Tactics for February Largemouths

February Largemouth Bass Tactics

February is both an exciting and frustrating time for largemouth bass anglers. Occasional stretches of warm days can cause fish to become more active in search of food and produce solid winter bites. The rest of the month, cold rainy days and stained water can make for very challenging fishing.

By mid-late February, water temperatures are often climbing out of the upper 40’s and into the mid 50’s. Warming water temperatures means bass will begin foraging more in preparation for the spawn. Around the Magnolia state weekly fishing reports have resumed since their December hiatus. Follow these tips and tricks from MDWFP biologists, lake managers and fisheries personnel to catch more fish early in the season.

Target Transitional Areas

For fish that have moved up to start feeding heavily pre-spawn, try targeting transitional areas like points, ditches leading to pockets, and shallow flats near drop-offs. Use tools like FishBrain, Google Maps, Google Earth, Bing Maps, Apple Maps and others to get varying satellite image views of your target fishing hole and plan out areas to fish rather than just driving out and casting at the first accessible spot. This is planning is important for bank and boat anglers, but especially for those confined to the shore. Many public fishing lakes (particularly Corp of Engineer and Forestry Service lakes I fish such as those found in the Holly Springs National Forest) have vegetation around the shore and surrounding the banks that make fishing difficult without a plan and a boat.

Clear Your Head

Particularly in larger lakes and reservoirs, bass will tend to be found in greater abundance in the clearest water available. Clearer water also means fish will be better able to visually locate your presentation. While constant rain and run-off can make for murky water, put in the time to locate cover in areas like the back of sloughs and coves and try offering soft plastics or jig-n-pigs.

Cover ground with spinner baits

I like spinner baits for essentially any body of water, any time of year. They are brilliantly simple to fish, cost-effective, and can be used to cover lots of ground. Try slowing down your retrieve, fishing shallow flats and near structure like piers, docks, and underwater brush piles.

Crank it up

Crankbaits are a favorite for many anglers this time of year. Try throwing square-billed, lipless, and slow rising crankbaits around rocks, transition areas near the flats, and lake points with structure.

Make some noise with rattle traps

With an endless variety of sizes and patterns, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a rattletrap that matches the primary forage in the body of water being fished. Rattletraps can be fished loudly in a way that really helps bass locate baits even in stained water that often accompanies a winter front.

Fish shallow and but go deep if necessary

Fish in general will begin to trend shallower and shallower as water temperatures rise. While It is often easier to locate fish that have either made or are further along in making the move shallow, don’t be afraid to go deep, try finesse tactics like a shakeyhead off main lake points, ledges, and creek channels in 8-15+ feet water.

Offer up soft plastics

This is a great time of year to begin throwing Texas rigged and Carolina rigged soft plastics, in particular lizards or crawfish. My favorite Texas rigged lizard is a Zoom! Bait super salt 6” in chartreuse or pumpkin. For crawfish my year-round favorite is a Zoom! Lil’ critter craw pumpkin with chartreuse tips.

Fish the rocks

Rip-rap (rocky areas along shores, damns and structures) can be reliable places to catch bass year-round. Try fishing just off the rocks with a pig-n-jig or a shallow/lipless crankbait. Watch out for snags and be prepared to tie-on another lure when you inevitably are forced to break your line.  If you’re fishing a spillway, remember that conditions are more favorable when some water is being released.

Spoon feed them

One sometimes overlooked tactic is the surprisingly versatile jigging spoon. I like working them around piers, bridges, and structure in shallow water but they can also be cast and flipped.

Whatever you tie on, go and fish it with confidence. Talk to other anglers. Read fishing reports. It’s February, not the middle of summer. You may get skunked, but you may not. I fish for the may nots. Have fun out there and the very next time you go, take a kid fishing.