March Large Mouth???

[sams]

I've been binge watching MLF and now have the urge to go chase some green fish.  Unfortunately, of all the major species, fresh water bass are by far the ones I have the least experience with.  

 

At this time of year what kind of water am I looking for and what am I throwing?

 

I'm guessing I should probably move it slow whatever it is.

Sam

[bassturds]

Bites been garbage! The first week of March was decent caught a few smaller fish, a 4lbs 5 ounce, all wake bait fish at one pond. Got a 7lbs 10 ounce bass on a jerkbait at a different place, my only fish that day. Haven’t been able to figure them out.  This week I’ve caught 4 bass 300 pickerel, the 4 bass weighed a whopping total of 4lbs 

[Lakertaker]

Think pickerel spawn is in full bore on north shore right now. Been crushing them up to 24 inches on the fly rod. They can’t seem to resist a chartreuse and white clouser. Most fish in 4 to 7 feet of water. Yet to catch a bass. Some huge perch though.

[RP McMurphy]

Got a couple LMB today on a lifeless crankbait.  Probably 6 feet of water.

[sams]

25 mins ago, RP McMurphy said:

Got a couple LMB today on a lifeless crankbait.  Probably 6 feet of water.

OTW had some articles which talked about slow moving crank baits.

 

Sam

[EliasA]

this time of year plastics and slow moving bait are killer. Jerkbaits, ned rig or a drop shot, and an 8" hudd are generally what I take every trip this time of year. 

 

I like to fish larger baits to try and weed out the pickerel, I can't cont how many megabass vision 110 jerk baits I've lost to pickerel this time of year, but they generally leave the bigger, slower swimbaits alone. I did catch a 7lb, 28" pickerel years back in the Indian head river on a hudd 68

[Stripernut1]

Over the years in the early spring, if I can find a stream flowing into a lake that is warmer than the lake water, I have often found big bass stacked up, sometimes in just a few feet of water.

Edited March 19 by Stripernut1

[R.R. Bridge Fisher]

Historically I do terrible for largemouth early season. 

Last year at my pond it was many trips without as much as a follow then in May the fish appeared. 

I still try though..

[sams]

Thank you for all the tips.  I didn't make it out last weekend, but I will make a better effort to get after it this weekend.

 

sam

[bdowning]

Id try the ponds with herring runs now for bigger bass.  Not unusual to catch lmbs on roostertail spinners meant for trout. 

[sams]

29 mins ago, bdowning said:

Id try the ponds with herring runs now for bigger bass.  Not unusual to catch lmbs on roostertail spinners meant for trout. 

I've tried that once before, but without much success.  That idea was floating around in the back of my mind, but I've been kind of focused on a small pond that I can visit at lunch, if I ever take a lunch break.

 

sam

[mikez2]

I'm not much of a purposeful bass Fisher but this time of year I tend to see them schooled up in the warm sunny shallows.

The other day I saw a few that looked to go 4 lbs or better hanging behind a large school of sunfish which were gathered in the outflow from a treatment plant, presumably for warmer water.

Of course that doesn't tell you how to catch them but at least suggests warmer water would be a place to start.

[MainelySmallies]

On 3/18/2023 at 8:58 PM, EliasA said:

this time of year plastics and slow moving bait are killer. Jerkbaits, ned rig or a drop shot, and an 8" hudd are generally what I take every trip this time of year. 

This. And look for hard bottoms this time of year. Rock. Old concrete. Anything hard will hold heat more than soft bottoms, particularly early morning. Hard bottom areas will warm up first and fastest. Fish will often stage over such areas in the morning than move out late morning/early afternoon. 

[R.R. Bridge Fisher]

5 hours ago, mikez2 said:

I'm not much of a purposeful bass Fisher but this time of year I tend to see them schooled up in the warm sunny shallows.

The other day I saw a few that looked to go 4 lbs or better hanging behind a large school of sunfish which were gathered in the outflow from a treatment plant, presumably for warmer water.

Of course that doesn't tell you how to catch them but at least suggests warmer water would be a place to start.

I've seen big largemouth stacked this time of the year. 

They typically won't hit especially if they see you.

I was out today and the trout were actively following in my lures,

No bass sightings In the shallows.

Going back tomorrow with a fly...

 

[mikez2]

6 mins ago, R.R. Bridge Fisher said:

I've seen big largemouth stacked this time of the year. 

They typically won't hit especially if they see you.

I was out today and the trout were actively following in my lures,

No bass sightings In the shallows.

Going back tomorrow with a fly...

 

Agreed about them not hitting if they see you.

The ones I saw the other day saw me first. Didn't matter since I had no fishing gear with me at the time but I doubt I would have caught one if I did.

However I made note of their location and I intend to bring my hired gun, my son, the kingfisher, back to see if we can't get a closer look.