The March madness of fishing

Fishing in March can lead you to madness.  

One day, the fish are almost jumping into the boat; the next day, they are nonexistent.  

This was the case on Friday afternoon.  

Trent Gustafson and I launched the skiff around 5 p.m. The weather was warm, and the tide was dead low – perfect conditions to target redfish in the shallows. 

We made a short run to a shallow flat with large oyster bars. For months, a large school of redfish called this area home. I was highly confident and expected to catch a redfish on my first cast. Fifty casts later, I was still without a fish. Thankfully, Trent managed to catch a small redfish. 

Jokingly, I said let’s take a picture because that may be the only fish we catch. Well, the joke was on me. That was the only fish we caught. 

Trent and I covered a lot of water. We fished in several locations that have historically been very productive at lower stages of the tide. We did not catch another redfish. We did not even see another redfish. It could have been maddening. But the weather was warm, the drinks were cold, and we were on a boat in a beautiful setting. How bad can that be? 

Fishing in March can lead you to madness. When fishing is tough, stop and take a moment to look around. Spring in the Lowcountry is truly something to behold. In such a beautiful setting, catching fish is simply a bonus. 

COMMUNITY FISHING CLASS   

Location: Providence Church on Daniel Island 

Date: Saturday, March 28, 10 a.m. to noon 

Topic: How to locate fish and techniques to catch them 

If you would like to attend the class, please send me an email at captgregp@gmail.com.