Fish Talk: March 2009

Time sure is flying by, seems like only yesterday I got my waders out of the closet and here it's already March. But this is not a bad thing, March brings the spring season and that signals the beginning of the warming trend in our area bay waters. We'll see tide levels rise in general and currents will become stronger, both incoming and outgoing.

Increases in shoreline baitfish activity will be seen each day as northers become fewer and further between. Now this is not to say we are done with those nagging cold fronts, not by a long shot, but warmer days and warmer waters are right around the corner. I think we'll all be glad to peel off those extra layers and I doubt any wade fisherman will complain about the end to numb fingers.

So it's coming springtime and everybody's getting the itch to go fishing. On that first outing of the year, how many times have heard someone say, "Heck, my boat was running just fine back in November when I put her away."

I'm willing to bet that many fishermen stored their boats hurriedly because they had visions of trophy whitetails prancing in their heads. This is all understandable but let's get real with preparation techniques for the upcoming fishing season. Now take it from a pro whose been there and done it, you need to evaluate the condition of your watercraft and, if necessary, take your boat in for maintenance before you get out there on the water.

Every spring at the dock there are countless individuals trying to crank their engines with no luck. Batteries go bad, fuel gets stale, seals dry out and begin leaking, wiring and switches deteriorate, there is just no end to the list of things that go bad during four or five months of storage.

Boat trailers deserve some attention too. Wheel seals and bearings should be inspected and replaced as necessary. Springs and torsion bars deserve a good look. Your trailer's running light fixtures and bulbs might have corroded and DPS officers sometimes have little sympathy. Bottom line is whatever you need to do to get your boat in shape, do it, as the outcome will benefit you in your fishing endeavors.

My March fishing plan will include lots of trips to East Matagorda Bay, wading and drifting mud and shell. Go-to baits will be Bass Assassins, MirrOlures, and Corkys along with a few topwaters. Small shrimp should start showing up towards the latter part of March and until then I will be steadily concentrating on finding mullet while wading and throwing mullet imitating lures.

Suggested fishing locations for you to try include wading the north shoreline close to the cuts leading into East Matagorda Bay on an incoming tide. These areas will receive greater tidal flow more so than the south shoreline. A lot of times you can actually feel the water around your legs as it moves into the bay and you can bet feeding fish will be drawn to it.

My first choice will be to fish the current coming from Intracoastal Canal on the north shoreline as it moves into the bay. If this plan doesn't pan out, my next choice will be in the middle of the bay, again sticking to mud and shell, fishing off-colored streaky water while checking out mullet activity.

West Matagorda Bay can produce quality fishing with key areas such as south shore flats, guts, and grassbeds, and again I stress the benefit of a strong incoming tide. As our water temperature increases, expect more frequent and longer lasting feeding periods.

There are sure to be more northers coming. If we get a really strong one that blows our water out, you may find yourself neck-deep in redfish with the right timing, two days after a really strong front is probably best. Fish the deeper guts for better results.

Until next time, God Bless and take a kid fishing...