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Winter Fishing on McGee Creek
with Chuck Justice
February 2002

Winter fishing has really been good on McGee Creek during January and it is expected to be just as good if not better in February. During January, a bad day was a day where Chuck's clients caught 20 to 30 bass. A good day is where the clients decided how many fish they wanted to catch.

Chuck has been catching bass between 30' and 40' deep and has not caught any bass less than 30' deep. Chuck commented on how the bait had to stay in contact with the bottom to catch fish. He described this type of fishing as being similar to Carolina rigging in that you keep the rod tip pointed to the bottom and drag from shoulder to shoulder while keeping the bait in contact with the bottom. He said to drag the bait as slow as you can and then slow the retrieve down even slower. The bite nearly always comes when dragging the bait with the bite feeling like a crappie tick most of time, especially the big bass bite.

The baits that Chuck has been using are the Gene Larew Twin Tail Skirted Grub, the Gene Larew 4 ½" Fat Grub and a Flutter Spoon.

Chuck said the key to hooking the bass was in the reflex to the bite. If you pause on setting the hook, you would miss the fish. That is why that you drag the bait from shoulder to shoulder so that you can set the hook instantly without any pause.

Chuck also mentioned that you need to remember that the fish are in a group, so if you miss a fish, let the bait fall back to the bottom and start dragging the bait the instant that it reaches the bottom as the bass realize the bait isn't real if it sits on the bottom. Some of his clients have actually gotten several bites on a cast where they missed the bass and let the bait fall back to the bottom and continued dragging the bait.

I booked a trip with Chuck on February 5, 2002 and will write an article on that fishing trip and publish it in the February 16th, 2002 issue.

If you are interested in booking Chuck for a guided fishing trip, you need to contact him soon as he is already getting booked up fast for the 2002 year. Chuck can be reached at (580) 889-6742.

Chuck will be at the Tulsa Boat and Tackle show in the Gene Larew booth. He will be in his own booth, Trophy Bass Guide Service, at the Claremore Boat and Tackle show, February 8 - 10, 2002, and the OKC Boat and Tackle show, February 14 -17, 2002. Be sure and look for him at these shows.