Faircloth Thinks Shallow, Not Deep In January

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Although many areas of the South are locked under a big-time cold-front right now, some of the best fishing is right around the corner.

Generally throughout the region, January's when the big females first become catchable again. And nope, we're not talking about a deep bite. We're talking about that magic time when you can powerfish again with reaction baits and connect with memorable pre-spawn ladies.

Texan Todd Faircloth, the No. 2 ranked angler in the world, knows all about that bite. And after a restful holiday and New Year with family, he can't wait to get out for the mid-January shallow action.

When, Why?

The pattern Faircloth covers in this Pro Fishing Tip isn't a secret. In fact, it's one of the oldest, most reliable patterns in the book. But it's worth revisiting first as a reminder, and second to see how Faircloth exploits it.

Basically, the water begins to warm sometime in January as things start to move toward spring. It doesn't necessarily have to warm, though, because photo period plays a major role in the spawning ritual too.

"Come January, the mindset down south and in Texas is we start looking toward the pre-spawn," Faircloth said. "You can still catch fish out deep on jigging spoons and Carolina-rigs, but I focus my efforts on the shallower water – like the 5- to 10-foot range – to target big pre-spawn females.

"Particularly if you get a warmer day, a lot of times those big females come up out of deeper water for the sun and try to warm up. Because we don't get the cold, cold weather they do up north, our whole pre-spawn really does begin in January."

Where?

A lot of the Texas impoundments are laden with stumps and standing timber, but many also have a discernible grassline. If there's grass, that's probably where you want to fish, according to Faircloth.

"You can try either the inside or outside edge (of the grass)," he said. "Real early in the year, they're usually along the very outside edge. But they're not buried in the grass like they are in summer. They hover around above it, so you want to keep your presentation up above the grass.

"I'd say that anytime the water's 52 to 54 degrees, in that range, I start doing that. I'll say too that you're not going to catch as many fish in that depth range as you will out deep, but the ones you catch will be bigger."

Another tip from Faircloth: "Try starting on the north banks of reservoirs. They're protected from the cold north winds and are usually a little warmer. I'd pick a big tributary on the north bank, and start by fishing the main-lake points, then the secondary points if that doesn't work."

Don't ignore stumps or timber, of course. The fish will follow something or relate to something, he noted. So those are important targets, especially if found in combination with grass.

How?

Faircloth typically throws three different baits for this pre-spawn pattern – a lipless crank, a lipped crank and a big spinnerbait. His lipless crank gets the most throws, but each day can be different.

The reason those baits work so well, he said, is because "you're looking for a reaction bite." Although a lot of folks feel they need to slow down when the water's cold, that's not always true. Think of a jigging spoon. That's something that generates a reaction bite too.

So he cranks and winds, but he does do it a little more slowly than he would during warmer months. The most important part of the retrieve, though, is when he rips the bait off cover. That's what manufactures the bite.

"Usually when I'm fishing the outside grassline in the 5- to 10-foot range, I will fish slower," he said. "I like to use a Sebile Flatt Shad lipless crank. I make long casts with it, let it go down to the grass, rip it up, then kind of let it flutter back down. It doesn't lay over on its side when it falls like a conventional lipless bait – it has a shimmy when it falls. And you want to keep it in contact with the grass you're fishing and rip it off when it hangs."

His lipless color choice depends on water clarity. In stained water he likes reds and chartreuse. In clearer water, he fishes shad and more natural hues.

If he strikes out after a few hours with the lipless bait, he'll switch to a regular crank, like a Sebile Rattsler, or a 3/4- to 1-ounce spinnerbait with a single or double willow-leaf. In either case, the technique is the same – long casts and constant contact with the grass.

"Let the fish dictate what the day's going to bring," he said. "One day they'll want the lipless crank, one day they'll want the crank. It differs day to day, so let the fish tell you what to do."

Notable

> Texas was good to Faircloth last year – he won the Amistad Bassmaster Elite Series. He finished 4th at Amistad the year before.

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