March brings with it the uncertainty of the weather. One day it’s 25 degrees, the next it’s 45 and then it’s 60 with bright sun and wind. The constant change often doesn’t allow the water temperatures to climb with any consistency. Because of this, we typically spend much of our efforts getting our flies down to the bottom. This brings its own challenges because the rain keeps the water levels in a perpetual state of big swings. The Smallmouth Bass are typically found in the slower, deeper, winter holes. It’s our job to determine what it takes to get our flies to them. Today we have the ability to place our flies in front of the fish in better ways than ever before. The multitude of sinking style fly lines available will boggle anyone’s mind, novice or expert.
I personally carry three of these sinking lines to achieve the water depth and sink rate I feel I need. First is Scientific Anglers Sonar Titan Float/Sink Tip 3 (WF-X-F/S) fly line which sinks at 2.5 to 3.5 inches per second. Second is Scientific Anglers Sonar Titan Float/ Intermediate (WF-X-F/I)fly line which sinks at 1.25 inches per second. Third is an Instant Sink Tip 3which is four feet of sinking braided line designed to be tied onto a floating fly line. These three options allow you to choose how quickly your fly sinks in the water column. Determining which one to use is your job.
In the simplest terms, if you have been fishing for 30 minutes and haven’t hung up on the bottom, you need more weight. If you are hanging up on every cast, you need less weight. The Smallmouth Bass tends to be less energetic in March than in the coming months but this can easily be the best time of the year to catch your largest smallmouth.
March Water Temperature
The water temperatures greatly influence everything about the Smallmouth Bass, from the food available to their metabolic demands. Water temperatures below 50 degrees typically force us to “dredge the bottom” with nymphs and crayfish. Fishing these under an indicator or using the Swing Nymph or Euro Nymph Technique, will allow you maximum depth. If you find you are not getting to the bottom quickly enough, add a split shot, add in an Instant Sink Tip 3 or add a second fly to add additional weight. The goal of nymph fishing is to put your fly immediately in front of a “lethargic” Smallmouth Bass in the hopes it just can’t refuse an easy meal.
Temperatures of 50-60’s increase the Smallmouth’s metabolism enough that they feel like chasing minnows. This translates to, we have a chance to catch them on streamers. Obtaining the depth needed to catch Smallmouth Bass on streamers in March is seldom achieved with a floating fly line. Considering the water levels we have right now, I will start with my Scientific Anglers Sink Tip III, a Six Foot 0x Fluorocarbon Leader and a 1/0 Featherlite Changer or a 1/0Murdich Minnow. The other option is using heavy streamers like a #4Tungsten Cone Head Marauder, #4 Murray’s Madtom/ Sculpin or a #4 Skulpin Bunny if the water is particularly high. Remain flexible on the location you choose, the water levels constantly change through the month of March with rain, snow and a lack thereof.