Saltwater: Inshore: Capt. Judy Helmey reports, “I believe that all fish look forward to March. This is the month when water temperatures will start to rise and not even a passing cold front can stop it. My father used to say, ‘When it’s 65, everything is alive!’
Bottom fishing is great in the sound because everything is on the move. Bull whiting should start showing up near sandbars in the sound. The best bait is going to be small pieces of peeled shrimp laced on small hooks fished directly on the bottom. The best hook size is a No. 4 to No. 6 kahle hook or a No. 4 to No. 6 classic j-hook. Whichever hook you prefer, use the thin tinned style. Use a Carolina-rig, and fish on the bottom. Use a light-tackle rod/reel setup with 10- to 15-lb. monofilament (braid will work) when targeting whiting.
March is a great time to look for trout and redfish. Live shrimp under a float is going to be the best bait. However, they might be hard to come by and also very expensive. So far this year dropping your cast net in the deeper holes has provided fishermen with some live shrimp.
