Winter turned out to be a brutally cold one and that has water temps cooler than usual. As of the middle of February our rainfall has been less than normal. This could make for a earlier spring as long as we don’t get a ton of rain. March fishing is all about finding salty water. If the rain is less than average, the Mobile River will be a good place to look for specs. The Theodore Industrial Canal is another place to find specs coming off their winter naps.
Bull reds are still hanging out in the passes at the gulf. Some of the near shore rigs may be worth checking out as well. Orange Beach is a good place to find salty water and some big specs will be around the deeper docks in Old River and in some of the canals. I use soft plastics on jig heads for reds and Mirrolures for trout.
Typically I look to the creeks that flow into the bay like Fowl, Dog, Fish, Magnolia, Bon Secour, and the Theodore Industrial Canal. With cooler water this year the Shoals and grass fats around Dauphin Island may not be worth checking out until later in the month My favorite baits are soft plastics on jig heads and Mirrolure’s glad shad. Try bright colors, chartreuse, pink, or white in dirty water and natural shrimp, root beer, or chartreuse in clear water. If I’m in salty water less than 4 feet Mirrolure’s Catch Jr. or Catch 2000 are my first choice.
The key this month will be to find the salty water. If your fishing the rivers look deep and fish slow. As the water warms up, more bait will show up and the feeding frenzy will begin. Good luck and stay out of the rain.
