The Great Outdoors 2-5-10

  Not many people are fans of February.
  It’s the last month of winter and the weather can be downright miserable one day and absolutely glorious the next.
  It has fewer days than the other months and leap years just confuse me. But hands down, this is my favorite month to bass fish.
    February is when I catch my biggest sacks of the year. Bass begin migrating from their winter shelters in deep water to shallow spawning grounds this time of year. They stop at staging areas - usually a noticeable change in depth - along the way.
    The bigger bass lead this movement to guarantee the best pick of habitat. Find some brush piles along these migration routes and you have a productive spot from now until mid-spring.
    The first lure I pick up in February is a suspending jerkbait. These baits dive to a certain depth (depending on the model) and then suspend motionless. The best method for attracting fish is twitching it a few times and then letting it sit. Sometimes the pause between twitches is as long as 30 seconds. It all depends on the fish’s mood that day, but slow movements are necessary. Pick colors resembling a shad, the likely food source for late-winter bass.
    Once the water temperature flirts with the 45-degree mark, it’s time to start experimenting with faster baits like flat-sided crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jigs. Look for banks receiving ample sunshine with 8-12 feet of water covering it near spawning flats. Until the fish get serious about spawning, they are most comfortable in the mid-depth ranges that offer the cover of brush piles, stumps and rocks.
    The consistency of proven spots is another reason I love February fishing.  Because fish are protected at this depth and along these banks, they are less affected by changes in water levels or temperatures.
    For disclaimer purposes I must say February is not my favorite time to fish because it is much too easy. You still have to work to find spots, change your presentation as conditions change and battle elements of winter, but once you find a few spots holding fish, you can revisit them day after day, year after year, and expect them to produce.
OUTDOOR HIGHLIGHTS
    Poacher faces time in the pen: A Livingston County man faces time in jail and thousands of dollars in fines after conservation officers with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources seized 34 illegal deer and two wild turkeys from his home Tuesday, Jan. 26.
    Officers charged David G. Ray, 32, of Smithland, Ky., with 36 counts of illegally taking deer or wild turkey. He is scheduled for arraignment in Livingston District Court Thursday.
    Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Sgt. Bill Snow and conservation officers Josh Hudson and Daniel Richardson executed a search warrant on Ray’s property after receiving information from a concerned citizen.
    The seized deer heads had been cut off at the neck or reduced to skullcaps. Twenty-four were still in velvet. Officers found 18 heads inside a freezer located in an outbuilding on the property. The remaining racks came from the residence and the back of a truck.
    Primetime for bone collectors: With mating season long behind the whitetail deer, bucks are starting to shed their antlers. Shed hunting is a great way to connect with nature as winter winds down. Any sheds I find are just icing on the cake during a great hike in the woods. It takes well-trained eyes to make out the racks because they blend so well with nature’s background. The moisture on the ground should help those looking for antlers because the tan bone will slightly glisten as the sun hits it.
    Hiking through history:    A guided hike will be offered Saturday afternoon at Land Between the Lakes’ Fort Henry trails to commemorate the 148th anniversary of the Civil War siege of Fort Henry. Relive this historic event as you walk around the remnants of its outer fortification. For more information, directions or weather cancelations, call 270-924-2020 or visit lbl.org
    Contact Miller at steven.miller@murraystate.edu.