Frankfort, KY (February 14, 2004) - Many Kentucky anglers don’t think the fishing season begins until the first real short sleeve weather of the year. That first warm front in February gives anglers a shot of adrenaline, as they believe the fishing season is just around the corner.

The shot of adrenaline soon fades as an Arctic cold front sweeps over Kentucky and temperatures drop 30 degrees in one day. For most, the cold front means the fishing season is delayed, but for knowledgeable Kentucky anglers, it means the fishing season just started.

The unstable, blustery weather of February gets fishing moving and ready to begin their spawning cycle. As they make their spawning runs, sauger congregate in tailwater areas in February and into March. The tailrace areas of dams on the Ohio River produce a lot of February sauger, as do the tailrace areas of Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. Dams halt the spawning migration of sauger and they stack up in great numbers below them.

Sauger also move to the mouths of major creeks on the Ohio River and the shallow flats at the mouths of major creek arms on Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley in February. They can gather on those flats in great numbers at times.

Fuzzy grubs in orange, yellow or white tipped with minnows are very good for winter sauger. Small orange and chartreuse, chrome and chartreuse and firetiger crankbaits work well on these fish. Chartreuse, white or gray Sassy Shad soft plastic baits are one of the most deadly sauger baits. Small spoons and in-line spinners work well. The main thing is to keep the bait close to bottom where sauger feed. You are not fishing correctly if you are not getting hung up occasionally on the bottom. Sauger are excellent table fare, comparable to walleye in flavor.

Walleye also make February spawning runs. Once the water temperatures warm to 45 to 46 degrees, walleye start to move to tailrace areas below dams and the headwaters of reservoirs. Walleye stack up below Wolf Creek Dam in February and March and on the face of the dam in March. One could target both of the areas easily on one trip without a boat. Walleye also run up the Laurel River, the Rockcastle River and Big South Fork of the Cumberland River every February and March from Lake Cumberland.

Walleye also make spawning runs in Green River Lake, especially in the Robinson Creek arm, Nolin River Lake up the Nolin River from the Bacon Creek boat ramp upstream as far as Wheeler’s Mill, Laurel River Lake up to the Corbin City dam and Paintsville Lake up into the Open Fork and Little Paint Creek arms.

Bottom bouncers rigged minnows are excellent February baits for walleye. Neon green, chartreuse, white, yellow and pink grubs also work. Small to medium sized chartreuse, chrome or firetiger crankbaits draw strikes as do silver or chartreuse spoons.

Remember that if you plan to fish for these species after February 28, 2005, you must purchase a 2005 fishing license. For more information on Kentucky fishing, log on to fw.ky.gov.

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