The fishing on Day 1 of the 2023 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Lake St. Clair was spectacular. Clent Davis brought 15 pounds, 5 ounces to the scales, better than a 3-pound average of smallmouth, and he finished the day in 99th… out of 102 Elite anglers. Unreal.
I get it. Things are different on the Northern swing. And I’m sure some of the locals are a little immune to the shock and awe of these kinds of weights. But catching 20 pounds, 3 ounces of smallmouth like Austin Felix did yesterday and that landing you in 33rd, is simply unfathomable to to a grinder from podunk Alabama who sees 7 and 8 pound limits win the local night derbies this time of year.
The sun set on Day 1 as dozens of anglers made woe-is-me posts on social media about having 18 pounds and getting their teeth kicked. It’s hard to feel bad for someone who caught 18 pounds of smallmouth, even if it was only good enough for 65, but somehow I still did.
Alas, we must move on. Just as the anglers must. Day 2 has begun. The head scratching is over for these guys. It’s back to work now. And no one will feel good about what he’s done today til everything in his livewell is bumping 4 pounds or better.
