You’d think there would at least be a moment to breathe.
Some time to sit in a deer stand without a thought in your head. To watch a few football games or catch some crappie and walleye for the freezer.
But that’s not how it works with the Bassmaster Elite Series. Just as one season is in the history books, a new schedule is announced — and for the anglers who crisscross the country with history’s greatest professional bass fishing circuit, that’s when the new season begins.
That’s how it happened this year.
The 2022 Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year title was decided on Aug. 28 when Brandon Palaniuk finally put the finishing touches on a race that became more dramatic than anyone expected down the stretch.
The final regular-season event ended Aug. 29, and the 2023 schedule was announced Aug. 31.
Thanks for playing, Palaniuk.
Now, who’s next?
The anglers’ pursuit of the 2023 AOY title has already begun in earnest as they research and travel to pre-fish a schedule that seems to include an equal mix of thriving and reviving.
B.A.S.S. isn’t breaking any new ground — the 2023 Elite Series won’t visit a single lake the organization hasn’t been to before. But the harsh truth is there aren’t that many new lakes left to visit that check all of the boxes necessary for a massive undertaking like an Elite Series event.
Instead of venturing into uncharted waters, the Elites will visit several fisheries this year that have been Bassmaster staples in the past but haven’t been on the organization’s radar in a while.
Take the first two events.
Instead of starting the usual February Southern swing on the St. Johns River as the Elites have the past four years, next year’s slate will open on Lake Okeechobee in Okeechobee, Fla., Feb. 16-19. That’s a world-famous fishery B.A.S.S. has visited 22 times since 1980, but not since 2017.
Palaniuk must be thrilled. He earned the 2022 AOY only to learn next season’s schedule will begin on a venue where he finished in 105th place the last time he was there. But before you cry for him too much, remember he rebounded to win AOY that year, too.
Another long-lost B.A.S.S. friend — Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Ga. — will be next on the schedule, Feb. 23-26, followed by Lake Murray in Columbia, S.C., on April 20-23. It’ll be B.A.S.S.’s first trip to Murray since 2011.
Then we’ll switch from the reviving portion of the schedule to the thriving portion as the Elites visit Santee Cooper Lakes on April 27-30. You could argue no largemouth fishery is hotter in the country right now — as was evidenced by Georgia pro Drew Cook’s Century Club winning catch of 105 pounds, 5 ounces there this year.
From there, the revival will continue as the Elites visit Lay Lake in Shelby County, Ala., May 11-14. The 12,000-acre Coosa River impoundment that served as my home fishery as a child hosted a Bassmaster Open in 2020, but before that it hosted only four events — all Classics — in 1996, 2002, 2007 and 2010.
Up next will be the Sabine River June 1-4, one of the trail’s most intriguing and fan-friendly venues, if not one that produces gigantic weights. Remember the last time the Elites went there in 2021? A record crowd of 40,107 fans showed up.
Just when it gets nasty hot in the South, B.A.S.S. will swing North to Lake St. Clair in Macomb County, Mich., July 27-30. This smallmouth bass paradise ranked No. 4 this year on Bassmaster Magazine’s annual list of 100 Best Bass Lakes.
Then it’ll be on to New York for another visit to the fertile waters of Lake Champlain on Aug. 17-20 and a season finale on the St. Lawrence River, Aug. 24-27, a fishery that recently earned the No. 1 ranking on Bassmaster Magazine’s 100 Best Bass Lakes list — and anyone who followed Jay Przekurat’s Century Club performance there this season knows why.
So, enjoy your title, Palaniuk. You earned it.
So did all of the anglers who qualified for the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic.
Throw a party, take a trip or whatever it is you do to celebrate.
Just know — whatever it is — you’d better do it with next season on your mind. In some ways, it’s already here.
