Jan. 27th - Prespawn action is heating up. I have had some excellent trips over the past eight days where we have managed to catch plenty of four to nine pounders in shallow grass on rattle traps. The bigger females are starting to stage in areas that lead to the spawning flats. Subtle points and ditches in the grass are also key areas at this time and the afternoon bite is getting better each day. I have managed to win two tournaments this month on Fork and we targeted the small under fish in 30 - 35ft on sloping points. Those under fish have really been a pain to find this month and all the tournament anglers have been suffering.

The creek bend bite has been terrible to this point but I think that will change over the next several weeks. Big prespawn females will be traveling to their favorite birthing locations and they will stage just outside of these areas in deeper water for a few weeks before moving up when nature calls. At this time, the jig will be the best attack to land a trophy as they are feeding up for the spawn.

Look at your map and find areas where a creek might swing close to a secondary point. Work that area with a fine tooth comb and it should pay off.

Jan. 5th - Currently, the deep bite is sporadic with most black bass being caught mixed in with schools of sand bass. They all after shad and it's first come, first serve. Crankbaits, jigging spoons and the A-rig have all been working well for these fish. You may have to weed your way through a lot of sandies to come up with a good large mouth but it is a ton of fun.

The best bite for black bass has been on the grass later in the afternoon. As the sun warms the water, the fish move up to feed and this is the time to throw a trap, jerkbait, spinnerbait or even a swimbait. These fish are ambushing prey from points of grass as well as the many ditches. Most all fish we will catch range between four and seven pounds. Water temps are hovering around 46 degrees and this has an affect on the number of bites. Ten bites in this class of fish is a good afternoon. As the water warms, the bites will increase exponentially as the females feed up for the spawn.

Weather is always the big issue at this time of year. Always dress warm and a good pair of insulated boots are priceless. For those who brave the conditions, this is also the best time of year to land a true giant. Several toads over thirteen pounds were caught in January and February of 2013. You can't join that club unless you are on the water.