February 2014 Archives - Carolina Sportsman

Jerkbaits are great lures for catching lunkers in February.

February: For slow jerks

Not too many bass fishermen think about February as being a great month to get on the water, but if you’ve finished the boat shows and got all your tackle in order, you can catch some fish if you understand the problems involved. […]

Lots of big, prespawn bass can be fooled by a crankbait with a tight wobble on lakes around South Carolina this month.

Time to tie on crankbaits

Davy Hite

Because of all the rain we’ve had across South Carolina early in the winter, February is lining up for the kind of late-winter fishing I really love. Most all of our lakes are higher, and the water has plenty of color. […]

Bassmaster pro Dennis Tietje said a soft-plastic crawfish is a universal bass catcher.

You can’t beat crawfish

Don Shoopman

A Louisiana bass fishing pro getting ready for his fifth season on the Bassmaster Elite Series tournament trail said there’s no question about one of the artificial lures he’ll nearly always be throwing when the bass and the money are on the line in 2014. […]

The ability to start a fire can be critical to survival when an emergency strikes in the field — and that same fire can act as a signal for rescuers.

Manchac swamp stranding shows importance of survival gear

Gordon Hutchinson

If you’ve ever traveled Interstate 55 south to New Orleans, you have passed over that exotic, and almost mystical area between two of Louisiana’s major lakes — Lake Maurepas, and Lake Pontchartrain. […]

SpotlightScan Sonar from Lowrance lets you pinpoint fish and see structure around your boat after a do-it-yourself installation.

New SpotlightScan side-looking sonar

Allan Tarvid

Classic bass-fishing destinations like Toledo Bend Reservoir and Lake Sam Rayburn had a lot more standing timber in them back in the 1970s. […]

A circle hook, a big chunk of white perch and a 3-ounce sinker make up a standard rig that catches trophy Lake Wateree blue cats day-in and day-out during the winter.

Big baits for big February catfish

Terry Madewell

Jason Knight said he is a big believer in big bait for big fish year-round, especially in February. […]

Naturally occurring aquatic plants will offer waterfowl a more complete, longer-lasting buffet than do grains planted in impoundments that are only temporarily flooded.

Jump-start impoundments

Jeff Burleson

For the landowner ready to covert a section of property over to a moist-soil management regime or a permanent aquatic community, specific plantings will jump-start the impoundment and attract have ducks in the first year. […]

Boat docks and piers literally line most of Lake Norman’s shoreline, and they’re great spots to target late-winter bass entering the prespawn.

Plenty of opportunity

David A. Brown

Lake Norman’s 32,475 surface acres, multiple creek arms and numerous coves offers a lot of areas in which to seek these February prespawners. […]

Records from the Catawba Catfish Club bear out statements from Clay Henderson and Jason Knight (right) that Lake Wateree’s best month for big blue catfish is February.

February’s big-cat data

Terry Madewell

According to Dieter Melhorn of the Catawba Catfish Club, the ”perfect storm” situation for big catfish occurred in February 2010 in a tournament at Lake Wateree. Three of the club’s biggest catches ever were made in that tournament. […]

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