The 10 rural stores we passed that morning were beehives of activity, each thronged by the camo-clad, grownups and children both, many of whose ensembles were accessorized with a bright orange vest or jacket. Hunters, obviously.

"The great thing about hunting season," said Brandon's John Alford as he pointed at the last little grocery, "is that if this was anytime between February and November, a lot of those folks would be doing what we're going to do: The waters would be crowded with fishermen.

"As it is, they're going deer and duck hunting -- and it is very likely that we won't see another boat on the lake all day."

That lack of involuntary togetherness ranks at the top of the list of reasons for the love winter felt by the little cohort of Mississippi fishermen to which Alford belongs -- that, and the fact that off-season fishing can be as hot as a furnace.

"There's no doubt that if you know where to go and what to do, you can hammer fish throughout our winters in this state," said Paul Johnson, also of Brandon, and the president of the Magnolia Crappie Club. "Some of the best crappie fishing I do each year is between December and February. A lot of people think I'm crazy, but I'm not kidding you: Give me a couple of hours on Chotard and Albermarle when the fishing's hot, and I'll never know it's cold. I won't have time to think about it -- I'll be too busy catching fish!"

Plus, in Mississippi it's rarely cold enough for long enough in a continuous stretch that you've got to quit fishing. Oak Grove's Ray Cook reported that the percentage of days that he can fish in the winter exceeds that in the summer.

"I gave up deer hunting about 10 years ago because I found out that I was missing the best fishing season we have in south Mississippi," said Cook, an avid bass angler who targets big fish in smaller state lakes. "Sure, we can fish all year 'round in south Mississippi -- but who wants to fish when it's 95 degrees with 90 percent humidity, making it feel like it's 105? Give me a 45-degree day with bright sunshine anytime over that. Hey: I can always put on a jacket!"

Fortunately for us, Alford, Johnson and Cook are willing to share their fishing tactics on their favorite winter waters.

SPOTTED BASS FEVER
John Alford's favorite sort of winter day is one just cold enough to make him consider not wearing his trademark flip-flops when he hits the upper river area of Ross Barnett Reservoir.

"If I have to put on shoes," he said, "then, yes, maybe it's too cold to go -- but that's because I'd be too cold, not because the fish wouldn't bite. Actually, the perfect morning is when I have to wear socks under my flip-flops. By noon, I can usually take off the socks."

Alford lives only 10 miles from the boat ramps at State Route 43, and it's just 18 miles to the ramps farther up the river at Ratliffs Ferry. The SR 43 ramps give better access to winter largemouths, but Ratliffs is the best jumping-off point for getting after Kentucky spotted bass.