Top 4 Early Spring Fishing Species

Early spring fishing is eagerly anticipated for several reasons. As the water warms and the lid of ice melts, cold, sulking fish become more active and are hungry. When fishing in March anglers often find fish still grouped together, plus this is often a terrific opportunity to land some of the biggest fish of the year. The best freshwater fish to catch in early spring depends on your personal preference and the body of water.

1. Pike

For example, one of the best fish to catch in spring is pike. Although they are often caught through the ice, pike are notoriously active just as the ice comes off lakes or rivers. As with many early spring fishing species, the answer to how to find the best fishing spots in spring often involves locating shallow, grassy or weedy flat areas where fish begin to hunt and congregate around pre-spawning activity. Watch for plumes of silt where you missed seeing a pike, then slow down, make long casts, and slowly retrieve a spinnerbait, spoon, or jerkbait.

2. Bass

Although a little more sluggish than pike, these same areas often are the best early spring fishing locations for bass. In a weedy lake cove which was covered with ice two days earlier, I watched professional angler, Kevin VanDam, consistently land chunky largemouth bass to win a Bassmaster Classic tournament. He used a lipless crankbait to rip through the top of submerged grass and often got hits when the lure was allowed to flutter down. In shallower areas, a slow spinnerbait is always a good lure to start. If fishing for smallmouth bass in a river, try jigs with a curly grub tail or medium sized swimbaits, bounced just fast enough to keep from snagging rocks.

3. Crappie

Another one of the best freshwater fish to catch in early spring is crappie. Crappie are fond of hanging around submerged timber and brush but regarding where to fish in spring, again, go shallow. Cast into flooded trees and shrubs along the bank, using small jigs and/or small minnows. A bobber complicates the cast in brush but allows for exact lure depth control for these fish which often suspend in large numbers.

4. Trout

A list of early spring fishing species also should include cold-water loving trout but when you are getting your new fishing license, be sure to check trout regulations in your area. For example, freshwater fishing in March is too early for trout “season” in Pennsylvania which opens for harvest in mid-April. However, there are catch and release areas called “delayed harvest” streams where lures such as flies, micro jigs, and tiny crankbaits are permitted. If trout harvesting is open in March in your waters, the top bait for spring trout fishing often is minnows, fish eggs, or any of a large variety of scented pastes which usually come in small jars.