27 ways we know winter is over

We've all beaten the winter blues and broken cabin fever. Proud anglers show off their proof that the bass are out there and ready to be caught!

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<p> After months of suffering cabin fever (especially in the colder climates), fishermen can't wait to get back on the water and get that first bass of the year, John Knight's 8-pounder he caught on the Potomac River. This gallery celebrates spring by including some of the best "first bass" of the season from our Facebook fans. <a href=
After months of suffering cabin fever (especially in the colder climates), fishermen can’t wait to get back on the water and get that first bass of the year, John Knight’s 8-pounder he caught on the Potomac River. This gallery celebrates spring by including some of the best “first bass” of the season from our Facebook fans. Like us today and share your bass photos!
<p> Ander Meine surely isn’t bragging when he says, “It’s difficult to distinguish exactly when spring starts here in warm, sunny Texas,” but he figures because he caught this bass earlier this season, it counts! It weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces, and he caught it on Lake LBJ with a Bomber 5A (crawdad).</p>
Ander Meine surely isn’t bragging when he says, “It’s difficult to distinguish exactly when spring starts here in warm, sunny Texas,” but he figures because he caught this bass earlier this season, it counts! It weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces, and he caught it on Lake LBJ with a Bomber 5A (crawdad).
<p> Brenda Moore caught three bass on her first trip of the season, March 1. This was her biggest, weighing in at 5 pounds, 14 ounces. It fell to a spinnerbait on North Carolina’s Lake Reese.</p>
Brenda Moore caught three bass on her first trip of the season, March 1. This was her biggest, weighing in at 5 pounds, 14 ounces. It fell to a spinnerbait on North Carolina’s Lake Reese.
<p> Brian Guptill’s 4-pound, 6-ounce bass came from a small pond in New Hampshire. He was fishing with a Strike King KVD jig.</p>
Brian Guptill’s 4-pound, 6-ounce bass came from a small pond in New Hampshire. He was fishing with a Strike King KVD jig.
<p> Capricia Morin caught her biggest smallmouth ever — this 3-pound, 11-ounce beauty — on the Connecticut River in western Massachusetts. She was fishing with a black ChatterBait.</p>
Capricia Morin caught her biggest smallmouth ever — this 3-pound, 11-ounce beauty — on the Connecticut River in western Massachusetts. She was fishing with a black ChatterBait.
<p> Chad Holloway caught these bass in back-to-back casts! The weights were 4.6 and 5.2 pounds. He found them in Bushley Bayou in Harrisonburg, La., using a Texas rigged Zoom Baby Brush Hog (watermelon red).</p>
Chad Holloway caught these bass in back-to-back casts! The weights were 4.6 and 5.2 pounds. He found them in Bushley Bayou in Harrisonburg, La., using a Texas rigged Zoom Baby Brush Hog (watermelon red).
<p> Cory Geter’s 9.6-pound bass fell to a NetBait Paca Craw on Lake Okhissa in Mississippi.</p>
Cory Geter’s 9.6-pound bass fell to a NetBait Paca Craw on Lake Okhissa in Mississippi.
<p> D Carroll Nicholas fudged a little bit; this is not her first bass of spring but her third. We’ll let it slide. These two fish came from Lake Guntersville in Alabama. The one on your left is a 4-pound, 3-ounce bass caught by her fishing partner, Ricky, on a stickworm (green pumpkin), and the one of the right is a 3-pounder caught on a lizard (mossy pumpkin).</p>
D Carroll Nicholas fudged a little bit; this is not her first bass of spring but her third. We’ll let it slide. These two fish came from Lake Guntersville in Alabama. The one on your left is a 4-pound, 3-ounce bass caught by her fishing partner, Ricky, on a stickworm (green pumpkin), and the one of the right is a 3-pounder caught on a lizard (mossy pumpkin).
<p> Dustin Jones’ bass came from Lost Lake in Mississippi when the water temp was 56 degrees. He caught it on a Zoom Brush Hog (black/red glitter).</p>
Dustin Jones’ bass came from Lost Lake in Mississippi when the water temp was 56 degrees. He caught it on a Zoom Brush Hog (black/red glitter).
<p> Jeremy Ingle’s 4-pound, 3-ounce catch came on a 7-inch Berkley PowerBait Power Worm.</p>
Jeremy Ingle’s 4-pound, 3-ounce catch came on a 7-inch Berkley PowerBait Power Worm.
<p> Josh Myers and his 3-year-old son, Jaxon, caught this fish on a Yamamoto Senko (green pumpkin/black flake). It was Jaxon’s first fish. “Very proud daddy,” said Josh.</p>
Josh Myers and his 3-year-old son, Jaxon, caught this fish on a Yamamoto Senko (green pumpkin/black flake). It was Jaxon’s first fish. “Very proud daddy,” said Josh.
<p> Justin Gray caught this little guy on Oklahoma’s Lake Murray using a Zoom Baby Brush Hog.</p>
Justin Gray caught this little guy on Oklahoma’s Lake Murray using a Zoom Baby Brush Hog.
