Trout and reds eat this month, too
According to Capt. Jack Payne over at Sweetwater Marina (504-453-8382), March is a pretty good month for fishing, both for redfish and speckled trout.
“March has its challenges, for sure,” Payne said. “It can be very windy, it can be cold, and when the winds blow long and hard from the west, it can drop the water level in the marsh and make it near impossible to get out.
“On the other hand, March can be pretty productive when the conditions are right. Typically we’re warming up, the water levels are improving, tides are increasing and the fish are biting more aggressively. You just have to let the weather dictate when you fish. Go with the good days and give it your best shot.”
Payne said the most productive areas in March are Four Horse Lake, Pato Caballo, Pointe Fienne, Skippy and Lake Batola.
“Naturally, live shrimp is the best bait, and hopefully we’ll have some available in March,” he said. “Fish them under a cork in the shallow bays or on a drop-shot rig along the drop-offs and in the deeper sections of the bayous.”
Payne advised fishing points in the shallow bays, and at the mouths of bayous or significant cuts and drains, along shell banks and the edges of grass beds and along the ledges in bayous that drop into deeper water.
“And fish any good current line coming off points,” he said. “Bait hangs there, and that’ll attract trout and reds.
“March is also a great month to fish with slow, suspending hard baits. I like to toss them near the edges of grass beds, and every year we catch some real nice trout and reds that way.”
Payne said you can specifically target reds this month by fishing along the edges of any of the bays, focus on pockets, coves, points and cuts, and tossing market bait or Gulps under corks or in clearer water try spoons or a Baby -1 Minus.
