Hit the Ground Running

As many Texas anglers awaken from their long winter slumber, like bears coming out of hibernation, March greets them with longer days and warmer temps that kickstart the desire to get back on the water. Many will refer to it as cabin fever, as the desire to get outdoors and shake off the rust that builds up after weeks of being out of commission, thanks to a few unusual Texas weather events. For the folks on the lower coast, the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025 could not have played out better as it seemed like a steady supply of great trout were being caught in several of the more popular bays. Middle and upper coast anglers had a few flurries of success during that same timeframe where the fish cooperated, but for the most part it has been uneventful for that crowd. However, if my outlook might prove accurate, we can expect that to change very soon.

March has historically been a fantastic month to be on the water for those of us who call the upper coast home. Several great programs will become available as long as the weather permits. It’s no secret that unlike our friends to the south we are totally at the mercy of freshwater runoff from the lakes and rivers to our north. Galveston, Trinity, Sabine, and Calcasieu receive more than their fair share of fresh water during spring, which means that conditions can change almost overnight. The volatile swings in clarity and salinity are prime reasons that anglers should take full advantage of the opportunities to fish good conditions when they present themselves. It only takes a day or two to drastically change a body of water from pristine to looking like a stale Yoo-hoo drink.

Obviously, much of the early spring focus will be on targeting speckled trout, after all, specks reign supreme as the most targeted inshore species in both Texas and across the river in Louisiana. This month we will continue to look for those better fish that have seemingly all but disappeared in the last 6 or 8 years, courtesy of any number of weather-related setbacks―freezes, floods, and hurricanes. It would appear that most of the Upper Coast bays escaped unharmed during the January snowstorm and frigid temps that set records all along the coast. Little to no fishkills were reported, except for a couple of isolated areas, and the majority of these were not sportfish. After a very productive late summer and fall on Sabine and Calcasieu that saw an increase in the average size of the speckled trout, I am personally hopeful that some of the better quality fish may make an appearance this spring. At times this all feels like déjà vu because it’s like we’ve been here before, over and over. The eternal optimist in me says at some point we finally get over the hump and get those big trout back. Only time will tell.

Now, speckled trout are not the only game in town this month, not by a long shot. March means flounder for many anglers and there are few places that have historically rivalled Sabine Lake. The Sabine jetties and ship channel will draw the most pressure as the flounder make their way in from the gulf, headed for the marshes. Deep structure near flats along the channel will provide consistent action for those willing to dig around and find such spots. Others will focus their attention on the many marsh drains that line the shores of Sabine. Obviously, moving water is a key, so pay close attention to the tide changes and areas where there are current eddies and places for the flounder to ambush their next meal. One key thing to remember is that once you catch a fish don’t be in a hurry to move; flounder will often stack up in favorable locations. Be sure to give that area a couple more casts to see if any other fish may be hanging around that same area. You may be pleasantly surprised at what you find.

Over the years we have had great success on flounder with small profile swimbaits in 3 or 3.5 inch size due to their versatility with either a slow steady retrieve where you occasionally touch the bottom, or actually fishing on the bottom with short erratic hops. The Minnow Z from Z-Man is one of my favorite baits for this type of presentation, plus they are both incredibly soft and exceptionally durable, thanks to being made of ElaZtech superplastic. Another soft plastic that really shines when targeting flounder is the Berkley GULP Grub. Berkley added another weapon to their Power Bait arsenal this year that has given us great success and that’s the Power Switch Shrimp. The PSS is a 3.5 inch shrimp body lure that comes pre-rigged on a 5/8 ounce jig head and has the built-in fish attractant that so many fishermen love. This bait excels in deeper water locations and is definitely worth a serious look.

Having touched only on the so-called higher profile species thus far, it would be criminal in my opinion to not show a little love to the drum family―both red and black. Considered by many trout enthusiasts as a nuisance and capable of interrupting a good bite, the red drum is easily the most steady and consistent player in the Sabine estuary. I would have no problem betting you lunch that Sabine Lake’s population of redfish from slot-size to oversize may be the best on the Texas coast. To say the population is healthy is a huge understatement. These fish seem to thrive no matter what the conditions, and they will certainly be accessible in March for anyone who wants to get their string stretched. The black drum gets minimal pressure and even less respect from most anglers and that’s really a shame. These fish are excellent table fare and are relatively easy to locate and catch. Standard bottom rigs adorned with crab, shrimp, or even squid will get you bites and are capable of producing some hefty-sized fish, upwards of 40-plus pounds. Fly anglers have warmed up to the idea of the black drum as a target and are singing the praises of stalking them in shallow water, so perhaps the stigma of the “big ugly” is changing.

As noted, there will be more than enough options to go around for even the most discerning angler this month as long as the weatherman and Mother Nature play nice. March can go from fantastic to downright scary in the blink of an eye as storms and high winds can show up out of nowhere, so always be cautious. Some of my worst days on the water happened in March, so I am always doing my best to pay attention and not take any chances. As a precaution, in case you haven’t been out in a while, please check your boats safety gear and mechanical functions before you hit the water because that could be the difference between a great day and something else entirely.

Enjoy the good weather, and if you get a chance, please take a kid or new angler fishing.