Coastal Forecast: Sabine

The Potential of March

I T IS MARCH. The windy month with all the potential.

There’s no doubt that some of the most memorable days we’ve ever spent on Sabine Lake were during this month. Whether it be speckled trout, redfish or flounder, when the stars line up just right, the fishing can be better than good.

Checking my logbook helps jog my memory and brings me back to days when I was totally convinced that fishing just couldn’t possibly get any better. Those days date back to the 1970s when dad would take us fishing, all the way up to March 2017. I’m certain this year will be no different.

Although Mother Nature sometimes seems confused as to which season it is, you can bet there will be some days this month when everything seems to come together. Warm temperatures, light winds, good tides, and plentiful baitfish usually amount to some serious rod bending action on Sabine.

If you’re lucky enough to have the right moon phase and barometric pressure thrown into the mix, you’ve got all the ingredients for some of the best fishing days of your life. Unfortunately, that same logbook is quick to remind me that catching fish in March can be very tough. The conditions can be downright nasty.

Brutal, relentless winds that seemingly never end and off-colored water are some of the challenges we have to contend with. The bite can be just as tough, as it can be good when the wind decides it wants to blow 30 mph.

Although big winds from the south and east are much better than from the north and west, you’ll still have to earn every bite you get. It’s never easy when you’ve got whitecaps in the bayou.

If you can catch a break from the wind, you should have little problem finding fish from Blue Buck Point to Coffee Ground Cove. Bouncing soft plastics on ¼- or 1/8-ounce lead heads off the bottom in one to five feet of water should get good results.

Color choices that have worked well for us are margarita, limetreuse, glow and smoke with chartreuse. Flounders making their way back from the gulf, find it very hard to resist the wobble of a curl tail grub such as GULP Swimming Mullet. Green, pink, and pearl work very well especially when tipped with fresh shrimp and dragged on the bottom.

When you hit a couple of fish in a spot, ease the anchor overboard or stick the Power Pole and work that area over real good. Keep in mind trout and reds should also be ganging up this month in the bay under working gulls.

The south end from the Causeway to Pleasure Island Marina should provide the most action. Rat-L-Traps, spoons, topwaters and soft plastics will all get the job done.

Hopefully the stars will line up just right and you can come join us here on Sabine in the month with all the potential.