2001 Wal-Mart FLW Tour Stop #2
Pascagoula River, Miss.
Feb. 14-17
Mississippi’s Pascagoula River near D’lberville is the next stop on the 2001 Wal-Mart FLW Tour. It is an area where the marshlands of lower Mississippi empty into the Gulf of Mexico. The area is an aquatic menagerie; largemouth bass feed on shrimp and fiddler crabs while cohabiting with redfish.
Unlike last year’s tournament when anglers found bass relating to grass situated in the lower Pascagoula River’s marshy environment, vegetation is practically nonexistent this year. A severe shortage of rainfall last year resulted in an unusually strong intrusion of saltwater from the Gulf that killed most of the grass.
Because of the loss of vegetation, anglers will be forced to travel up the river to find bass residing in the oxbow lakes, duck ponds and ditches situated off the Pascagoula. Ironically, after two years of very low water levels, heavy rains upstate have the Pascagoula River running high and muddy before this year’s tournament. The higher water level will make more backwater areas accessible by boat. Unfortunately, the high water will also scatter the bass in the flooded trees and make them more difficult to find and catch.
If the water begins to recede and clear by tournament time, which is a strong possibility, a very successful pattern will be to fan-cast the entrance to ditches and oxbow lakes with a chartreuse-colored crankbait that dives less than 8 feet deep. You can catch some winning-size bass by bumping your crankbait off scattered stumps.
A spinnerbait will also be a productive lure choice if the water is falling and clearing up. Choose a 1/2-ounce model that will run 5 to 7 feet deep when you slowly crank your reel. Retrieve the spinnerbait around lay-downs situated on the channel banks in the oxbow lakes.
After several years of practically no winter-like weather, this past winter has resulted in numerous days of cold temperatures for lower Mississippi. As a result, the bass are still in a winter pattern. The water temperature is in the 50s.
Unlike last year’s tournament when the winner, Scott Martin, fished Alabama’s Mobile Bay, competitors this year will be confined to the Pascagoula River, the Biloxi River and the Tchoutacabouffa River, which runs off the Biloxi River. In order to fish the Biloxi River, anglers will have to run out into the Gulf of Mexico and travel the coastline west to reach the entrance of the Biloxi River.
Local attractions
Besides exciting casino gambling at the Isle of Capri Casino, Biloxi has a number of historical places. The seaside estate of the only president of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, is located at 2244 Beach Blvd. The site also houses the Tomb of the Unknown Confederate Soldier.
There are several antebellum mansions to tour, including Grass Lawn, Green Oaks, La Pointe-Krebs House and Tullis-Toledano Manor.
Wendlandt’s wisdom
2000 Wal-Mart FLW Tour Angler of the Year Clark Wendlandt offered the following comments on the Mississippi tournament:
“The bass will be in a winter mode, and the fishing will be ultra-tough. The best bags of bass will be caught way up the rivers, but the boat rides to reach those areas can be treacherous.”
– Clark Wendlandt
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