Looking outside, you might notice something. The unmistakable signs that spring is springing.
After a long winter, it’s time to take the boat and go fishing. What follows are some of our top early-season fishing destinations. They include fresh and saltwater, the East Coast and West, and include some tips for making the most of early-season fishing trips.
Islamorada, Florida-Tarpon Season
The waters surrounding Islamorada in the middle Florida Keys are surrounded by some of the best fishing in the United States. Springtime brings tarpon season. Every year vast schools migrate through the waters of Florida Bay sometime between late February and early April.
You can choose between running and gunning across Florida Bay, looking for the moving schools of fish. You can also fish the edges of channels or drift baits back into the pylons of the bridges that connect the islands of the Keys.
Acrobatic and high-flying, tarpon fight hard and make long runs. A fight with big fish, 100 to 180 or so pounds, is likely to be an extended affair. You can target them on spinning gear, conventional, or even fly tackle. Small fish, from 10 to 40 pounds, are great fun as well.
There are access points for those with their own boats. There are also plenty of good guides in the area.
Grenada Lake, Mississippi-Spring Time Crappie Fishing
As water temperatures begin to warm, crappie become more active. They also congregate in larger numbers and move into shallower water.
When targeting springtime crappie, you’ll generally want to target areas of warmer water. When you find a spot that’s holding fish, target crappie around structure.
There are plenty of lakes across the Tennessee Valley, southern Midwest, and South that host great springtime crappie fishing. When it comes to high-end crappie destinations, few can compete with Mississippi’s Grenada Lake.
Consider… In March 2022, Grenada Lake hosted the Crappie Masters tournament. The tournament-winning limit of 14 fish weighed an incredible 44.71 pounds. The tournament also posted an incredible five crappie over four pounds.
Clear Lake, California-“The Bass Capital of the West”
Clear Lake, California’s largest natural freshwater lake, is located northwest of Sacramento. Widely considered one of the nation’s premier largemouth bass fisheries, springtime offers some of the most consistent fishing of the year.
With big fish moving shallow, you can target your personal best bucketmouth while taking in views of the Mendocino National Forest or the mountain views of the Clear Lake Volcanic Field. The lake itself sits in a volcanic crater.
Largemouths here average in the two to three-pound range. Four-pounders are common and it’s not unusual to catch an eight-pound bass here. Each year, Clear Lake is reputed to yield more bass between 3 and 7 pounds than any other fishery in California. The lake record comes in at an incredible 17.52 pounds.
The bass here are a combination of introduced Florida strain and northern strain largemouth. The lake’s fertile waters support a thriving crawfish population and plenty of forage baitfish. The result is a thriving big bass fishery and a great early-season destination.
Galveston Bay, Texas-Big Speckled Trout
Springtime is a great season to target big speckled trout on the Upper Coast of Texas. Not only can you catch big ones, but you can put up big numbers.
Speckled trout are numerous, they are a great target for fishing with kids and they perform quite admirably when fried. You can catch trout here in a number of ways.
When it comes to live bait, shrimp, finger mullet and croaker are hard to beat. You can fish live bait beneath a cork, drifting it down channel edges or casting into pockets in seagrass beds. You can cast live baits on light spinning gear, rigged with just enough split shot to get the bait where you want it.
If you prefer artificials, there are lots of choices here too. MirroLures—top-waters and swimbaits—are a great choice. You can also sling soft plastic jigs, rigged weedlessly, fished 18-24” beneath a popping cork.
Not only is Galveston Bay a great fishery, it offers a variety of visitor experiences. If you’re staying in Galveston itself, there are boardwalks and restaurants. In the more remote stretches of the Bay, you can take in beautiful, productive coastal wetlands. This part of the world is also a great place for bird watching.
Tips for Staying Warm
When you’re fishing the early season, you’ll always want to be prepared. The weather this time of year can be wild. It can be cold, windy, and rainy—even when the forecast calls for clear blue skies. It can also change in an instant.
With that in mind, here are a few things
to consider:
1.Boat Checklist: If your boat has been sitting all winter, you’d be well served to check the basics before leaving the dock:
2.Dress in Layers and Don’t Forget the Raingear: Because the weather can change so rapidly this time of year, dress in layers. Top it all off with a windbreaker or outer layer that’s waterproof. This way you are prepared for whatever comes
your way.
