BREAKOUT HITS

➞ WINTER’S GRIP IS LOOSENING. YOU’RE DYING TO FISH. UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE SUPER-EARLY-SEASON BITES CAN BE THE TOUGHEST TO SCORE THANKS TO COLD, DIRTY WATER AND SLUGGISH TARGETS. HAVE NO FEAR. THIS QUICK-HITTER GUIDE TO EARLY-SPRING FISH LOCATIONS AND HABITS WILL GET YOU ON THE FAST TRACK TO A BENT ROD. JUST REMEMBER TO CHECK LOCAL REGULATIONS, BECAUSE SEASON OPENERS FOR MANY SPECIES VARY STATE BY STATE.

BLUE CATFISH

Where: Virginia guide Chandler Puryear says that some of his biggest James River fish fall in the winter and very early spring. During these times of year, he’s targeting depressions within shallow flats as well as shallow structures, often in less than 10 feet of water. —

Why: Blues remain active when the water is cold. Since forage like shad and herring become scarce now, they won’t pass up an opportunity to feed when they get it. Though Puryear still catches fish in deep holes, many cats slide shallow where the water will be slightly warmer. —

How: It’s hard to beat soaking forage native to the body of water you’re fishing. For Puryear, that’s gizzard shad. The fresher and bloodier the chunk, the more likely it is to get sucked up.

BLUEGILLS

Where: According to Wisconsin guide Tim Hyvonen, if some green weeds survived the winter in your home lake, you’ll find bluegills concentrated in and around them. If all the weeds died out, the fish will often suspend in 8 to 15 feet of water. —

Why: Hyvonen says that at this time of year, bluegills just want to be in the warmest water they can find, so don’t overlook areas with green vegetation as shallow as 2 feet. Since the north ends of any lake or pond often receive the most sunlight, Hyvonen says they’re a good place to start.

As the water temperature ticks up, bluegills will start to