Strike King pro Andy Morgan explains why March is such a diverse month in Zone 3.
“Temperatures are from 45- to 55-degrees with clarity varying from clear to stained in most locations,” says Morgan. The water clarity is a huge predictor of success, Morgan shares. “March is a very diverse month, with fishing locations anywhere from flats to creek channels to main channel depending on water clarity,” Morgan advises. When looking to fish in cover, Morgan has a few key locations for anglers to check first. “Cover will be anything from grass to grass edges, wood, rock and sometimes simply bait fish,” concludes Morgan.
If the water is clear, Morgan prefers Natural Shad. In stained water, he switches to Chartreuse Sexy Shad. For muddy water, Morgan will favor Strobe Shad.
Diving up to 7-feet, the KVD J300 has great castability, 3D eyes, and premium black nickel hooks for lethal action. Anglers from coast to coast keep the J300 on the boat deck at all times.
Morgan’s choice for clear water is Natural Shad, while he opts for Chartreuse Sexy Shad if the water is stained. Strobe Shad is Morgan’s first choice if water is muddy.
Lethal action and the perfect combination of roll, wiggle, and flash, the KVD J300 Deep dives up to 11-feet and has a proprietary weight transfer system for increased castability.
He opts for Natural Shad in clear water, and switches to Sexy Shad 2.0 if the water is stained. Morgan opts for Fire Craw when in low-vis conditions.
Andy Morgan worked with the Strike King team to create the best flat-sided crankbait on the market. The thin body design of the Chick Magnet and the circuit board lip impart a tighter wobble and an exceptionally lifelike action to the lure.
If the water is clear, he will throw Natural Shad, while more stained water calls for Sexy Shad 2.0. Fire Craw is Morgan’s go-to in muddy conditions.
A smaller version of the award-winning Chick Magnet, the Chick Magnet Jr. dives up to 6-feet and maintains the tight wobble and enhanced water displacement for attracting more bites.
This time of year, you'll experience lakes that still have stained to dirty water conditions that are typical for the pre-spawn. Those conditions are beneficial because fish won't get as good of a look at your bait as they do in clear water conditions. However, many lakes in this zone have already cleared up, so in these clear water conditions, Tristan is hoping for wind to break up the surface and add a little bit of stain back to the areas he's fishing.
McCormick is always looking for and paying attention to current in March. Lots of current congregates fish in specific areas instead of bass being super spaced out. Tristan always says, “More current equals more bites!” The main cover he’s looking for is offshore ambush points such as long points, stumps, and gravel.
If the water is clear, McCormick prefers Blue Glimmer. In stained water, he switches to Chartreuse/White. For muddy water, he will favor Fire Craw.
McCormick prefers the Tungsten Thunder Cricket in ½ oz because it’s a great pre-spawn/staging search bait that covers a lot of water. It is also a similar body profile of a gizzard shad and catches both largemouth and smallmouth.
McCormick’s choice for clear water is Oyster, while he opts for Delta Red if the water is stained. Sexy Shad is his go-to in muddy conditions.
The Red-Eyed Shad is another great search bait for the pre-spawn. Variability in retrieval styles makes it very versatile this time of year.
If the water is clear, he will throw The Deal, while more stained or muddy water calls for Pearl.
The Z-Too is a perfect match the hatch bait for gizzard shad in Zone 3. McCormick will throw the Z-Too on a Rage Jighead for livescope fish, especially as a follow up to a KVD J300 Deep or Thunder Cricket.
He opts for Sexy Shad in clear water. If the water is stained, he will throw Phantom Watermelon Red Craw, while he will switch to Chili Craw if the water is muddy.
The KVD 4.0 Squarebill is great for covering water both on the bank and offshore bars. It is also great for staging fish in the pre-spawn time frame looking for a bigger meal.
Strike King pro Mark Davis has a few key spots that he recommends in Zone 3 during March.
Davis says he expects for the water temperature to be in the 50- to 60-degree range. “The best spots to fish are
secondary points, channel swings, shallow ditches, and drains,” Davis shares.
If the water is clear, Davis prefers the White. In stained water, he switches to the Chartreuse White. For muddy water, Davis will favor a Black Blue.
Changing the game for vibrating jigs, Thunder Cricket has a Jungle-style flipping hook and ultra-stiff, stainless- steel blade for unmistakable movement in the water.
His choice for clear water is the White Silver, while he opts for Chartreuse White if the water is stained. In muddy conditions, Davis opts for the Spot Remover.
KVD worked diligently to perfect the all-around perfect spinnerbait. Chief among the KVD Finesse Spinnerbait features is a smaller, redesigned Perfect Skirt® with natural colors for a realistic look and smaller profile in the water
He opts for the Moon Juice in clear water, and switches to a Blue Craw if the water is stained. Davis chooses the Black Blue Flake when fishing in muddy conditions.
The Strike King KVD Perfect Plastics Game Hawg has the ability to slither cleanly through vegetation with no loss of action because of its lithe, supple body.
If the water is clear, he will throw a Green Pumpkin, while more stained water calls for a Blue Craw. Black Blue is a go-to for Davis if fishing in muddy water.
The Denny Brauer Baby Structure Jig is aimed at reducing hang ups and increasing hookups. The shape and weedguard angle reduces hang-ups while the wide footprint of the head helps increase your feel of the bottom.
He opts for Moon Juice in clear water. If the water is stained, he will throw the Candy Craw, while he will switch to a Blue Fleck if the water is muddy.
A specialized beveled tail design creates a unique action, making the KVD Finesse Worm an excellent choice for shaky head, drop shot, and wacky rigging.