Back to Blue Life
After a long winter, it’s time to take the boat and go fishing. What follows are some of our top early-season fishing destinations. They include fresh and saltwater, the East Coast and West, and include some tips for making the most of early-season fishing trips.
Islamorada, Florida-Tarpon Season
The waters surrounding Islamorada in the middle Florida Keys are surrounded by some of the best fishing in the United States. Springtime brings tarpon season. Every year vast schools migrate through the waters of Florida Bay sometime between late February and early April.
You can choose between running and gunning across Florida Bay, looking for the moving schools of fish. You can also fish the edges of channels or drift baits back into the pylons of the bridges that connect the islands of the Keys.
Acrobatic and high-flying, tarpon fight hard and make long runs. A fight with big fish, 100 to 180 or so pounds, is likely to be an extended affair. You can target them on spinning gear, conventional, or even fly tackle. Small fish, from 10 to 40 pounds, are great fun as well.
There are access points for those with their own boats. There are also plenty of good guides in the area.
Grenada Lake, Mississippi-Spring Time Crappie Fishing
As water temperatures begin to warm, crappie become more active. They also congregate in larger numbers and move into shallower water.
When targeting springtime crappie, you’ll generally want to target areas of warmer water. When you find a spot that’s holding fish, target crappie around structure.
There are plenty of lakes across the Tennessee Valley, southern Midwest, and South that host great springtime crappie fishing. When it comes to high-end crappie destinations, few can compete with Mississippi’s Grenada Lake.
Consider… In March 2022, Grenada Lake hosted the Crappie Masters tournament. The tournament-winning limit of 14 fish weighed an incredible 44.71 pounds. The tournament also posted an incredible five crappie over four pounds.
Clear Lake, California-“The Bass Capital of the West”
Clear Lake, California’s largest natural freshwater lake, is located northwest of Sacramento. Widely considered one of the nation’s premier largemouth bass fisheries, springtime offers some of the most consistent fishing of the year.
With big fish moving shallow, you can target your personal best bucketmouth while taking in views of the Mendocino National Forest or the mountain views of the Clear Lake Volcanic Field. The lake itself sits in a volcanic crater.
Largemouths here average in the two to three-pound range. Four-pounders are common and it’s not unusual to catch an eight-pound bass here. Each year, Clear Lake is reputed to yield more bass between 3 and 7 pounds than any other fishery in California. The lake record comes in at an incredible 17.52 pounds.
The bass here are a combination of introduced Florida strain and northern strain largemouth. The lake’s fertile waters support a thriving crawfish population and plenty of forage baitfish. The result is a thriving big bass fishery and a great early-season destination.
Galveston Bay, Texas-Big Speckled Trout
Springtime is a great season to target big speckled trout on the Upper Coast of Texas. Not only can you catch big ones, but you can put up big numbers.
Speckled trout are numerous, they are a great target for fishing with kids and they perform quite admirably when fried. You can catch trout here in a number of ways.
When it comes to live bait, shrimp, finger mullet and croaker are hard to beat. You can fish live bait beneath a cork, drifting it down channel edges or casting into pockets in seagrass beds. You can cast live baits on light spinning gear, rigged with just enough split shot to get the bait where you want it.
If you prefer artificials, there are lots of choices here too. MirroLures—top-waters and swimbaits—are a great choice. You can also sling soft plastic jigs, rigged weedlessly, fished 18-24” beneath a popping cork.
Not only is Galveston Bay a great fishery, it offers a variety of visitor experiences. If you’re staying in Galveston itself, there are boardwalks and restaurants. In the more remote stretches of the Bay, you can take in beautiful, productive coastal wetlands. This part of the world is also a great place for bird watching.
Tips for Staying Warm
When you’re fishing the early season, you’ll always want to be prepared. The weather this time of year can be wild. It can be cold, windy, and rainy—even when the forecast calls for clear blue skies. It can also change in an instant.
With that in mind, here are a few things
to consider:
1.Boat Checklist: If your boat has been sitting all winter, you’d be well served to check the basics before leaving the dock:
- Batteries
- Brake lights and trailer
- Life Jackets
- Wiring and Connections
- Dock lines
- Gauges and switches
2.Dress in Layers and Don’t Forget the Raingear: Because the weather can change so rapidly this time of year, dress in layers. Top it all off with a windbreaker or outer layer that’s waterproof. This way you are prepared for whatever comes
your way.