Baits for March

[BassFishingMachine]

For everyone who's lakes are frozen and are going to start fishing for bass again in March, what are the baits you'll most likely have with you to start with on that first day?

Mine will probably be Rapala suspending jerkbaits, power minnows, some small jigs, zoom super fluke jrs, rattle traps, spinnerbaits, and maybe some white stickbaits. And a few baitfish immitating topwaters that I will only throw if I see some surface action, or if its unusually warm.

What about you guys?

[cbfishalot]

Lucky Craft Jerkbait (staysee), Lucky Craft Jerkbait (pointer), Megabass Jerkbait (Ito 110) and a small tube (crooked creek)!!!!!!!!!

[T-rig]

Fat Ika's, Jigs, Jerkbaits, Swimbaits, Spinnerbaits and even topwaters.

[Popeye]

Lakes aren't frozen around here and I'm committed to use SENKOS. Had several nice strikes on Saturday but didn't hook up with anything (my fault, the fish were trying:o) Fished T-rig and Wacky weightless and I think that'll pay off soon.

[John J.]

I will probably work more around jigs, texas rigged plastics, shad series rattle-trap and probably throw a few wacky plastics.

[Sam]

Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, plastics and pointers.

Lizards when they go to bed.

[MALTESE FALCON]

When the ice goes out of my canal every spring, the baits that always produce are:

Suspending jerkbaits.

Spinnerbaits

Lipless crankbaits

Shallow Shad Raps

Plastic worms

Falcon

[bass wrangler569]

Jerkbaits, jigs, senkos, and some lipless crankbaits will be on my rods.

[HOIST-N-HAWGS]

Being a top water freak (throw top water all year) Buzzjet,LC 95/115 Gunfish and so to cover all of the water collum: Hud-bug,Jig, LC pointer and Rapala's Husky jerk,suspending cranks.

[Tin]

Small husky jerks, silent lipless cranks, 1/4 jigs, 1/8 shakey heads, and maybe a swimbait or two

[Pond Hopper]

Fiskas, swedish pimples, tear drop jigs, and that is because I will probably be ice fishing until April.  Otherwise jigs!

[.dsaavedra.]

suspending jerkbaits

shallow crankbaits

jigs

[Bankbeater]

crankbaits, lipless baits, and jigs.

[Crestliner2008]

The first thing I'll do is look for bait. If I mark bait balls in 10' - 15' of water, then I'd opt for the hard jerks, Thoroughly covering the 5' thru 15' depths. If the bait is deeper, the tube or drop shot would get my nod. Will depend on the water temperature, whether I fish a river or lake, water clarity, etc.. Most likely here in MA, I'll be hitting a local small lake, at ice out, to check out my gear and boat. The CT River here would probably be my best bet though. We'll just have to wait on the weather and see.  Tell you this much....ice out had better get here FAST!

[BassFishingMachine]

The thing I don't understand though, is I thought in colder waters bass don't like to chase baits. If thats true, then why is a lipless crankbait a good bait to use in these colder periods? As a lipless crankbait pretty much keeps moving, and I would consider a bait that requires chasing to grab. So why is it that a lipless crank is a good choice if the bass doesn't go far for a meal in these colder months?

[ohiobassmaster93]

smithwick jerkbaits and weightless worms

[Hookemdown.]

The thing I don't understand though, is I thought in colder waters bass don't like to chase baits. If thats true, then why is a lipless crankbait a good bait to use in these colder periods? As a lipless crankbait pretty much keeps moving, and I would consider a bait that requires chasing to grab. So why is it that a lipless crank is a good choice if the bass doesn't go far for a meal in these colder months?

A lipless crank causes a "reaction strike"( The bass inhales the lure on instinct.)

[fishfordollars]

The thing I don't understand though, is I thought in colder waters bass don't like to chase baits. If thats true, then why is a lipless crankbait a good bait to use in these colder periods? As a lipless crankbait pretty much keeps moving, and I would consider a bait that requires chasing to grab. So why is it that a lipless crank is a good choice if the bass doesn't go far for a meal in these colder months?

I personally don't believe that a bass won't chase in cold water. I have caught them in 50 degree water ripping traps as fast as I could. You cannot possibly take a bait from a bass if he/she wants it...They don't make a reel that will crank that fast.

[HesterIsGod]

I have a lot of baits/techniques that im just itchin to try and experiment with. my top 5 are:

1. The donkey rig

2. The wacky jig (see topic)

3. the craw experiment i talked about a few weeks ago in another thread, where i fish one plastic craw unmodified and another with one or two pincers cut off

4. I bought a bunch of grubs and i want to use them for lmb.

5. I am decent at lipless crankbaits right now but i want to become a master at them.