February Fish - Or at Least a Big Minnow

[DanMarino]

Trying to catch a fish every month in 2020.

January - Done
February - Done













Didn't see any signs of life in the river. This place holds bluegills/sunfish, smallies, an occasional largemouth, and lots of fallfish.
Last summer a family of beavers were in the area and the fishing got worse for me, so I haven't been back since July-ish.

Found a bend in the river with a log jam. Spotted at least a dozen fish and even saw one fish try to eat something from the surface.
Threw an inline spinner and got a bunch of fish following, but no takers.
Switched to a jig and a 3 inch green pumpkin worm.
Caught a fallfish.
The other fish got spooked.
Such a nice day here in Maryland today. Lucked out and had the day off.

[J.A. Veil]

Tom - Congratulations on your fish-a-month quest. From about 2009-2011, I set the same goal and never got all 12 months. 2012 turned out to be a mild winter with no extended freeze overs. I was recently retired and able to go fishing more often than when working full-time. On each day that I caught a fish, I circled the date on my calendar. I was successful at getting my Jan and Feb fish. At some point in March, I reviewed my catches and discovered that I had caught at least one fish each week up until that point. I decided to revise my goal to catch at least one fish each calendar week.

I worked hard at the goal, despite traveling away from home more than 50 nights that year. My travel was spaced so that I could fish on Sun or Mon of week 1 and Fri or Sat of week 2, allowing more than a week away if necessary. I completed the year by catching a pickerel in the final week of December, having met my goal of a fish each week. The pressure was high at times, so I discontinued the quest in 2013. I still rank that as one of my best fishing accomplishments.

Nearly all of my fish were caught in MD or VA waters that year. I had not started traveling frequently to Florida at that point. The toughest week came in early April, when I struggled to find a fish in the Severn. The pickerel were not active, the white perch had not yet moved into the shallows, and no stripers were at easy-to-find spots. My catch that week was a tiny baitfish that became skewered on the hook point. Not my best catch, but an important one to keep a streak alive.

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[DanMarino]

52 weeks straight catching a fish is a very cool accomplishment John!

[Mark]

Nice photos and nice quest Tom.

I cannot match John's "fish a week" accomplishment. That will never happen for me. I often have to go weeks without being on the water due to family obligations and of course, weather.

But, last year I did catch a fish locally from my kayak in each month. That was a first for me.

As 2020 started, I thought 2019 was going to be one-time event. However, I did manage to make my first outing of the year last Friday, 31 January. The pickerel obliged and I boated 6 on the fly and lost another. Not a great day by any means but the pullage was nice after almost 5 weeks of no fishing. My prior outing had been 27 December. Thanks to those pickerel on the last day of January I'm set to try to extend my streak for at least two years in a row.

[DanMarino]

Nice going Mark! I cheated in January by catching fish in the OBX. I hope to catch a bass every month, so I need to keep working in February.

[Mark]

Tom,

A catch is a catch! Bass each month wherever you catch them is a good goal.

Locally, I think it's difficult to pinpoint a specific species for catches throughout the year unless you alter your fishing style. From my kayak, I fish shallow water with artificial baits. I don't really deviate from that style of fishing other than to alter the lures and flies I use somewhat throughout the year. My catches are seasonal as a result. Where I catch pickerel in ponds now will be ruled by LM bass as the water warms. Bluegills get active then. I never see them in winter in shallow water. I've caught LM and an occasional crappie in winter on pond flats but not often. Come spring, LM and crappie will outnumber my pickerel catches. Tidal waters where pickerel presently swim will be populated by stripers and white perch as the year progresses. The pickerel seem to vanish during the warmer months only to return after the white perch and stripers depart. I enjoy the seasonality and variety of my catches.

[bignose]

I think that I am going to set a goal to get skunked every month of the year.
I hit my goal in January, and it's holding so far in February.

Lol

[J.A. Veil]

I think that I am going to set a goal to get skunked every month of the year.
I hit my goal in January, and it's holding so far in February.

Lol

Nice going. The only way you will skunk out all year is to not fish at all. You will get them soon.

[mchottie]

You're already ahead of me, I missed January

[J. Rentch]

Got mine for January
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February
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[Mark]

Good start John.

It's a leap year. I may need the extra day in February to keep pace with you!

[mike o]

Catching fish every week is impressive. I can usually catch fish all 12 months but doubt I will ever get one every week. I am heading to Florida and am going to try to catch fish every day I'm there

[moc]

Nice job on the fish a month quest. That was a quest that I too had done since 2010 until recently. Sadly, I did not get a fish from Dec 2019- Jan 2019, due to being sick, along with holiday obligations. I had a good run, but it had to come to an end, but just in time to start a new streak. In February I caught a small channel catfish in a small river to start off the year. It was not from a kayak, but from shore. Here is a video of the attempt to located my Feb 2020 fish. I was shooting for yellow perch, but the catfish would just have to do.

[DanMarino]

Well done, Moc!

[ronaultmtd]

My February fish was put and take DNR stocked golden and rainbow trout- caught Four...released two and gave the other two to an unsuccessful fisherman ...this year, looks likely I will do a lot more freshwater fishing, so I am re-evaluating my tackle. Replaced my freshwater UL four-year old Pfluegar Supreme 1000 that has died from roughly 75 total hours of gentle use...with a Diawa Exeler LT 1000d...the Shimano C1-4(+) 2500 on St Croix 7’ medium light Mojo Inshore rod is at home in either salt or fresh, so most of my tackle will do fine...target species are mainly crappie and perch...buying packs of Gulp 2.5 inch minnows...and rigging slip cork rigs...although small blade baits slow jigged work pretty well too- Corks are a lot easier and less work...so long as you have good sonar to pinpoint the depth the school fish are suspended...