Sick of the Cold? Head South for Mid-Winter Largemouth

As a bass angler, I find the winter months painfully long. January and February are the worst. Sure, ice fishing is fine and all, but it's this time every year when I can't even stand to look my bass boat in the transom because I know it will bring on the hurt feelings knowing we're both two months away from open water. However, I can take solace in the fact I'm only a fourteen hour drive away from some of the finest big bass waters on the globe. That's right. I'm talking about California bassin'! If you are reading this on the east coast, think Florida. If you are in the center of our fine continent, it's Texas. But out west, we have Cali. Home of some of the best bass water there is. And for the past three spring breaks, it has been my warm-up for the B.C. open water bass season. Usually I head down in the middle of March, just in time for the spawn. However, if I could change things, I would be heading down right now. With aggressive stocking of rainbow trout in many lakes, it is the best time of year to throw big swimbaits, and also to catch 10+ pound largies. It's probably your best chance to catch a double-digit bass outside of Mexico. I haven't caught one yet, but I broke one off that was all of that, and have had a few other run-ins with monster fish. Fingers crossed for this year. The 2015 trip is already planned for March 22nd to 29th. Clear Lake and the California Delta should be full-blown spawn by then. The swimbait bite will be done by then and I'll be flippin' and dropshotting at bass that are probably bedding. Fun fishing for lots of 2-5 pounders with the odd 6-7 sprinkled in but few monsters. I can't complain, but if I were down there right now, I know what lure I'd be throwing.