

 

 

Behemoth!

[AlabamaSpothunter]

58 minutes ago, Dwight Hottle said:

New Pb. 
 

wow, what did that piggie weigh.....that is one fat and healthy fish!

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Finding Bass fishing again and getting the privilege to catch amazingly beautiful and fascinating apex predators while being on a special lake 25/30 days a month.  

 

 

[Dwight Hottle]

13 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

wow, what did that piggie weigh.....that is one fat and healthy fish!

7-7 3/4

[MN Fisher]

Finishing my project.

[Susky River Rat]

I can’t honestly say I have anything to brag about. I didn’t do anything “wow”. I did stay safe though. To me that’s the most important. 

[T-Billy]

24 muskie in 7 trips Nov 9 to Dec 9.  Muskiepalooza!!! Here's a few of the better ones.

 

 

 

[T-Billy]

22 was also my best year ever for big LM.

 

 

[Susky River Rat]

7 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

24 muskie in 7 trips Nov 9 to Dec 9.  Muskiepalooza!!! Here's a few of the better ones.

 

 

 

Those are some beautiful fall fatties! That catch ratio is also why I ended up at these forums and refuse to fish for musky in my state anymore. 

[T-Billy]

And my best year for saugeye, including my new PB 6-14.

5 minutes ago, Darnold335 said:

Those are some beautiful fall fatties! That catch ratio is also why I ended up at these forums and refuse to fish for musky in my state anymore. 

I've always caught some in the spring and fall while bass fishing, but the Bama rig has been a game changer for me. First time I've ever got on numbers like that, but it's a cold water pattern on main lake structure that will be repeatable year after year. I'm STOKED for iceout.

[Woody B]

I'm not much of a bragger.   I caught a 53 pound flathead.  It wasn't a display of catfish skill, I was bass fishing.  However I managed to land the biggest fish of my life on 12 pound test.   A co worker said my knots must be pretty good too. 

 

My best Largemouth of 2022 was 7 pounds 13 ounces.   Not my PB but I think that's really good for 2022 in the waters I fish.  I haven't heard of any over 8 in any of the Catawba river lakes this year.  

 

Caught my PB Spotted bass.   4 pounds 15 ounces.  (I should have used my mechanical scale, it would have been 5  LOL)  While not huge the state record is only 6 lbs 5 ozs.   

 

I saw a man fall out of his boat into 46 degree water.  He managed to grab the side of his boat but couldn't get back in.  The lady that was with him was panicking.   I went over to his boat, pulled him back in and wrapped him up in a blanket.  He couldn't even talk, I suspect he was in shock.  His wife/girlfriend said she could drive the boat but didn't know the way back to the landing.  I had her follow me to the landing.  We put him in his truck and turned the heater on.   I loaded his boat for them.  I've seen him several times since then.  He said he thinks he would have died had I not been there.  He tried to give me a BIG gift certificate for a local tackle/boat shop but I wouldn't take it.  A few weeks later it arrived in the mail.  I don't know how he got my address.  I thanked him the next time I saw him.    He paid for a big chunk of my Terrova.    I'm an Eagle Scout, and a man of action.  As stated earlier I'm not much for bragging.   I'm glad I was there that day, and proud my actions helped someone.   I hope no one needs help this year, but if they do I'm hope I'm able to help.  

 

[Susky River Rat]

34 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

And my best year for saugeye, including my new PB 6-14.

I've always caught some in the spring and fall while bass fishing, but the Bama rig has been a game changer for me. First time I've ever got on numbers like that, but it's a cold water pattern on main lake structure that will be repeatable year after year. I'm STOKED for iceout.

I used to average 2-3 a trip. About a dozen follows a trip. The last couple years it went to almost no follows and 3 fish a year. I have some very good guesses as to why. Everyone that fished around here for them started going 3-4 hours away for them unless they had a certain a technology on their boats.  I know what it’s like to fish for them out of state knowing very little about the bodies of water and doing very well at them. I’m glad you got on a great pattern. I wish I could go back to the hay days here.

[Ski]

I once again hired our favorite Captain and crew for 3, 10 hour days of "Bill Fishing" in Cancun Mexico, and again they did not disappoint! They picked us up and returned us @ the resort pier. Day one seemed to be a "warm up" day where Jane caught her personnel best Ahi Tuna (Yellowfin) and several Mahi which we brought back to the resort for our dinning. On day 2 we fished a 700 ft ledge just a few miles off the Cancun beach where we found an abundance of sea life and we knew this was the spot. In short order we were hooked up with more Ahi and Mahi, then it happened, White Marlin crashed the shotgun line and the fight was on. We got it to the boat in about 25 minutes grabbed a quick photo and released it unharmed.

Day 3, was a little more exciting as a Blue Marlin came into our bait spread in search of a meal. It finally decided on the left rigger bait as the captain dropped the bait back and fed it to him, "Fights On" This fish was no joke in comparison to its cousin the White Marlin. It put on a GREAT aerial display and just would not give up even after having the 30 foot leader on the reel 16 times and backing down on it 3 times. Finally after 65 minutes of give and take, it just about fought itself to death, we were able to get it onboard for a photo shot and then return it to the Sea where we spent 10 minutes pulling it by hand to keep water rushing over it's gills to revive it which was accomplished and it swam away with nothing more than it's feelings hurt. I spent the next day eating Tylenol and hanging around the pool and A/C.

Special thanks to my wife Jane for the awesome Marlin Photo's

[Catt]

Made it to 2023 ?

[T-Billy]

4 minutes ago, Catt said:

Made it to 2023 ?

It's good to have you here brother.

[Dwight Hottle]

2 hours ago, T-Billy said:

24 muskie in 7 trips Nov 9 to Dec 9.  Muskiepalooza!!! Here's a few of the better ones.

 

 

 

Very impressive sir.

[crypt]

not much to brag about fishing wise but I didn't punch anyones lights out so that's something.

[Mobasser]

I was trying for a new PB fish last season, and didn't catch one. But I didn't give up, and, won't be giving up on one in 2023 either.

[LrgmouthShad]

I managed to fish Shearon Harris four times and get skunked every time. It’s not every bass angler that can do that. 
 

Id go out again today but I would like to get a couple hunting trips in before this leave is over.
 

In 2022, I like that I learned how to fish a shaky head. I like that I learned a lot about structure fishing, with a lot still to learn. I like that I installed an anchor trolley on my kayak. I like that I started to pursue river smallmouth and learned some about their behavior and caught some small ones. I like that I started to build my own lures. 
 

No bragging though, not because I don’t want to but because I don’t have enough to brag about. I’m not a good fisherman. 
 

 

[A-Jay]

Plenty of notable deals going on in this one ! 

Early in the 2022 season I managed two smallies over 6 lbs

which was a first for me. 

They ended up anchoring a bag that went over 27 lbs.

Late summer 2022, I was able to introduce myself to these two mutants.

Biggest of which was a popper fish.

Hard to beat brown tanks on topwater. 

 

Finally, but no less memorable for me, I was able to help a fellow basshead

document his new PB Smallie. 

Really special.

 

Good Times

A-Jay

 

 

[Mike L]

NOTHING more special than our first Great Grandchild being born!

Absolutely NOTHING!!

 

 

 

 

Mike