"Once I find fish, I note whether they are on the outside, inside, and what depth they are. The chances are excellent that's the same set of conditions I'll find fish at on other bends."

If the action in the main pool is slow, Mercuri heads up the lake and starts prospecting the tributary creeks.

A number are fed by springs, and their water temperature can be warmer than the main lake, which can encourage bass activity.

"These creeks all have a defined channel," he noted. "And drifting a shiner under a float along the edge of that channel is one of my favorite tactics. With a depthfinder and a trolling motor on slow speed, you can cover a lot of water, and some of the biggest bass I catch each year are caught this way."

For those who prefer lures, Mercuri recommends fishing lightly weighted Texas-rigged worms in black or red shad, in the lily pads bordering channel edges.

Another effective bait is a shad-finished Rat-L-Trap worked quickly along cover edges, or in cuts and pockets within the pads.

If the weather is warm, especially near the end of the month, main lake creek mouth points become productive targets.

"These submerged points at the mouths of the creeks are where a lot of bass stage in the pre-spawn period," he explained. "Depending on the weather, the fish may move right up to the shallow shoreline end of the point, or hold back on the dropoff to the main channel, or anywhere in between. With a Carolina worm rig, or a Little George, I can cover the entire point, and it doesn't take long to find out which points are holding bass."

Mike Mercuri can be reached for guide service at (850) 875-2206.

Tactics can differ sharply from the central portion of the state to its northern edge. But if you match the tactics to the lake, January can be a great month for Sunshine State largemouths. l

Find more about Florida fishing and hunting at: FloridaGameandFish.com