Biting Cold

SEASON NOT OFFSEASON FOR AREA BASS ANGLERS

STAFF PHOTO FLIP PUTTHOFF 
Matt Pennington of Fayetteville wrangles a largemouth bass into his boat while fishing near a dock on Beaver Lake. Fishing near docks can be productive during winter, Pennington said. He prefers large baits and a slow presentation to get bass to strike in cold water.
STAFF PHOTO FLIP PUTTHOFF Matt Pennington of Fayetteville wrangles a largemouth bass into his boat while fishing near a dock on Beaver Lake. Fishing near docks can be productive during winter, Pennington said. He prefers large baits and a slow presentation to get bass to strike in cold water.

— There’s a good reason why Matt Pennington bundles up and goes bass fishing in the middle of winter.

“The biggest bass at Beaver Lake are almost always caught in the winter and early spring,” Pennington said while fishing on a cloudy, raw day with wind-whipped waves. It’s the way he likes his winter fishing weather.

Pennington had caught a nice mess of black bass a week earlier when the weather was sunny and calm. Those are the worst conditions a bass angler can face, he said. The clouds and wind had him hoping for even more action this trip. He couldn’t get his boat into the water fast enough.

Casual anglers may not think of winter as the time to fish.

Pennington and other bass fanatics who prowl Beaver Lake know better. Bass tournaments held in winter generally see the heaviest weights of the year. Bites may be fewer, but they’re often from big fish.

Then there’s this winter. Bites haven’t been fewer. They’ve been nonexistent for some fishermen, said James Whittle, a tournament angler who lives at Hickory Creek.

“There are guys going out who catch two, maybe one bass. But there’s a whole lot of people who don’t catch a thing,” Whittle said.

The water is colder than usual in this polar vortex of a winter. The south end of Beaver Lake ices over on frigid days. Water temperature on Wednesday was 37 degrees at Hickory Creek Marina, said Steve McClelland, a dock hand.

Yet die-hard bass chasers like Pennington fish on. He was happy to give a tutorial, Winter Fishing 101 so to speak, on how to catch bass at Beaver Lake in winter’s cold.

LEARNING CURVE

This was back in December, a couple of days before Christmas, when Pennington and I got together to fish. The afternoon was in the low 40s, cloudy with a stiff wind. Today those conditions would feel like fishing in Fiji with the frigid days we’ve had.

Pennington thinks big when he hits the lake during winter. Big lures are the ticket to catching big fish.

“They want a meal, not a snack. Big baits are good,” the 31-year-old said.

AT A GLANCE

WALMART FLW TOUR 2014 SCHEDULE

Feb. 6-9, Lake Okeechobee,

Clewiston, Fla.

March 6-9, Lake Hartwell,

Seneca, S.C.

March 27-30, Sam Rayburn

Reservoir, Lufkin, Texas

April 10-13, Beaver Lake,

Prairie Creek park

June 5-8, Pickwick Lake,

Florence, Ala.

June 26-29, Kentucky Lake,

Paris, Tenn.

Aug. 14-17, Lake Murray

(Forrest Wood Cup),

Columbia, S.C.

SOURCE: FLW OUTDOORS

BEAVER LAKE BLACK BASS

Beaver Lake is home to the

three species of black bass.

Largemouth bass, smallmouth

bass and spotted bass all

inhabit the reservoir.

Largemouth and smallmouth

bass must be 15 inches or

longer to keep at Beaver

Lake. There is no length limit

on spotted bass, also called

Kentucky bass. The combined

daily black bass limit is six.

SOURCE: ARKANSAS GAME & FISH COMMISSION

Crank baits, jerk baits, Alabama rigs and jig and pigs are all fine choices to cast all winter and into early spring.

The colder the water, the slower an angler should fish, Pennington coached. In a winter this cold, if you think you’re fishing too slow, fish slower. That’s the mantra on Beaver Lake these days.

Pennington whipped cast after cast on this windy day, launching a crawdad-colored Wiggle Wart crank bait into the breeze. It’s one of the most popular wintertime lures among Beaver Lake bass anglers.

“It’s no secret,” he said. “Everybody uses it.”

No wonder. Pennington worked the Wiggle Wart near a dock when a bass nailed it. The 2-pound largemouth put up a spirited fight in spite of the cold water. The lure was deep in the bass’s mouth, indicating the fish was in a serious mood for a meal.

Docks are good to work in the winter. Steep, rocky shorelines get the nod from Pennington, too. If there is wind blowing into the bank, so much the better.

Waves make the underwater world darker, Pennington explained. Bass don’t see as well and may be more likely to smack a crank bait or other off ering.

Bites were few on our trip just before Christmas. Could be our day was a sign of slower-than-usual fishing to come through the winter, as it has been in January.

FLW TOUR

If Pennington wants warmer water, he’ll have it soon. The angler is in his second year fishing on the Walmart FLW Tour pro bass circuit. Last season was his rookie year and he’s looking forward to the 2014 season, which starts at at Lake Okeechobee in Florida Feb. 6-9.

He’ll be in the fray when FLW has its annual tournament at Beaver Lake, April 10-14.

The Walmart FLW Tour is the major leagues of bass fishing.

It’s nearly impossible to compete at that level without sponsorship. Pennington has lined up an impressive list of sponsors that include Skeeter boats, Mercury outboards, BassBoatSeats.com, Lowrance electronics, iRod Custom Ros, Baitwerks.com, Toyota of Fayetteville and Hi-Seas Line.

Hopefully Florida’s largemouth won’t give FLW anglers the cold shoulder, as the bass at Beaver Lake are inclined to do this winter.

Outdoor, Pages 6 on 01/30/2014

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