Name:   Mountain Man - Subject:   Tuesday report Date:   2/14/2017 9:16:10 PM

Went out trolling today from 7:30-1:30 with my buddy, Jim.  We worked it hard, but only managed one lonesome spot early morning. From then on it was study the graph and scratch our heads and asses trying to make sense of what we saw. What was different from last Saturday?

1) The water was flat, clearing and bumping 59 degrees at the surface plus the sky was virtually cloudless.

2) We never marked a group of fish large enough to be called a school, just a couple of pods with 4-5 members.

3) Here's where it gets interesting: we were in the same area as last weekend, but there were fewer fish marked than just three days ago and those we did see were generally deeper (30-35').

So, what's the deal? I don't have a degree in marine biology or write articles for Alabama Game & Fish, but based on twenty years of fishing Martin, here's my best guess: The slight elevation in water temp has gotten some of the early spawners up and into their staging areas. I'll test that theory later this week and get into the backs of a few favorite sloughs. Long points should be prime. Unless we get another sustained cold spell, we will likely see some great spawning activity for the next two-three weeks. Magic happens once the water reaches 60 and keeps rising. So, get out there and let us know how you're doing!