It would seem that all the rain that fell down my collar while I was not enjoying the beach in Destin also fell in Georgia as both of our rivers, as well as Spring Creek, show signs of rising and changing color, especially the Flint.

Of the three streams flowing through our area, the Chattahoochee is showing the least amount of color, which is strange.

What has happened the last few days has been unlike most of the weather during the last two months or so, at least since Thanksgiving. It has been warm and sunny.

For so long we have really had winter, a real winter with cold weather, colder than is average for the southern part of Georgia.

Valentine’s week brought the sun and warmed south Georgia up tremendously. Folks were out and had smiles on their faces even though they do know that most likely we will have some more cold. But at least we can see the sun and warm weather at the end of the tunnel. And it has been a tunnel that we have been in for so many weeks and no way to see the end of it.

Depressed is what most folks were with no end of the cold in sight. At least now there is an end in sight even if we get a few bumps in the road before it levels out for the summer.

A few days ago a few crappie moved into the banks and dropped their eggs on a few limbs and stumps in some water that had warmed enough that the eggs might hatch. Then it began to warm sho’nuf. There have been so many crappie hitting the banks that the sounds and movement could have been detected on one of those machines that folks detect earthquakes on.

Anyone that had a few days off and was able to go to the lake could and did catch a heck of a creel of fish. Probably so many that they had to worry about breaking the creel limits, which I believe is still 30 per person. If you, your wife and two children go to the lake and limit out on crappie, that is 120 fish that you are going to have to dress.

That is probably the only time you will ever be able to remember that the kids really had homework that they had to get to right away. That is OK because, you in anticipation of this already, had some neighbors and friends coming by to get a good mess of fish.

It is going to have to get a little warmer before we find the bass hitting the shallows looking for a spot to bed. Crappie like the water a little cooler than do bass, but the bass won’t be that far behind. To more weeks of warm weather like we are having now and the rest of the fish in the lake, all species, will be ready to blow it open and you will absolutely have to call in sick a few days to catch up on what you have been missing.

Folks that like to hunt as well as fish will be on the fence as to what to do later next month. Turkey season will come in. Gobbling season is a more precise way to put it as the gobbler is all that is legal. Hens are a no-no. The best time to go turkey hunting is when you can and if you can arrange it to be in the mornings, all the better. Then you can fish during the afternoon.

All of Valentines week is supposed to be dry. We have had a lot of rain and this week will dry us out. But we do need more rain. As the old folks used to say, it puts seasoning in the ground. It helps keep the water table up also and that we do need. We really don’t need or want to see things drying up at the beginning of the summer season. Kinda makes for a long, hot summer.