Prepare and Pursue Fishing Checklist for March

Cole hooked up with a nice trout
Photo: Chris Carson

March is a great month to be on the water.  From the bays and marshes to the lakes and rivers, the waters are coming alive.  Black Drum are making their run, Largemouth Bass are in pre-spawn or even actively spawning, White Bass are on the move in the rivers, and trophy Specks are prowling around looking for warmer water. 

Get out that tackle box and take inventory. Below are a few common species and what you can expect to catch them on this month.

Here is your Prepare and Pursue Fishing Checklist for March:

White Bass.  White Bass are still running in some rivers down south and beginning to make their runs in the Texas Hill Country.  I have heard and had some pretty decent luck throughout the years fishing for this plentiful and tasty species fishing between the first and second rapids along the Guadalupe River above Canyon Lake. The best access to this area is by kayak. Put in at the 281 Bridge and take out at the Rebecca Creek Boat Ramp.  This is about a 12.5 mile trip.  Fish all the good looking spots and work the areas near the rapids for spawning sandies. By boat, launch at the Rebecca Creek Boat Ramp, head out to the river and head up stream as far as you feel comfortable.  Throw Speck Rigs or any soft plastic tandem rig, Unfair Lures Rip N Slash, or Rat L Traps and of course, live minnows.  When you find them, keep throwing at them.

Backwater creek empties into the Guadalupe River
Photo: Bryan Taylor

Crappie. These spunky little fighters in the backs of creeks and other tributaries in sunken brush piles, laydowns, standing timber.  Other than live bait, they can be caught on Marabou jigs,  Road Runners, Beetle Spins, and other soft plastic jig and spinner combos including the Matrix Mini. Ultra light gear is best and makes for a fun fight with this little bruiser.

Largemouth bass can be caught in the typical pre spawn areas.  They will be staging on ledges, bottom transitions and other structure near bed areas.  The baits to throw are going to be moving baits designed to bring about a reaction strike such as crank baits and swim baits.  Bass are patrolling and looking for nest sites, so they will be looking to clear the area of potential threats. Nest raiders like lizards and craws are a good idea too, but with more of a power presentation than finesse. These fish are looking for a fight!

Speckled Trout are looking for warming water this time of year. Look for muddy bottom that holds heat on warm days.  Just a couple degrees of change in water temperature can hold a monster! Paul Brown Corkies, Unfair Dawgwalker, and Unfair Shrimp under popping cork are deadly.

Chris Castro of Next Level Fishing TV with a Black Drum
Caught on Vortex Shad
Photo: Chris Castro

Black Drum. Huge Black Drum are making their way back into the bays and marshes to spawn.  A great place to look for them is deep in the passes and channels as they head in from the Gulf of Mexico.  Catch these big uglies on live bait fished on the bottom.  A difficult fish to catch on artificials, but it can be done on the Vortex Shad as my friend Chris Castro of Next Level Fishing TV proved last year.  Check out the video here https://youtu.be/JWIRVtohj-8?t=2m  and give him a like and a follow.

The spring months are the best times to introduce your kids to the outdoors.  A target rich environment along with a plethora of different activities provide a multitude of things to do.  There is bound to be something that everyone will enjoy.  

Should I Plan My Hunting/Fishing Trips Around the Moon?

As we (here in Texas) begin to look forward to deer season, many avid hunters are planning their vacation time for the upcoming deer season.  Should we plan by the moon phase?

When I was in high school, we lived by whatever rudimentary tables and such that we could find in a magazine.  We skipped out of school when the tables said good fishing (for the record, we were not the brightest and I would never condone such a thing now).  When I crossed the stage at graduation (Whew!), the Vice Principal pulled me in close and said “More studying and less fishing Chris!”.  Little did he (or I for that matter) know, I would end up with a hunting and fishing store and writing about my experiences. 

Photo: Chris Carson

For years now, I have been the proud owner of a Casio Pathfinder watch.  It has a feature that gives you the moon phase and “best times” as told by the number of fish displayed on the watch. To this day, I have a hard time resisting the urge when I see 4 fish on my watch. We have all seen the Solunar Tables printed in magazines (My personal favorite is in Texas Fish & Game Magazine).  There are other products on the market that will predict the best times to hunt and where you should be in order to bag that big buck. Rest assured I will be picking one up soon. In fact, if I can talk my partners at Twisted Oak Hunting & Outfitter Supply into it, we will be carrying something along those lines in the store.  I have my eye on the Deer Hunters’ Moon Guide.

So, should we plan our trips to the woods around the moon? Since I have owned my watch, I have been making observations that I would like to share with you.  As I understand it, there are 4 major /minor feeding times related to the daily lunar cycle: moon overhead, moon under foot, moon rise, & moon set.  Also, we are conditioned to hunt and/or fish in the evening and morning because we believe these to be feeding times or transitional periods or any number of other theories put forth over the years. 

Observations:

1. I do typically see an increase in both deer feeding/movement, and fish biting or surface activity during all of the times mentioned above.
2. The duration of activity seems to be more intense, last longer and be more predictable around a full/new moon.
3. The ¼, ½, & ¾ moons also seem to have the same effect, but to a lesser degree.
4. Usually there is a build up to the peak of activity that lasts several days and a decline, but when it’s done, it’s done. 
5. Weather will impact these observations both positively and negatively depending on the situation. Dropping pressure, front moving in, cold weather, always a good time to be in the stand.
6. This is the best one. When any of those moon phases coincide with or are close to sunset…. You better be ready.  Throw the rut into that equation and/or the right weather… I’m getting excited just thinking about it. If you don’t see anything then, move your stand.
7. UPDATE TO ORIGINAL POST:  You will notice that when major and minor feed times occur, there are tell tale signs.  There is more activity in nature.  The birds are flying and singing, the woods or the water seems to come alive with sounds and activity.  You will see more of the tell tale signs when this occurs, so be where you think you have the best chance at these times, but look for activity where you didn't see it before.  If you're fishing move to it, if you're hunting, think about these places when planning your next hunt.  Your prey hunts during these times; use that to your advantage.

These are just a few observations from a guy who spends a lot of time in a deer stand and on the water, or in a field scanning the horizon for that indisputable shape of a dove headed your way, or easing up on a dog pointing a covey of quail, or calling in a turkey from the next ridge.

Cole's First Redfish 27 7/8"
Photo: Chuck Crowsey

However, I will also tell you that there are times when I want to throw this whole theory out the window.  In fact, a couple weeks ago I went fishing with my brother.  My prediction was: we would catch fish, probably do fairly well, but we were going to have to work for them.  Long days in the boat. A lot of searching. Figuring out what they would bite. I was wrong. We were releasing keeper trout after catching our limit by noon and decided to go see if we could hook up on some reds; where we put 4 or 5 fish in the boat and I personally caught my two biggest Redfish of my life in about an hour.

So, when is the best time to go hunting or fishing? 

As I have learned time and time again… When you can!

31" Redfish
Photo: Chuck Crowsey

Personal Best Redfish as of 3/29/16 @ 31"
Photo: Chuck Crowsey