February can be a challenging time of the year to fish. Anglers focused on deep water structure often overlook shallow water habitat during the dead of winter. However, fishing shallow during the winter months can be quite productive and sometimes yields a surprising diversity of fish species to catch even in coldwater conditions. Dr. Mike Bednarski, Fisheries Chief, highlights his favorite winter tactic to find a variety of fish species: small swimbaits. Mike outlines the setup and approach to effectively fish these small swimbaits in addition to the type of water to look for. Furthermore, Scott Herrmann, Fisheries Biologist, highlights how to effectively fish smaller jerkbaits and jig & pigs to catch big pickerel and largemouth bass.
