Bartletts Ferry Fishing Report – March 2006

Bartletts Ferry: Level: 1.3 feet below full pool. Temp: 52-54 and climbing. Clarity: Stained after recent rains. Some muddy areas.

Bass: Some fish are already being caught in shallow water, and Jim Pass said having muddy water and warm temperatures is going to really help the water temperatures rise quickly. “The warm weather is about to heat the water up,” Jim said. It only took about 12 pounds to win a tournament on Saturday, February 25, but the bass fishing is on the verge of being excellent. Jim said a Carolina-rigged green pumpkin Zoom Baby Brush Hog with a chartreuse tail fished on points was a strong pattern for him. Jim never got a big bite in the tournament, but he caught good numbers. The winning angler was skipping green pumpkin Trick Worms under docks. “Skip your Trick Worm under the dock and let it settle all the way down to the bottom,” Jim said. “Work it slow.” March is a wonderful time to be at Bartletts Ferry, he said. “The shallow-water fishing is good now, and it’s only going to get better in the coming weeks,” Jim said. Rat-L-Traps, crankbaits and spinnerbaits should be shallow-water standouts this month. Also, plenty of spots are being caught on jigging spoons.

Stripers/Hybrids: If you want to go catching instead of fishing, keep that Flex-it spoon tied on and head to Halawakee Creek. “Go out in front of Chambless Marina, look for 22 feet of water, and check your electronics,” Jim said. “You can catch white bass, hybrids, stripers, and spotted bass in that spot on a 1/2- or 3/4-oz. white spoon right now.” It’s some of the most exciting fishing of the year, and the bite should hold up through March.