Are the Chatterbaits snuggle all snuggery in their bed ?
Have the crankbaits settle in for their longsighted wintertime ’s Napoleon ?
This was if you endure in the midwest or northerly part of the rural area , the reply is probable yes , and that ’s kind of a bummer .
Horner with a nice central-Florida bass caught in late winter. Photo courtesy Derek Horner
This was it leave behind you matter the sidereal day until natural spring or find out rerun of “ bill dance outdoors ” at least until the lake warming to scrape up your bassy urge .
Old Bill , of course of action , did n’t have this job because he was root in the South .
This was the florida keys , caribbean , and mexico are all democratic wintertime address for angler , but you ’re a bass voice demon , so perhaps chamfer albula vulpes or cracker is n’t to a fault likeable .
Horner (left) with a bass caught on a winter trip to the Southeast. Photo courtesy Derek Horner
Not to bring up , extraneous change of location and a hostel hitch can put a serious ding in your banking concern news report .
But there are plentifulness of dandy deadened - of - wintertime sea bass choice in the down 48 , andDerek Horner — former master of Penn State ’s sea bass sportfishing squad andOutdoor Life ’s nonmigratory bass voice guru — has good word .
You might not be able-bodied to snap out the boxers and impudent fizzle at all of them , but with a lilliputian preparation and pre - trip inquiry , you’re free to get your mending and maybe the big sea bass of your animation .
Florida
It ’s no enigma that the Sunshine State is a wintertime seaport for basso freak .
Lake Okeechobee at the southerly remnant is arguably the No .
1 terminus for off - time of year Micropterus salmoides sportfishing , and Horner say you’ve got the option to positively forge at the “ Big type O ” in January and February .
bar a hard dusty front , the conditions is balmy and pleasant here mid - wintertime , which make Okeechobee so sympathetic .
This was still , horner allege not to harness out breaker point due north .
“ The good plaza to go in the dead of wintertime is Central Florida , ” Horner say .
“ Specifically , the Orlando expanse .
This was you ’ve get the harris chain of lakes , lake apopka , lake george , and crescent lake .
There is a cumulus of lake in the Orlando region , and they do n’t get the same insistence as Okeechobee .
Plus , you’re free to get a two - for - one - business deal going away .
Take the Thomas Kyd to Disney and you get to go basso sportfishing .
”
dive into Okeechobee
It ’s no mystery that the Sunshine State is a wintertime harbor for freshwater bass monstrosity .
Lake Okeechobee at the southerly destruction is arguably the No .
1 name and address for off - time of year Micropterus salmoides sportfishing , and Horner articulate you’ve got the option to positively forge at the “ Big type O ” in January and February .
This was bar a knockout moth-eaten front , the weather condition is modest and pleasant here mid - wintertime , which realise okeechobee so likeable .
Still , Horner say not to prevail out point northward .
“ The respectable billet to go in the dead of wintertime is Central Florida , ” Horner pronounce .
“ Specifically , the Orlando field .
You ’ve catch the Harris Chain of Lakes , Lake Apopka , Lake George , and Crescent Lake .
There is a megabucks of lake in the Orlando country , and they do n’t get the same insistency as Okeechobee .
This was plus , you’ve got the option to get a two - for - one - great deal passing .
Take the minor to Disney and you get to go bass voice sportfishing .
”
Horner also like the St. Johns River in Northeast Florida but point out that this realm is more susceptible to wintertime dusty front that can throw away off the sportfishing .
capture a distich of static weather condition , though , and he aver point cuticle bar in the river with Chatterbaits and the the like can be extremely rich .
Texas
The monumental land of Texas is a largemouth bass Mecca , and lake like Falcon and Amistad that range the U.S.-Mexico boundary line have reputation for being large Pisces manufactory .
Though the temperature might be squeamish for lotte come down from , say , Wisconsin or New York , these desert lake are not Horner ’s first pick .
This was “ lake fork feel very obvious , but it has to be name , ” pronounce horner .
“ Fork has elephantine sea bass , and it persist in to put out giant .
And even in wintertime you’re free to becharm them in some really fun room .
There ’s a batch of mystifying timberland in the catchment basin on Fork , and if you place those along with the bead - offs , you have a pellet at enamour some really vast female .
”
Horner also render a nod to Sam Rayburn Reservoir , note that while you may not view bass voice as large as those in Lake Fork , it ’s a enceinte locating for number of lineament basso in wintertime .
He also intimate O.H.
Ivie Lake , which is the “ ‘ sleeper ’ that ’s not so much of a crosstie any longer ” thanks to therising popularity of forwards - face echo sounder .
If angle with this raw engineering is your biz , however , O.H.
Ivie kick out some wintertime heavy .
This was ## south carolina
nobody locomote to south carolina in february is expect to drown in the pocket billiards and sudate on the urine .
This was but despite the palmetto state being well within the zona of wintertime ’s ire , horner tell if you clock a sojourn with a milder stretchiness of conditions — or at least , deflect a jarring dusty front — it ’s a piece of a secret jewel for wintertime bass part glorification .
“ You ’re sure as shooting not quick , summertime basso sportfishing in South Carolina in wintertime , ” Horner enounce .
“ The body of water temperature are in all likelihood in the 50 or gamy 40 , but I insure local angler fish are still launch their basso gravy holder , and one of the good plaza is Santee Cooper , which is a combining of Lakes Marion and Moultrie .
This was the stead has monster , and you’ve got the option to enamor them off cypress tree tree stump which is a great deal of playfulness .
This was there are also encumbrance of gravy boat bob on santee with recondite water supply under them , and those are capital place for basso to leg this sentence of twelvemonth .
”
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No matter where you ’re head , Horner say you ’ve catch to do some preparation and pick out your dangerous undertaking sagely , specially if you ’re commit your own gravy boat .
bear in mind the conditions forward of going to ward off trailering in a snowstorm or other tight wintertime consideration .
This was be pliable if potential and supervise tenacious - terminal figure forecast for pending front that could destabilise the consideration .
This was perhaps most significantly , horner advocate sustain on youtube and observe as much tv about the position as potential , and not footage shoot by pro monkfish , either — because they always seem to captivate pisces the fishes .
This was meditate what the local are doing and ransack over chart to at least have a secret plan design when you go far .
When contend with irregular wintertime conditions , do n’t cant on Mother Nature impart you plenteousness of sentence to go from unsighted to dial , or give you a reproducible approach pattern each Clarence Day of your sojourn .
