You've made it via the winter
season although there were times when you doubted you would certainly, what
with all the cold weather as well as subsequent falloff in your angling task.
However take comfort in that march is among the best months
of the year for targeting big, pre spawn bass indeed, they made it through the
wintertime, as well. These bass are quickly some of one of the most aggressive
of the year as well as are reasonably easy to find, particularly as compared to
the deep, overseas angling that is so typical during the winter months.
March is the time of year when
nature calls the fish to the shallow water to begin preparations for the spawn.
While, in some latitudes (florida, south texas and also further south) the fish
are currently spawning, in a lot of places the bass have not begun yet. They
are removaling superficial to be adjacent to generating flats as well as to
benefit from the warming temperatures. As the sunlight heats the air, it's the
superficial water that warms up the fastest; and where there's warm water there
are baitfish.
To start my search for bass in
march, i start by considering the atmosphere where i am fishing. In the united
states and canada, bass are discovered in only four types of fisheries: river
systems, all-natural lakes, manufactured lakes as well as tidal systems, each
with its own set of environmental variables that figures out where the bass
will certainly be. But for the purpose of this time of the year, i prefer to
simplify the category of the fishery right into simply 2 options: clear water
and tarnished water.
Clear water usually has a lot of
marine greenery in it and also the bass will relate to the edges of these
plants lines much as they would certainly a shoreline though the side of the
plant life line could or may not be near the coast. In tarnished water, where
there is much less plant life through which the water is filteringed system,
the bulk of the bass will be relating to the coastline. In both cases, expect
to discover the bass in less than 10 feet of water.
What i am trying to find in both
fisheries are locations of secured water. In a manufactured reservoir, i would
certainly be trying to find little pockets, places from the wind and current,
whether the existing is created by the wind, the drawing of water or the
increase of water from feeder creeks and rivers.
In an all-natural lake, north
coasts excel areas to start due to the fact that they are protected from the
chilly north winds while still able to gain from the warmth of a south wind. As
soon as i have situated these areas by hunting topographic maps and utilizing
my on-board electronics, i start to piece together the pattern within the
pattern.
The bright side is that once
you've situated the fish, the possibilities of there being a great deal of bass
in the location are rather high. The problem is that there may be numerous
locations within a fishery that fit the criteria of where the bass prefer to
be.
By figuring out the refined
differences between the multiple sheltered locations, you can cover water much
more rapidly and successfully. In discolored water, as an example, bass could
be relating heavily to tree stumps. To capture these bass, i depend on either a
huge jig or a texas-rigged berkley power lizard to disclose how you can come
close to these fish. I like an eight-foot flippin' stick as well as a
high-speed baitcasting reel spooled with 25-pound trilene 100% fluorocarbon
line. I utilize either a 1/2- or 3/4-ounce jig (eco-friendly pumpkin for clear
water; black and also blue for discolored) tipped with a powerbait chigger craw
or a 6-inch powerbait power reptile set up with 5/0 hook and a 1/4- or
3/16-ounce weight.
I rely on pinpoint precision to
flip or pitch to these targets. As soon as i figure out where they get on the
stumps (behind, sun side, leeward side, center), i equate that info to
succeeding stumps, allowing me to cover even more water.
In fisheries with great deals of
vegetation, spinnerbaits and topwater baits fished near the turf lines appear
to work best. Whereas bass in discolored water seem to count on their side
lines to discover movement as well as feed, bass in clear water feed a lot more
by sight and also are most likely to leave the sanctuary of the grass line and
also go after a relocating lure.
Utilizing a seven-foot fiberglass
pole and also a standard-speed fetch baitcasting reel spooled with 30- to
50-pound spiderwire stealth, i make long casts with a colorado-blade
spinnerbait (the big, rounded blades move much more water) or a berkley
powerbait 5-inch jerk shad. If i see fish involving the top and also damaging
the surface area or notice bluegill sunning near the top of the water column,
this is a certain sign to switch from the spinnerbait to the jerk shad.
With the jerk shad, i rig the
lure on a 5/0 extra-wide space hook and also throw it on 17- or 20-pound
trilene 100% fluorocarbon line using a seven-foot medium-heavy spreading pole,
keeping the bait in sight. I don't let it run too deep. Fished gradually, i am
far more successful with this bait if i can see the strikes.
In both types of water, you don't
need to be too interested in finagling bass these times of year. The water is
warming; they are proactively feeding to prepare for the spawn, so there's no
need to downsize your baits. Big jigs, heavy line and powerful rods made use of
with determine spreading and plenty of on-the-water fish-locating practice will
assist you locate these bass while they are holed up and also transitioning
toward the spawn.