Strike King pro Dakota Ebare highlights typical patterns and conditions in Zone 1 during March.
Ebare predicts that water temperatures will be in the 60s, with bass in both pre-spawn and spawning phases. “Rising temperatures will mean the fish will constantly be on the move as they focus on fattening up before heading shallow to spawn,” shares Ebare. “Staging areas will be key early in the month for fish coming and going from spawning areas. By the end of the month, sight fishing and fishing shallow flats will be the dominant pattern,” Ebare says.
If the water is clear or stained, Ebare prefers Green Pumpkin. For muddy water, he will favor Black Blue Flake.
Crafted to reflect light and create a flash effect that no other soft jerkbait can, KVD Perfect Plastics Ocho is molded with supersoft plastic, has a slow sing rate, and is perfect for jerkbaiting and wacky rigging.
Ebare’s choice for clear water is Green Pumpkin, while he opts for Falcon Lake Craw if the water is stained. Fire Craw is Ebare’s go-to when fishing in muddy or low-vis conditions.
The perfect bladed swim jig that belongs in every angler’s arsenal, the Strike King Thunder Cricket Vibrating Jig has an ultra-stiff hook, stainless steel blade, and provides a superior hook up ratio. Menace Grub's profile helps add bulk and is streamlined to the Thunder Cricket, which makes it a great option for skipping under docks.
He opts for KVD Magic in clear water, and switches to Sexy Shad if the water is stained. In muddy water, Ebare chooses a Pearl Flash.
With a unique and exclusive tail design, Rage Swimmer provides anglers with a custom, hi-grade soft bait with superior action.
If the water is clear, he will throw Green Pumpkin, while more stained water calls for Blue Craw. Ebare prefers Junebug in muddy water.
The Rage flange on the tail of the Cut-R-Worm causes increased action and has the fastest tail flicker rate on the market. The Rage Cut-R-Worm is perfect for flipping and pitching or Texas and Carolina rigging.
He opts for Chartreuse Sexy Shad in clear water. If the water is stained or muddy, he will throw Chartreuse Blue Back Splatter.
The 5XD dives to around 15-feet and is ideal for deflecting off deeper structure as fish make their way back into shallower flats.
Strike King pro Greg Hackney shares his methods on targeting bass in Zone 1 during March.
With the weather being abnormally warm this year, bass are heading into spawn earlier than years before. “The big thing in March is flats. That is typically where big groups of fish move up to spawn at. Also take a look at isolated cover inside the cover on those flats,” advises Hackney. He suggests that anglers look for Cypress trees or other cover that stands alone or that are a bit further away from the others. Prespawn fish tend to stage around these isolated areas of cover and then stay to spawn, causing there to be larger than average fish in those areas.
If the water is clear, Hackney prefers the Double Header Red. In stained water, he switches to the California Craw. For muddy water, Hackney will favor a Black Neon.
Strike King's KVD Perfect Plastics Rodents are enhanced with real coffee bean granules and coffee bean oil, giving the tubes an earthy tinge for a naturally strong scent/taste that big bass are eager to chase after.
Hackney’s choice for clear water is the Green Pumpkin, while he opts for June Bug if the water is stained. Black Blue Flake is Hackney’s go-to in muddy water.
Crafted for superior action, the Strike King Rage Bug is made of a customized, hi-grade plastic for enhanced action and exaggerated noise to attract more bites.
He opts for the Blue Gill in clear water, and switches to a Blue Craw if the water is stained. Hackney favors a Black Blue in muddy conditions.
Strike King’s Hack Attack Heavy Cover Swim Jig is meant for fishing around the heaviest of shallow cover. The strong and durable weed guard navigate through thick vegetation and grass to find the big ones. The Rage Craw trailer causes more disruption in the water for attracting larger bites.
If the water is clear, he will throw a Green Pumpkin, while more stained water calls for a Fire Craw. He opts for Black Blue in low-vis or muddy conditions.
Thunder Cricket Vibrating Jig is an ideal choice when fish are chasing baitfish around vegetation. The Blade Minnow trailer allows efficient movement through grass.
He opts for Green Pumpkin Gill in clear water. If the water is stained, he will throw the Stump Jumper, while he will switch to a Black if the water is muddy.
Strike King’s KVD Sexy Frog is the best of its kind – the sealed nose and free-floating rattle make this frog perfect for open water and heavy cover applications.
Delta Red is Hackney’s top choice in clear water but opts for Chrome Blue in stained water. In muddy conditions, he prefers Chartreuse Black Back.
With a distinctive L-shaped bill design, Hybrid Hunter Shallow excels around vegetation, and dives down to 1-3 feet. The Hybrid Hunter’s key feature is its versatility. It can be fished like a traditional crankbait, jerkbait, topwater wake bait – on-and-on the list goes.
