The largest team bass tournament held in this area is only two weeks away. Each year, over 200 over anglers from several states travel to Lake Bruin to compete in my dad’s memorial event.

The 21st annual J.R. Roberts Memorial Team Bass Challenge will cast off Feb. 3 out of Shiloh’s Landing on Lake Bruin. The lake will be off limits to all contestants from Jan. 29 through Feb. 2. The entry fee is $120 per boat. You can fish with or without a partner.

Entry forms were mailed to everyone who competed last year or you can pick one up at Bryan’s Marine in Vidalia. The mail-in deadline is Monday, Jan. 29. I will accept entry fees at Bryan’s Marine until Friday, Feb. 2 at 4:30 p.m. You can contact me for more information and entry forms at eddie@fishingwitheddie.com.

The recent rain really helped with the low water levels. Lake Bruin is up about 2 feet and another 2 feet of water will bring the lake up to about normal. This past weekend the bass bite was fair on Bruin. Numbers of fish were hard to come by but the size of the fish made up for that. By tournament day, the big sow bass will be loaded with eggs, so look for some heavy limits at the scales.

Lakes Concordia and St. John’s water level is looking a lot better. One more rain and the lakes will be at pool stage. That’s just in time, too.

The beginning of the crappie and bass spawn is not far away. High water levels are needed for good spawn. The recent cold front lowered water temps from the mid 50s to the high 40s.

Some bass are still shallow, but the cold water will improve the deep-water bite. The big sow bass will be staging in deep water near the spawning flats over the next few weeks.

If we get a few days of warm weather in mid-February some bass will move up and the spawn will began.

The crappie spawn will kick off in mid-February too. Crappie are usually the first to move up, followed by the bass and the bream. Catfish are the last to spawn.

Some areas of the lakes are stained from all the fresh water and stained water slowed the Rat-L-Trap bite down.

It only takes a few days without rain for the water to clear and the Trap bite will pick up.

The best bass lures to use over the next few weeks are jigs, the big soft plastic flipping tubes, small spinnerbaits and, if the water clarity is good, the Rat-L-Trap.

Hunting season is winding down and boat traffic is increasing.

Please be careful on the water this year and keep only what you need and release the rest. The big female bass are loaded with eggs and we need to give them a chance to spawn.

Eddie Roberts writes a weekly fishing column for The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached by e-mail at fishingwitheddie@highstream.net.