Lake Pleasant, just 30 miles north of Phoenix, is the ideal place for a bass fisherman to be in February. While many bass anglers in colder parts of the country are still able to walk across their favorite fishing holes, the bass at Pleasant are in transition, moving up into shallow water in preparation for the spawn. If it's a warm year, the fish may already be on the beds in February.

Pleasant Harbor Marian sprawls out across Lake Pleasant. While you can still walk on most lakes up north, Pleasant is primed for bass fishing by February. Photo by Margie Anderson.

Desert rats consider the fabulous February fishing to be a reward for surviving the blazing summers.

Ben Koller of The Hook-Up spends most of his time at Lake Pleasant. The Hook-Up has a full-service tackle shop and guide service right at the lake, so he knows his stuff.

"Whether the fish are deep or shallow, they are still going to be in transition in February," said Koller. This means they are going to be on the move most of the time, so you need to pick your presentation accordingly.

If you're planning a trip to Lake Pleasant in February, pack both shallow- and deep-water baits because you never know exactly what the weather will do.

Here are some techniques to consider once you get there and know what the fish are doing.

DEEP PRE-SPAWN BASS
If the water temperature is below 55, odds are that most of the bass will still be in deep water. In February, the water level is usually high and the water is gin-clear. Deep water in Arizona can mean 35-40 feet, so don't be afraid to move away from shore.

A good lake map is invaluable when you're fishing deep. The bass will be using channels, long points, offshore submerged humps and reefs.

At Lake Pleasant, there is a lot of unmarked structure, and the only way to find it is to motor around and watch your graph or find it on a map. The water level at Pleasant fluctuates by up to 100 vertical feet each year.

If the lake is at full pool, reading the map is fairly easy. That easy moment is fleeting, so you will benefit from marking your map ahead of time. Get a selection of permanent markers with fine points in different colors and mark 10- or 20-foot intervals on the map by following the contour lines. Almost immediately you'll realize that points, humps and reefs are suddenly popping out all over the place.

You can check the current lake levels online or at the ramp. The ramp has the elevations engraved right in the concrete, so all you have to do is look down as you walk to your boat.

Full pool is 1,702, so if the water level is at about 1,680, you know that your 20-foot mark is the shore. Look for good structure at the 40- to 60-foot marks in that case. If you've marked the lines in different colors, this is easy.