Features from February 2018
Approaching the mouth of a creek, Noah Lynk warned a handful of kayakers that the water would be shallow, that they might bump bottom a time or two, and that they would have to wade back across it when the left — but he was certain the fishing would be worth it.- If you wanting to get your string stretched to the limit by a big catfish in cold weather, you’ll be hard pressed to do better than South Carolna’s Lake Monticello. It is an real wintertime catfish destination for a couple of very good reasons.
- In 2012, when the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission decided to quit stocking striped bass in Lake Norman, that probably wasn’t the best news for Bob Curan, who grew up fishing for striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay before moving to North Carolina in 1997 and putting in 15 years learning the 32,500-acre lake north of Charlotte.
- If February 2018 is anything like February 2017 — with its unseasonably warm weather — bass fishermen can expect to encounter a good number of trophy fish. The key is water temperature; once it climbs into the lower 50s, big female bass migrate in numbers into shallow staging areas before they even think about spawning.
- If Alex Trebek unveiled this clue on his TV quiz show, Jeopardy, would you come up with the correct question?
- Crappie, just like anglers, are looking forward to the spring weather. But that doesn't mean they won't bite now. Anglers can catch a pile of slabs in February, especially if they follow these tips.
Columns - February 2018
- Winters in the Carolinas typically aren’t harsh, at least not for more than a few days at a time, but there will be a few times it’s nice to have a pot of something simmering and ready to eat to help warm up.
- While many anglers wait until March to begin bass fishing at the Santee Cooper lakes, they are missing out on some hot prespawn activity by these fish.
- After losing its lease in a building in downtown Cherokee, N.C., and not being offered an alternative site by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, the Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians has re-established itself in nearby Bryson City.
- A lot of fishermen approach February as a good month to go to boat shows and look at all the newest boats and fishing tackle, but some years, you miss out on a lot of good fishing by staying off the lake.
- It’s been cold, and many anglers have been waiting for the slightest break in weather. And while many are looking forward to next month, plenty of others know that February is really the time to break out the ultralight gear and head to a handful of rivers across the Carolinas for the shad run.
- Many anglers find successful winter time fishing in rivers that don't have a huge change of depth. This makes the fish easier to find and offers a more stable fishing outing, no matter the temperature.
- Over the past 20 years, coyotes have taken a foothold in every county in the Carolinas. From livestock and domestic pet predation to population reductions in native game and non-game species, coyotes are well beyond becoming a nuisance.
- Speckled trout and other saltwater species feed on shrimp and baitfish, shad, mullet, cocahoes and more.
Outdoor Updates - February 2018
- Branson Long of Beaufort, N.C. turned 13 on Nov. 18, but the biggest birthday present he could have gotten didn’t arrive until Dec. 3: a 705-pound bear that’s the biggest ever taken in Carteret County.
- For the second year in a row, the S.C. Department of Natural Resources has tagged and released 16 coyotes. Four coyotes have been placed in each game zone as part of the coyote harvest incentive program.
- Darryl Fox of Weaverville, N.C., had no idea he was going to kill the biggest buck of his life last fall. A teacher and baseball coach at North Buncombe High School, he didn’t get to do everything he usually does leading up to deer season, or even get in the woods during archery season, because of the sickness and death of his father last year.
Hot Spots - February 2018
- Jerry Neely prefers to tight-line for crappie in Lake Wylie during February, and he catches them anywhere from 16 to 25 feet deep.
- February is an unpredictable month for bass fishing, but the fish that bite are usually big.
- For many anglers, summer is the season when warm weather and lots of fishing opportunities are available. But winter should never be forgotten, especially in offshore waters. Jay Sconyers of Ace’s up Fishing Charters loves heading offshore out of Murrells Inlet, S.C. on winter days.
- February may be a transition month, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a big month for crappie at Jordan Lake near Raleigh, N.C.
- Anglers can catch plenty of stripers around New Bern during February. Try these tips to catch your share.
- During the dead of winter, anglers can expect a strong inshore bite, specifically in the section of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway around Little River, just a few yards south of the North Carolina-South Carolina border.
- February is one of the best times of the year to catch big stripers in Clarks Hill Lake and the two Little rivers that feed it.
- The longer days and warmer temperatures of February make bass fishing on Lake Wateree a month that anglers don't want to miss out on.