The garhole water was cold at 39 degrees when I started fishing today at 11:30. Eventually it warmed to 45, in places where the wind blew the sun warmed surface water. I started fishing in the open after reading all the articles about jerkbaits in cold clear water.  The water was so clear I could stick my 7 foot rod into the water until only 18 inches were above the surface and I could still see the bait on the end of it. After an hour of nothing except once pulling the bait over some kind of fish, I quit that and went to something slow.  I used a shakey head with a tiny brush hog. Caught the first bass of the year in 8 or 10 casts. Since the water is so clear the markings on the bass are especially vivid. The line of black spots down the side were very dark and seemed to stand out more that normal. It was 18 inches long and weighed an even 2 1/2 pounds.  I caught it on the new 17 pound test Basspro  flurocarbon line I just put on. A first for me along with the first bass for the year. I tried for another first, catching a fish on a dropshot rig, but that did not work.  The new line surprised me in that I thought it may be more difficult to cast.  On the contrary, it cast very well even though it was very cold. As advertised, it did sink, and again as advertised it was sensitive. The sensitivity was needed today because the fish barely bit. They were very sluggish.  Nine fish in all, most in the 15 to 18 inch range. Since it was so cold, I considered it a very good trip to start the year.The sidefinder feature on my depthfinder had quit working last fall. It went back to Humminbird and it came back with a new transducer and updated software. It worked perfectly which was a relief.  I did not troll around and look for fish but if it doesn’t rain tomorrow I’m going to make a pass  around the Garhole looking for some new spots before I start to fish.