March 2013 - Page 2 of 5 - Mississippi Sportsman

Bay Springs crappie guide Wayne Inman indicated that the typical spring crappie hotspots on the north end of the lake are starting to heat up.

Bay Springs crappie on the rise

March 19, 2013 Phillip Gentry

Though it seems that the late arriving winter is reluctant to release its grip this year, Bay Springs crappie guide Wayne Inman (662-416-1296) indicates that the prime season for catching slab crappie from the upper Tenn-Tom Waterway lake is right around the corner.

“Water temperatures in the back of most of the northerly coves have reached 57 degrees,” said Inman. “The main lake is still 47, which is helping to push the fish shallow. Right now males are being caught in 3-4 feet of water using small crappie jigs.” […]

Can you age a deer on the hoof by inspecting certain characteristics of deer?

Field judging bucks in the real world

March 18, 2013 Bill Garbo

In the January issue we covered the topic of “aging bucks on the hoof.” As pointed out, the art of “eyeball aging” of live bucks has traditionally relied on their being classified by relatively clear physiological body characteristics, patterns of behavior and relative antler size differences. […]

When everything goes right, a day of turkey hunting can make everybody smile. But sometimes the excitement and, later, the exhaustion of the chase can make hunters do stupid things.

Gobblers need no help making us seem foolish

March 16, 2013 Bobby Cleveland

No. 1 thing to take away from the opening day of Mississippi’s 2013 spring turkey season: Always consider the significant change brought on by the switch to daylight savings time.

It never dawned on me … […]

Spring rains can make it more difficult to limit out on speckled trout, but that doesn't mean there aren't fish to catch — if you follow a few rules.

Stay mobile to catch limits of speckled trout

March 14, 2013 Sam Davis

March madness means something completely different for a speckled trout fisherman. Watching river flood-stage levels steadily climb and salinity levels drop will drive a fisherman mad. […]

In a surprise move, the Mississippi Senate cleared a bill that would allow private-land hunters to use weapons of choice during certain primitive weapons hunting seasons.

Senate reconsiders, passes primitive weapons change

March 13, 2013 Bobby Cleveland

A bill to allow Mississippi deer hunters to use weapons of choice on private lands during certain primitive weapons seasons cleared a giant hurdle on Tuesday (March 12) when the Senate reconsidered House Bill 1139 and passed it by a 44-8 vote. […]

Dan Smith of Ridgeland used a Senko worm rigged wacky-style to beat this big female that was staging in 5 feet of water in a private lake in Madison County.

Wacky Senko will finesse pre-spawn females

March 13, 2013 Bobby Cleveland

It might sound funny, and it certainly looks amusing, but a wacky-rigged stick worm is a tough rig to beat when the big females are staging for the spawn and the fishing conditions get tough. […]

A buzzbait can drive bass trying to concentrate on making beds to bite.

Bassing at Bogue Homa turns on in March

March 13, 2013 Paul Elias

You’ll find Bogue Homa Lake just a few miles out of Laurel, where I live. The fourth year of a lake being stocked is when you start catching bigger bass, and this will be about the fourth year for Bogue Homa. […]

Work on Fannin Landing should be completed before May, Ross Barnett Reservoir officials said.

Fannin Landing on Ross Barnett to be completed by May

March 12, 2013 Bobby Cleveland

The final phase of work on the new Fannin Landing boat ramp on Ross Barnett Reservoir is underway, and should be completed before the peak of the boat season begins in May.

A popular ramp, and the only one on the Rankin County side of the main lake body between the dam and Mississippi Highway 43, has received a complete face lift. […]

Collinsville's Mark McPhail was named champion scratch box maker in the National Wild Turkey Federation's Grand National Call Competition recently.

McPhail crowned national champion call maker

March 11, 2013 Michael O. Giles

Lifelong turkey hunter Mark McPhail of Collinsville has always been passionate about his turkey hunting and call collecting.There are about 1,590 handmade turkey calls in his collection, and at retirement a few years ago he decided to start making his own calls.

That decision three years ago has culminated in McPhail’s Cane Yelper being awarded first place in the Scratch Box Division of the National Wild Turkey Federation’s 2013 Grand National Call Competition in Nashville. […]

Fishing the barrier islands can provide some great trout for the table.

March’s offshore and inshore fishing

March 11, 2013 John E. Phillips

As the weather warms up on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, fishing starts to heat up, too. […]

Body of missing kayaker believed found in Mississippi Sound, MDMR says

March 8, 2013 From News Reports

A body recovered today just more than 4 miles south of Biloxi beach could be that of a kayaker missing since Feb. 27, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources said today.

A fishing charter captain called MDMR’s Marine Patrol at 1:10 p.m. today to report a body floating in the Mississippi Sound, the agency reported. […]

WLBT videographer Wesley Harris of Jackson was on a roll Tuesday, catching the biggest bass of his life, and doing it three times. He had a 6-pounder on his first cast, an 8 a few casts later and eventually this 10-pounder, all on a shaky head worm.

Satisfaction: Helping pal get his biggest bass

March 8, 2013 Bobby Cleveland

Faced with a deadline to get a TV segment shot for that night, cameraman Wesley Harris and I couldn’t give in to the treacherous weather conditions Tuesday (March 5). […]