March 2018

By the time March rolls around, crappie fishermen across the Carolinas are chomping at the bit for waves of slabs to invade the shallows. And even though tight-line and long-line trolling techniques are proven winners, guides like Brad Taylor of Batesburg, S.C., are adding another wrinkle, using planer boards to spread baits out even farther from the boat and access territory otherwise out of reach.

Early season turkey hunting offers great potential for success but can be littered with obstacles along the way. Seasoned hunters find ways to navigate around impediments and tag their gobbler.

It may not match winter in northern climates, but South Carolina does have a season that’s colder than the rest, and when it arrives, redfish gaggle up by the hundreds into tight groups in headwater creeks in marshes, providing anglers with easy-to-find targets. But as soon as Mother Nature turns up the heat at the approach of spring, the fish appear to scatter and vanish into thin air.

Saltwater fishermen often run the tide, moving from spot to spot within a bay or coastal creek to take advantage of a certain water depth where fish are biting.

Early spring and crappie fishing form a perfect combination of potential and realization on the Santee Cooper lakes. If you’re looking for a heavy stringer, they are legendary for producing huge crappie, and it helps that March is prime time for roe-laden slabs to be on a strong bite while shifting from prespawn to the spawning.

Walk into any tackle shop this time of year and you’ll likely be overwhelmed with choices of crappie jigs to use to tempt one of the country’s favorite gamefish. How do you decide which one(s) to buy and use? 

Anyone travelling around the Wilmington, N.C., area has got to cross at least one of three rivers — the Cape Fear, Northeast Cape Fear and Brunswick — but because very few boats are visible from the bridges across those rivers, fishing is often under the radar for many, which is a terrible mistake.

March is one of the best months for catching multiple species of fish on the Santee Cooper lakes

I enjoy game as much as anyone, but I’m thinking fish for our March recipe. The cold weather from early January has had negative effects on several species of inshore fish, but the offshore fishing remained surprisingly good.

Russell Garner remembers the days in South Texas and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast when anglers modified jointed Redfins to make a “wake” bait that redfish found hard to resist.

Besides rods, reels, line and hooks, what’s the most-common piece of fishing equipment carried by anglers fishing from the bank to million-dollar billfishing boats and every other class of angler in between? 

March is a pivotal time of the year for wild turkey and deer; the two big-game species on which hunters spend most of their time and dollars. When it’s crunch time for turkey hunters in March, it’s also prime time for deer managers to make waves in food plots in preparation for warm-season plantings.

Across the Carolinas, March is the best month, in my opinion, to catch a trophy largemouth bass. I know you can catch one in January, February or April, but everything points to having your best chance this month.

As I write this, another year’s deer season has come to a close. For many hunters, this is a sad time of year, as thoughts of a long offseason become reality. 

March and crappie fishing go together like peas and carrots, but while many anglers fish for crappie, far fewer consider chasing the popular panfish from a paddleboat. 

March is a crazy month for weather, especially in the Carolinas. It can feel like winter, spring, or summer, and the days don't follow any certain pattern. Fortunately, mountain trout will still bite throughout the month, and these tips will help you catch your share.