Well March is here! Strong winds can muddy waters. When winds lay fishermen are likely to catch seatrout, redfish or stripers. Locl live shrimp is available from area bait shops but call ahead some shrimpers aren’t open or might have a difficult finding bait. Redfish are in the creeks but aren’t plentiful due small of amounts of bait. Although large redfish have been caught fishig deep holes around around docks with figer mullet. Redfish feed primarily on fiddler crabs. When crabs aren’t on the mud banks fishing will likely be slow. Water temperature is warming with temperatures close to 60 degree seatrout, redfish and stripers will likely become more active during the next few weeks. A typical March pattern is one the fishing is good the next day fishing might be off. March winds can muddy water reducing visibility to inches making fishing difficult. Look for clean water, bait (bait fish) and no porpoises and you’re likely in a fishy area. March offer some excellent trout fishing. When the opposite happens the water is too clear try live a finger mullet shrimp or mud minnow. Some fishermen will tie up to five feet of fluorocarbon directly to their line, a split shot can keep bait close to the bottom. You’ll be surprise a large mud minnow (with no weight)will swim to the bottom seaking shelter. If a fish doesn’t smack a large free swimming mud minnows then there’s likely no fish in the vicinity.

There have been reports stripers are on the move. The DNR pulled 71 stripers in one sampling (about a week). Smaller stripers those in the five to seven pound will start getting active. Count on these fish to be on the move searching for food till they for cooler water in coming weeks.

Good Fishing! Capt. Jack McGowan