<p> While fishing on a private 3-acre lake in Kentucky, Keith Scott caught this 7.2-pound largemouth on a 3/8-ounce Strike King spinnerbait (black). “My biggest to date!” he said.</p>
While fishing on a private 3-acre lake in Kentucky, Keith Scott caught this 7.2-pound largemouth on a 3/8-ounce Strike King spinnerbait (black). “My biggest to date!” he said.
<p> Kent Lichty’s fish came on a 5-inch Flat Rock Creek Baits swimbait.</p>
Kent Lichty’s fish came on a 5-inch Flat Rock Creek Baits swimbait.
<p> Larry Slaughter’s 5-pound, 2-ounce bass was hiding in timber on Texas’ Sam Rayburn. He lured it out with a Lucky Craft Sammy.</p>
Larry Slaughter’s 5-pound, 2-ounce bass was hiding in timber on Texas’ Sam Rayburn. He lured it out with a Lucky Craft Sammy.
<p> Logan Girardin caught this 5-pounder on Melham Park Lake in Nebraska. He used a ChatterBait in Missouri craw color to catch her.</p>
Logan Girardin caught this 5-pounder on Melham Park Lake in Nebraska. He used a ChatterBait in Missouri craw color to catch her.
<p> Logan Stonecipher was fishing a Yum Shakalicious Worm on Alabama’s Pickwick Lake when he caught these two, a 2.6-pounder and a 3.2-pounder.</p>
Logan Stonecipher was fishing a Yum Shakalicious Worm on Alabama’s Pickwick Lake when he caught these two, a 2.6-pounder and a 3.2-pounder.
<p> Louis Miragla was fishing a private pond on March 18 near the Basha Kill in Wurtsboro, N.Y., when he caught this bass on a Rapala X-Rap (perch).</p>
Louis Miragla was fishing a private pond on March 18 near the Basha Kill in Wurtsboro, N.Y., when he caught this bass on a Rapala X-Rap (perch).
<p> Mason Grossnickle’s first big bass of the year was 19 inches long and weighed 4 1/2 pounds. “I caught it on a watermelon with red flake Senko in a farm pond,” said Grossnickle.</p>
Mason Grossnickle’s first big bass of the year was 19 inches long and weighed 4 1/2 pounds. “I caught it on a watermelon with red flake Senko in a farm pond,” said Grossnickle.
<p> Matt Bach’s first bass of the year came from a private pond in Pingree Grove, Ill., on a Texas rigged Yamamoto Senko. The fish weighed 3 pounds, 10 ounces.</p>
Matt Bach’s first bass of the year came from a private pond in Pingree Grove, Ill., on a Texas rigged Yamamoto Senko. The fish weighed 3 pounds, 10 ounces.
<p> Matthew Merriman caught this bass on an overcast and rainy day in mid-February. He was fishing a pond in Jacksonville, N.C., using a Strike King Bitsy Bug (green crawfish) with a Strike King Perfect Plastics Rodent trailer (watermelon).</p>
Matthew Merriman caught this bass on an overcast and rainy day in mid-February. He was fishing a pond in Jacksonville, N.C., using a Strike King Bitsy Bug (green crawfish) with a Strike King Perfect Plastics Rodent trailer (watermelon).
<p> Randell Price’s 8-4 bit a Strike King 6XD on Texas’ famed Falcon Lake.</p>
Randell Price’s 8-4 bit a Strike King 6XD on Texas’ famed Falcon Lake.
<p> Scooter Kinard caught this 7-plus-pounder using a square-bill crankbait in Alabama.</p>
Scooter Kinard caught this 7-plus-pounder using a square-bill crankbait in Alabama.
<p> This bass was just what the doctor ordered when Shezana Merchant, M.D., caught it March 24. She found the 11-pound, 15-ounce monstrosity on Lake Bonham in Texas and tricked it with a crankbait.</p>
This bass was just what the doctor ordered when Shezana Merchant, M.D., caught it March 24. She found the 11-pound, 15-ounce monstrosity on Lake Bonham in Texas and tricked it with a crankbait.
<p> Steve Jarrett’s 8-12 behemoth came from Florida’s Lake Kissimmee. He caught it with a Booyah Buzz buzzbait in white and chartreuse.</p>
Steve Jarrett’s 8-12 behemoth came from Florida’s Lake Kissimmee. He caught it with a Booyah Buzz buzzbait in white and chartreuse.
<p> Tom Bourque caught this 6 1/2-pounder in an Indianapolis retention pond. He was using a 1/4-ounce crankbait (blue/yellow).</p>
Tom Bourque caught this 6 1/2-pounder in an Indianapolis retention pond. He was using a 1/4-ounce crankbait (blue/yellow).
<p> Zachary Crabtree caught his 7-pounder on the St. Johns River in Florida fishing a Smithwick Devil’s Horse topwater.</p>
Zachary Crabtree caught his 7-pounder on the St. Johns River in Florida fishing a Smithwick Devil’s Horse topwater.