Now that the holidays are over and the temperature has come up a little, it’s time to get back to business.
Bass Fishing- 2013 was an exception with water temps already in the high 60’s. The norm is high 50’s to low 60’s depending on where you want to fish. Some guys like to fish for pre-spawn bass and others are still fishing deeper water for those lazy winter bass. Remember, all fish do not spawn at the same time. The ones that come up first tend to be the bigger ones. If you’re out for double digit bass, you’re gonna want to fish staging areas for big females. These are places where they can quickly move up and down the edge of a channel, point, or other structure to do their business contingent on the weather. These places will consist of rocks, sand, or gravel mixed in with other wooden or manmade structure. These areas also are going to be on the side of the lake that warms up first. If this is a pattern you find helpful, you can duplicate it around the lake as water temps rise. 55-60 degree water is what I’m looking for. 6 to 10 feet of water is also key. There should be a spawning edge or flat with a hard bottom very nearby and some type of cover protruding from the bank. A couple of good bait choices are crank baits that will dig on the bottom as you crank them back to the boat. Another choice is a big jig tipped with a large trailer. As these bass will be holding on cover, it’s important to make multiple casts to the same structure to entice a bite. Toward the end of the month, if water temps move into the mid 60’s, we’ll start looking for them closer to the bank. Oh wait a minute; let’s save that for our March report and forecast.
Crappie Fishing- Lake Talquin in February is second to none in the country. With an overwhelming population of Black crappie that may reach in excess of 3 pounds, and a size minimum of 10 inches, Lake Talquin is one of the country’s premier hidden jewels for these tasty guys. By the way, the Florida state record for a Black crappie is 4 pounds and guess what? It came from right here in Lake Talquin. Locals refer to Black crappie as “specks” or “speckled perch”, but I just call them “good fun” and “even better to eat”. Catching them in February is pretty easy also. A couple of different methods we employ to fill our limits, but number one is trolling. Crappie should be in the main river channel throughout the month, so troll with 1/16th to 1/12th ounce jigs. Double rig curly tails to cover more water but watch out. Multiple 2 pound specks on at once can wreak havoc on your equipment. Once you locate the depth of the fish, adjust your lures to run just above the schools. Remember, slot size is 10 inches or larger and 25 fish per person per day, and if you exceed that limit, then I hope the game warden finds you! And trust me; they’re heavy on the lake in February. Good luck, and remember, be safe, have fun, and ALWAYS wear a life jacket while boating!
By JR Mundinger-Professional Guide
www.FishTallahassee.com