Entry 239-4

Where to Catch ‘Em in February with Denny Brauer

Part 4: Go Big and White

Question: What’s another technique that you use during February, Denny?

Brauer: One technique that almost always works in February is fishing big, white spinner bait. I like either the 1/2- or the 3/4-ounce Premier Plus spinner baits on the ends of bluffs or the ends of points. Instead of casting the spinner baits up to the more-shallow water and working it down to the deep water, I’ll put my boat in shallow water and cast to the deep water. Instead of slow-rolling the spinner bait down the slopes, I’m slow-rolling the spinner bait up the slope. I won’t get a lot of bites using this technique, but that’s how I catch a lot of 5-fish stringers that will weigh a total of 25 pounds in late February and early March.

Question: Denny, why do the bass like the spinner bait coming from the deep water up to the shallow water at this time of the year rather than coming from the shallow water down to the deep water?

Brauer: I don’t think it has anything to do with the way the bass prefer to see the bait coming. I just think that by casting deep and reeling shallow, I’m keeping the spinner bait in the right strike zone longer more so than if I fish it coming down the slope. Think with me for just a minute. If, you have your boat sitting in deep water, and you cast up to shallow water, regardless of how slowly you reel the spinner bait, you’re pulling the spinner bait away from the bottom. Remember that the bottom is sloping, therefore, when you start off in shallow water and pull that spinner bait down the slope, even if you’re reeling slowly, the slope itself causes the bait to come away from the bottom. However, if you park your boat in shallow water and cast out to the deep water as you reel the bait in, the slope actually keeps the bait on the bottom more effectively than if you’re reeling down the slope.

Don’t forget that at this time of the year, the bass are often at the bottom. Therefore the closer you can keep your bait to the bottom throughout the entire cast, the better your odds are for catching the bass. Out on these main river points, the bass are usually feeding on big, gizzard shad. That big, white spinner bait coming up the slope of the point looks like a big gizzard shad feeding on the bottom. This reason is why you don’t use really-heavy line with this big spinner bait like you do when you’re fishing the spinner bait in shallow water. The whole secret to this technique is keeping that spinner bait right on the bottom. A heavy lure, light line and fishing up the slope instead of down the slope helps ensure that your spinner bait will be in that bottom zone where the bass are feeding.

Question: What kind of blades do you like on your spinner bait when you’re using this technique?

Brauer: If I’m fishing clear water, I’ll be using nickel blades. If the water’s a little more stained, I’ll fish nickel and gold blades. If the water’s more dingy, I’ll use strictly gold blades. I like the willow-leaf blades and the white skirt even when the water’s got a little stain to it. I’ve found that the bass like white a more at this time of the year in this kind of water than they like white and chartreuse.

Next: Tube ‘Em Up in February

Contents:

• Part 1: Bet on the Wild Shiner
• Part 2: Don’t Forget the Jig
• Part 3: Brauer’s Back-Up Pattern for February
• Part 4: Go Big and White
• Part 5: Tube ‘Em Up in February