My Go-To Baits for March:
Prepare to Make Changes
by Bruce Callis Jr
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Winter still has a firm hold on us and spring seems such a long ways away. Mother nature keeps teasing us with some beautiful, warm days followed by the bitter cold and even some snow. The Bassmaster Elites have started the new season with a visit to Florida. And with it, we our first winner of the year, Mr. John Crews. But he can’t live it fully, as he headed from the stage to the Harris Chain of Lakes to start practice for the next tournament.
If you got to see any of the live action online or on television, it reaffirms the idea that being prepared for change is a must this time of year. Granted, they were in sunny and warm Florida, but even they had to deal with what mother natures delivers. Rain and cold conditions to start followed by clearing, bright bluebird skies and rising temperatures, followed by overcast and rain for Championship Sunday. Let’s look at what changes happened for the anglers.
On day 1 of the competition, John Crews was throwing a suspending jerkbait and then moved out deeper with a dropshot to where the bass had moved when the colder weather set in. On day 3, under bluebird skies, the weather had warmed enough that bass had moved back up shallow to spawn in John Cox’s area and he had a huge bag sight fishing. And finally, on Championship Sunday, Ol’ Bob Downey hit pay dirt by moving into his area and throwing a lipless crankbait in the deeper water leading into the spawning areas. Changes made each day was the key to these anglers success.
But what can we learn from the anglers and put it to work for us? We aren’t looking at bass moving all the way up to spawn yet in most of the country, but it will get here, just not soon enough. We are having cold days and some warmth settle in for a few days, and when coupled with little to no wind, this can help to warm the shallows by afternoon. And with it, baitfish will seek the warmth and we all know where the baitfish go, bass will follow. We need to be choosing those baits that will help us stay up with those changes and give us the best opportunity to catch bass.
As we end February and head into March, what baits will we need to have tied on and where should we targeting the bass. My first choice of bait is going to be a lipless crankbait. With it I can fish every where, from deep to up shallow. It is one of those baits that can produce numbers of bass along with quality. It does have it’s limits, as it is not one of those baits you want to throw where there are a lot of stumps and brush, as it is prone to getting hung up. It shines over grass beds and along the outside edges of lily pads and laydowns.
My second choice is the jerkbait. I prefer a suspending over a floating, as I want the bass to be able to see it hovering above them and just as they get a good look, I twitch it and they just attack it. But I don’t what it to be on the bottom, I want it to hoover at least a foot above it. My chooses range from the SPRO McStick 95 a shallower bait that you can work up in the shallows with as they warm. When I want to work out deeper, I will switch to the McStick 110 as it gets a little deeper in the 3-5 feet range. And if they are out even deeper, I will switch to the McRip 85. The jerkbait shines in the winter through the spawn, so make sure to have one tied on and using it.
Now is the time to be thinking crankbait also, and that is my third choice. Here I want something that has a tighter wobble, I don’t want a wide hunting action yet. And the Little John is my go to for this. I can work it shallow out to 5-7 feet, especially around those areas with stumps, laydowns, and rock. Make sure it makes bottom contact, but don’t be afraid to work it out over the drop off as sometimes it can be deadly. For a little size change, I will switch to the Little John Micro DD45. It gets down into that 8-10 range and with the smaller body gives that small baitfish look. I like to use 10 pound fluorocarbon for maximum depth and if I want to make the bait run shallower, I will switch to 12-15 pound line, but I will not go much higher because it will effect the action of the lure.
My next choice is the jig. Yes, it is a bait that works year-round, but now is a great time to use it. I prefer a smaller jig right now, so a 1/4 to 3/8 ounce are my prime choices. I also prefer a smaller skirt, so I trim it back so it’s just at the back of the hook. I also prefer a small trailer, like a Power Team Lures Craw D’oeuvre. It fits the smaller, compact appearance and it helps give a slower fall rate to the jig. But I will also have a 1/2 ounce tied on with a slightly bigger trailer. Which ever they want, that is what I want to throw. So you have to be ready to change.
But don’t overlook the spinnerbait either. I have had some big days using a spinnerbait this time of year. It can work in clear water, but I prefer it when the water is a little stained to muddy. You need to offer some flash mixed with some vibration, and for that a combination of a single willow leaf blade or an Indiana blade mixed with a Colorado blade is my first choice. Then you can also go with either a single Colorado or single Indiana blade. I like to throw a white or shad colored skirt. If you want a trailer, make sure it is something that is straight, something that will not alter the action of the blades. Just be ready for them to slam it.
Weather conditions is the big unknown in fishing. We can do all the studying with maps we want, but we have to be ready to make changes from the start as the weather changes. When I launch, I pretty much know where I want to start and what should be working this time of year for that area. But I look at the weather conditions and make sure I have plenty of options should my primary area not be working. I have a secondary area that I can move to if the bass have moved. It is all a game of opportunity and chance. You have to be prepared, prepared to do what you didn’t think wouldn’t need to be done. Are you ready to make that change?