March......Complicated Times, but Decent Fishing

[Jim C.]

I'm amazed how important fishing is to me, even more so in difficult times.  The sport becomes a safe port.  I hope you all remain well.  I feel lucky to live in a part of the country where "social distance" is a bit easier to maintain.

March has historically been one of the toughest months for open water fishing for me, with not a single trout or salmon coming to net that month until 2012.  I've fared better since then, but 2020 showed signs of lapsing back to the fishless days of years past.  There was absolutely no sign of life on one trip when the flows on a tailwater spot were way out of wack and a Plan B spot continued its record of being a long shot that rarely saves the day.  There were 3 other trips that were one hit wonders where I avoided a dance with the skunk by keeping a single fish pinned.

The month was not without bright spots, with holdover brookies being one of them.  Although the photo doesn't do it justice, the last one is a bit of a tank.







Salmon were a shadow of what I experienced in March 2018 and 2019.  Flows were erratic and ice shelves that provide good holding water just didn't set up to any extent.  I was able to come up with just a few small March salmon, all 2 year olds of 11-13".



As was the case in recent months, small marabou jigs triggered many of the bites.



Browns were elusive until late month, when I finally came up with some,  with a few being quite solid.  Their preferences varying from aggressive spoon and spinner techniques back to the subtle small jigs.  The last one took a 1/64th ounce marabou under a bobber about 100 feet out when I only had 0:10 left to fish.  My only hit of the day after throwing everything but the kitchen sink....have to love those kind of finishes 







I spent a  fair amount of time prospecting some interesting water, but none will qualify for Rookie of the Year of the Winter League.  To be fair though, one was far too high at the time.



And another more ponded and slack then I expected.



I'm also guessing that the wacky weather didn't make things any easier when testing new water.  By the 11th, I had run into 3 of these guys.



Then on the 30th, we were back to this.



There was one new stretch of water that did produce. It was rumored to have drop down splake.  I've had little problem catching these guys in a variety of situations, but I'd never caught one in open water in Maine between January and March.  The spot is a flowing water, with precipitous drop-offs quite common. Quite "splakish". 



It's on the way to and from a couple of my established winter spots, so I was a frequent visitor.  Finally on the 26th, I came up with a lone splake .  Certainly not the biggest, but it checked a a box. Personal firsts sure don't come around everyday





I took advantage of the early opener that IF&W gave us with a trip to a small coastal brook.  I ended up with 8 small natives by dropping a small ice jig tipped with a maggot into every pool and pocket.  These natives are tiny, but spirited and quite colored up for spring.









I rounded out the month with a couple trips on rotten ice for my annual jigfest. Golf counter days, with mainly perch and pumpkinseeds, with a few big pickerel in the mix.  It was time  to hang it up when the open water and geese drew closer.  On top of everything else, I don't want to catch some sort of bird flu









Hope everyone has a good April!

[bogtrotter]

Nice photo spread and story to go with it.

Great mix of fish in there.

[Steve H.]

Love it.  Thanks for sharing.

[Raquettedacker]

All of your posts have been great Jim.   Congratulations on being so successful.   

[TightLinesMaine]

Awesome report Jim, love all the pics but the splake and the native brookies are my favorites, great colors!  That splake water looks very fishy, scary dropoff for sure...

 I've got out once (to a medium tailwater) for an hour since the earlier opener, no luck yet but I have high hopes for this friday    itching to get into some natives as well myself

[Jim C.]

Thanks, Randall.  Sure isn't a spot to daydream in chest waders!

Good luck Friday!

scary dropoff for sure...

[NBourque]

Good report and pics, Jim. April should be a good month as long as we don’t get too much rain.

[fish wayniac]

Jim, Great report with a nice variety of fish caught. Awesome!

[stguy]

Awesome as always Jim!!

It's a good thing you don't have to resort to a life of crime, if you were half the criminal as you are an angler we'd all be in trouble.

[franklin fisher]

Love the mixed bag.

[zwiggles]

Nice job on the splake! That must have been rewarding for you!

[caught_the_fever]

With the recent dynamics, I came in hopes of an early Jim C post not to be disappointed!!   Another awesome run and so glad to see you hit a first with that splake - I'm guessing you likely don't have too many of those remaining, at least as it pertains to the Maine fishery.

I've been itching to get out myself but I've been watching the boy for most of the last month - don't quite trust him near open water by myself yet until I'm able to launch my kayak.  Did head out last Saturday and go into a few nice stocked rainbows.  Lost my rapala that brought the first to net on a submerged log and switched over to a size 5 Mepps aglia - I thought it may be a bit too aggressive for brookies but the adrenaline started pumping when I happened to look down and saw two pigs contemplating the take. 

Thanks for another interesting post.  Obviously understand everyone has their own favorite source of the news but I've been enjoying those few moments of outdoor video that has been capping off the local NBC broadcasts each evening.  That connection to the outdoors is good for the soul and I appreciate them bringing it to those who may not be able to get out there like many of us. 

[Jim C.]

Congrats on those rainbows, Mike!

With the recent dynamics, I came in hopes of an early Jim C post not to be disappointed!!   Another awesome run and so glad to see you hit a first with that splake - I'm guessing you likely don't have too many of those remaining, at least as it pertains to the Maine fishery.

I've been itching to get out myself but I've been watching the boy for most of the last month - don't quite trust him near open water by myself yet until I'm able to launch my kayak.  Did head out last Saturday and go into a few nice stocked rainbows.  Lost my rapala that brought the first to net on a submerged log and switched over to a size 5 Mepps aglia - I thought it may be a bit too aggressive for brookies but the adrenaline started pumping when I happened to look down and saw two pigs contemplating the take. 

Thanks for another interesting post.  Obviously understand everyone has their own favorite source of the news but I've been enjoying those few moments of outdoor video that has been capping off the local NBC broadcasts each evening.  That connection to the outdoors is good for the soul and I appreciate them bringing it to those who may not be able to get out there like many of us.

[lowaccord66]

Great report Jim, stay well.

[Stickbait]

All in all,I would have to say that despite the struggle,March turned out ok. Great narrative per usual,not to mention great pics!!