Lake Martin Magazine

In fishing, there are certain unwritten rules that help us formulate a plan. Whether developed by scores of other anglers in the past and carried down from one generation to the next, or just personal observations from past experiences, these rules are how we solve the equation of catching fish.

If you’re a bass angler in the Southeastern U.S., you just can’t help getting excited about the upcoming fishing season. Most tournament trails in our area of the country crank up in February and March … and for good reason. This time of year is probably the absolute best time of year to catch truly giant bass.

If someone were to ask me what my favorite month of the year is to fish Lake Martin, I would definitely say April. During April, the water is progressively warming and rising. Rising water typically causes fish to move in shallow to take advantage of the new real estate.

et me preface the following few paragraphs by saying that I am a power fisherman. I would rather throw big jigs, topwaters, three-quarter-ounce spinnerbaits, and half-ounce crankbaits for obvious reasons … they appeal to big fish.

A bass, as well as many other predatory fish, will use all senses available to locate and catch its prey. Depending on the conditions, different senses may play more important roles than others. For example, in stained water and/or low light conditions, hearing will play a greater role in locating prey from a distance. Once the fish locates a bait, then color will often determine whether the fish decides it’s worth eating. In clear water, like we have on Lake Martin, a bass is more likely to use its vision to identify prey and determine whether it is edible.

Have you ever walked into a tackle store and noticed all the color options available? Bass anglers have an inherent desire to seek out the perfect bait … in the perfect color. But why in the world are there so many options?

s a kid growing up on Lake Martin, there wasn’t much to do for fun, at least that’s what we thought at the time. There were really only two things that I loved to do … catch fish and shoot squirrels. Once the squirrel population thinned from our relentless efforts, that only left one thing … fishing.

A million thoughts race through my head following two back to back Elite Series events on the Tennessee River. In both tournaments I was fortunate to have strong finishes, but I’m always looking for ways I can to develop my skills. The one area I think we could all improve is our ability to locate fish during the day, even within the hour.

There are many things that can help eliminate missed and lost fish, but none more important than hook selection.

With the close of a colder than average month of January, I can’t help but to look forward to the coming of warmer air and water temperatures in February.