After a long, hard hunting season, sportsmen on the Alabama coast don't have much time to shift gears from hunting to fishing mode. However, moving from January to February and the great bass fishing that is available on the Mobile Delta can be a very rewarding transition.

February can be one of the coldest months of the year, but being located on the coast offers more mild weather than harsh conditions. This weather pattern means that Delta bass have reproductive urges that occur much sooner in the year than their north Alabama counterparts.

The Mobile Delta is a tidal influenced estuary with a diverse lineup of inhabitants. Throughout the year, the Delta can be home to both freshwater and saltwater fish species. During the early part of the year, the area experiences its annual winter flush. This is when rainfall from all parts of the state flows southward through the Delta and eventually to the Gulf of Mexico. Immediately after the flush, the Delta becomes a murky, yet still productive bass fishery.

The Beginning
Starting at the first of February, sleek bass boats can be seen traversing the Mobile Delta in search of largemouths that are making the move to spawning mode. Anglers with extensive experience on the local waters try to track the movements of Delta bass, in hopes of determining just how far along in the reproductive ritual the fish have progressed.

One such angler with decades of knowledge fishing the Delta is Jerry Casey of Saraland. Casey is a 56-year-old angler who has been fishing local bass tournaments in the area since 1972. All along those years of tournament angling, Casey and his brother Randy have picked up a true appreciation for what the fishery has to offer.

"My brother and I get real motivated early in February, because we know the bigger bass will be getting ready to spawn. Your bigger bass will be the first to head to the shallows of the bays or the head of creeks to start bedding," Casey said. "When I say bigger bass, I'm referring to fish that are 2 1/2 to 5 pounds. While that might not be a big bass in most places, that's a big bass for the Delta."

Experience has taught Casey that if conditions are not right for bedding early, then the fish stage in the adjacent creeks and channels until things get right.

"Sometimes, when the weather is a little cooler than normal, the bass will have to hold back on heading to the shallows. When this occurs, you can find fish at the mouths of creeks leading into shallow waters. This is when throwing plastics, like worms, tube baits or lizards can be effective. Often the fish will be stacked up at these bottlenecks, offering great fishing," Casey described.

When a strong cold front blows through the Delta, the water levels can drop dramatically, pushed out by the north winds. When this occurs, it can sometimes be a bonus, as the low water exposes structure not seen on a normal water level.