Fifty years ago last summer, my father planted a handful of longleaf pines in the front yard of our home in Athens, Ga. Within a year, however, his job moved us first to Raleigh, N.C., then to Washington, D.C.
Another year has come and gone for deer hunters. Natural and planted food sources have either dried up or have been trampled down by overzealous wildlife. With the spring planting season just around the corner, February is a perfect time to reflect on the effectiveness of the previous year’s food plots and develop a plan for change and improvement.
I think most everyone who knows me or knows much about how I fish understands that I love to fish a jig. I’ve caught a lot of big fish on jigs, and tournament fishermen love big fish — we’re after quality, not quantity. A large percentage of my tournament wins have come with a jig playing an integral part.
There’s typically a lot of change in fishing patterns taking place during February on the Santee Cooper lakes. Several species begin this month the transition from cold, winter patterns into prespawn, shallow-water migrations. For catfish, largemouth, striper and crappie, February offers good and improving fishing as the progression from the winter to spring patterns begin.
Currents
