Swift Creek Reservoir Fishing Report- MARCH
By Charlie Machek
Owner of Swift Creek Reservoir Guide Service
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SPRING IS ALMOST HERE!!! The last few months we’ve had to put up with the frozen boat ramps, a half frozen lake, piles of snow, and a lot of rain! That all translates to not a whole lot of fishing, but sunny days are ahead. March can be a great month to catch really big bass while having the entire lake to yourself. The best two words to describe current conditions are cold, and muddy. That is a terrible combination, so if you do venture out, know that it will likely be tough fishing. If and when either of those variables changes, the fishing has the potential to be amazing. March is a great time to catch the biggest bass of your life. Now is prime “Pre-spawn” time, which means the females are full of eggs, and feeding up in preparation to spawn. Look for these fish in deeper water, near shallow spawning flats, and coves. I like to use square bill crankbaits, rat-l-traps, and spinnerbaits as search baits, varying the retrieve speed until the fish start to react. Once I think I’ve located some bass, I’ll slow down and pick the area apart. While the water is muddy use dark colored bulkier baits such as jigs, lizards, and creature baits worked slowly along the bottom. If you want to catch the fish of a lifetime, you will have to commit to it. Big jigs, and big swimbaits fished very slowly would be my choice. Think 6”-7” bluegill or shad imitators, and you are on the right track. With trophy fishing, you might only get 1 bite all day, but that is sometimes what it takes to get that giant bass. Using a fish-finder to locate good concentrations of baitfish is always a bonus. The fish will be where the food is. Toward the end of March, the days get longer and warmer. Hopefully this will encourage some aquatic vegetation to grow, and the water will begin to clear up. When the water starts to get near 60 degrees, the fish will begin to spawn in the shallows. Slow down, concentrate in the 1’-3’ range, and fish any cover you can find. Twigs, stick ups, grass, and the best cover of all… the “bad word,” hydrilla. If it is able to grow this year, fish of all types and sizes will flock to it. Catch and release, and proper handling of the fish is extremely important all spring because the fish have worked hard while spawning. Try to keep the fish off of boat carpet, seats, and dirt, get a good picture, and let them go as quickly as possible.
For those of you chasing Crappie, March is a good month for that too. The muddy water does not help with that either, but I like to stick to the deeper side of the lake. If there aren’t too many snags in the area use a double or triple rig with crappie jigs and your favorite grub, tube, or minnow. Drifting a bobber rig is another good option with live minnows. Occasionally big schools will go up shallow, and you can often see them feeding on the surface so keep your eyes out. The brim and shell crackers will show up in the shallows by the end of the month. Use earthworms and a bobber, and have fun. Take a kid fishing, practice catch and release, and I’ll see you out on the water!
If you have questions feel free to contact me by email, or social media
machekfishing@gmail.com – social media: @SwiftCreekReservoirGuideService and @MachekFishing www.MachekFishing.com/swiftcreekguideservice
