Photo by Keith Sutton.

Marking the yearly turnover from the harsh cold of winter to the more temperate days of spring, the year’s second month opens with frigid winds and frosty mornings. Then, as the month proceeds, a subtle difference in the weather manifests itself. The periodic cold fronts become milder and milder, and Natural State bass anglers begin anticipating the periods of “shirt-sleeve” weather that usually arrive around the middle of the month.

After that, even trained meteorologists find it difficult to foresee what the weather will do, with weather patterns changing on an unpredictable schedule. During February, Arkansas fishermen take their chances and hope for the best.

Considering the constantly changing conditions encountered this month, it would seem impossible to develop a practical plan for catching bass. While this is true if only a daily pattern is considered, when a broader, more comprehensive pattern is established for a particular lake, February can be the best possible month to fish for bass. This is the case at many of the fine bassin’ lakes scattered across the western counties of Arkansas, including waters where chances are excellent for catching trophy bass.

WHITE OAK LAKE
White Oak Lake in southwest Arkansas has been known as a superb bass fishery since its creation in 1961. Eight-pound-plus largemouths have always been common here, and this huge Arkansas Game and Fish Commission impoundment often gives up 10-pound-plus bass.

White Oak is in Ouachita and Nevada counties, 18 miles northwest of Camden. In truth, White Oak is two lakes in one. A dam across the midsection -- state Route 387 -- forms two separate bodies of water. The 1,645-acre northern portion is known as the “lower lake,” and the 1,031-acre southern portion is called the “upper lake.” An angler acquainted with White Oak Lake can catch good numbers of big bass year ‘round, but January, February and March are considered the best bassing months by most local anglers. During that time, big largemouths usually linger around stickups, fallen timber and cypress trees on 5- to 8-foot-deep flats with deep water nearby. A fishfinder can help pinpoint these areas along the inundated White Oak Creek channel. Good lure choices include deep-running crankbaits, jig-’n’-eels and Rat-L-Traps. (Continued)

MILLWOOD LAKE
This 29,200-acre U.S. Army Corps of Engineers impoundment sprawls across Howard, Hempstead, Little River and Sevier counties in Arkansas’ southwest corner, 28 miles north of Texarkana. Millwood was completed in 1966 and since its earlier days has been considered one of the top largemouth bass lakes in Arkansas. Heavy fishing pressure, changing environmental conditions in the lake’s watershed and decreasing fertility led to a reduction in fishing quality during part of the 1970s and 1980s, but thanks to a good management program implemented by the AGFC, Millwood once again is a top trophy bass-fishing destination.

Because Millwood is relatively shallow and is fed by several tributaries, the water level fluctuates constantly. Reading the water fluctuations and knowing where to fish at different levels are keys to finding February bass here.

As a general rule, when the water level rises, bass follow creek channels up onto shallow flats and into flooded woods. As the water level falls, bass fishing generally is best in the main lake. Bass leave flats and move toward cover along inundated creek and river channels offshore. A depthfinder can be helpful for finding secondary pockets or fingers on creek channels where bass are holding.

Lure choices run the gamut from jigs to big, deep-diving crankbaits. Working jigs and spoons with a vertical presentation around stream channel drops is a productive tactic throughout February.

LAKE CATHERINE
Lake Catherine, a 1,940-acre Entergy impoundment near Hot Springs, has a healthy largemouth population with fish up to 10 pounds, but they’re known to be tough to catch. It’s worth trying, though, because some real lunkers lurk here.