MARCH OUTLOOK
(POSTED FEB 16, 2016)
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As I sit here and write up this outlook for March, I can’t help but think about the warmer days in the very near future. The latest winter storm still has its grasp on us, but is slowly loosing the battle. With any luck, this will be the last one of the season!!
Mark your calendar for the weekend of March 12 & 13, we will be having an open house at Fish Tales!! Most of the tackle in the shop will be at a 25% discount off of our retail price, we will be have GREAT DEALS on Lew’s Reels, Lew’s Rods, TFO Rods, Luck Craft Pointers, Bullshad Swimbaits and much more! We hope to see you there!!!!!!!!!!
For the fist time in 10 years, our ramp fee, parking fee and yearly ramp pass will be going up on March 1. Currently the ramp fee is $8, it will be going up to $10. The single vehicle parking fee is $4, it will be going up to $5 and the yearly ramp pass is currently $125, it will be going up to $150. If you are currently a yearly ramp pass holder, you can come in and renew before March 1, and save $25. Even if your pass expires in August, you expiration date will remain the same.
The Big Fish Contest will resume again this month, we will pay $100 to the angler that weighs in the largest bass, crappie and striper for the month. You can also opt for a yearly ramp pass, a $150 value. The rules are very simple………..
1- MUST LAUNCH FROM ANNA POINT MARINA AND PAY THE $10 RAMP FEE OR BE A YEARLY RAMP PASS HOLDER.
2- IF FISHING WITH A GUIDE OR AN EMPLOYEE, THE RAMP FEE MUST BE PAID BEFORE THE OUTING.
3- ALL FISH MUST BE WEIGHED ON THE PORCH SCALES AT FISH TALES.
4- TOURNAMENT CAUGHT FISH ARE ELIGIBLE, HOWEVER THEY MUST BE WEIGHED ON PORCH SCALES TO COUNT TOWARDS THE CONTEST.
5- LIVE AND ARTIFICIAL BAIT ALLOWED.
6- ALL FISH MUST BE WEIGHED DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS.
BASS- The largemouth will still be in full blown winter pattern at the beginning of the month. They will be schooled up in the mouths of major creeks waiting for the water temps to move up just a little, look for them on main lake points close to deep water.
As we get closer to the middle of the month, they will start making their move to early spring areas, secondary points, boat docks, willow grass beds and shallow rocks. Towards the end of the month, full early spring pattern will be in and the fish will be shallow most of the time, with the exception of a cold front.
My Bait Choices are as Follows……
Beginning of the Month……
Suspending Jerkbaits, Jig & Pig Combos, Plastic Jerkbaits rigged on Scrounger Heads and Tight Wiggle Crankbaits.
Middle of the Month…….
Weightless Soft Jerkbaits, Spinnerbaits, Squarebill Crankbaits, Suspending Jerkbaits & Jig & Pig Combos.
End of the Month……
Weightless Soft Jerkbaits, Spinnerbaits, Squarebill Crankbaits
Shakey Head Rigged Plastic, Carolina Rigged Lizards.
CRAPPIE- The Specks will remain in their winter patter just about all month long. They will start to pull away from the deep brush piles and bridge pilings about the third week of the month. Until then, you can catch them on small minnows around the many bridge pilings around the lake. Look for the to be anywhere from 6-25 feet of water.
On bright sunny days, you can find them up in the water column and possibly willing to chase artificial bait. 2″ Curly Tail Grubs rigged on 1/16oz jig heads are my favorite.
By the end of the month, the water temps are much warmer and the fish have really pulled up shallow. They will start to stage in front of willow grass beds, beaver huts and boat docks.
STRIPER- The Striper will start to get more active as the water temps start to warm into the middle 40’s, especially in the uplake region. The best time will be on sunny days, late in the afternoon into evening. Suspending jerkbaits work best for me at this time of year.
Early in the month, locate them on your electronics in the mid lake region and drop spoons and blade baits to them. Birds on the lake can and will still give locations away from feeding striper under the surface.
Downlake in the Dike 3 area, you can catch them a number of ways, vertically jigging spoons and blade baits, suspending jerkbaits and four inch swimbaits rigged on 1/4oz jig heads. There are numbers of small, sub keeper sized fish in this area, but there are some keepers to be caught.
Hold on to that rod tight while striper fishing, the “WIPER” (white bass/striper hybrid) that were stocked in here a couple of years ago are getting near that 20″ minimum size to keep, and they are very strong. You can tell the difference between them and a striper by the broken lines on their side.
Lake Level- Full Pool
Water Clarity-
Up Lake- Stained
Mid lake- Slight Stain to Clear
Down Lake- Clear
