March Bass Lure Fishing: Soft Plastics and Early Spring Tactics

The mornings are getting lighter and spring feels closer. March is often when we start looking forward to the season ahead, checking tackle and thinking about the marks we want to learn better.

Our own March bass catches have been relatively few, though some have been memorable fish. That is our experience around Cornwall, not a promise of larger bass or a reason to expect every early-spring session to produce.

Read the conditions rather than the calendar

Winter weather varies from year to year, and a March date does not establish the sea temperature or whether bass have moved close to shore. Look at the actual conditions, including wind, swell, flow and water clarity.

Clear water and a mild spell may encourage us to explore a familiar mark, but they do not guarantee a catch. Watch for baitfish and other activity without assuming that sunshine alone has brought the fish into feeding range.

Before fishing, check the current official bass-fishing rules for your location and date, including any seasonal, retention, size or local restrictions. Older annual guidance and catch limits should not be treated as current advice.

Soft plastics we like to explore

Our 6-inch Cornish Stick sets and 6-inch Cornish Slug sets have been useful options in our spring fishing. They give us slim profiles to experiment with rather than a fixed recipe for March.

Compare the current weighted and weightless options, hook details and total rigged weight. Choose a setup you can control at the intended depth and within your rod’s casting range.

For other shapes and sizes, compare our current soft plastic bass lure sets. Check each set’s current size, rigging and contents before choosing.

Low water, the flood and the ebb

We have enjoyed exploring marks around low water and the early flood, and we also like an ebbing tide in the estuary. These are different opportunities to learn how a particular venue changes, not competing rules about the best tide.

Look at which features you can reach safely and how the flow affects your presentation. A gully or weed edge may be worth investigating, but its appearance does not prove bass are waiting there for the tide.

Plan your return before the water rises. Do not follow an attractive feature into a position where your route out depends on staying ahead of the tide.

Try a controlled retrieve and pause

A medium-to-slow retrieve with a few gentle changes in movement is one starting point. We also enjoy a retrieve-and-pause approach with soft plastics, including paddle tails.

Some takes have come during short pauses. Experiment with the length of the pause while keeping enough contact to notice a change in the line, rather than treating a one-to-four-second count as a requirement.

Depth and rigging matter. A lure that works above shallow ground with one setup may snag or become difficult to control with another. Adjust to the water in front of you instead of assuming any linked soft plastic can be fished effectively in one foot of water.

If you see baitfish, compare their approximate size, profile and movement with your lure. A resemblance can guide the next choice, but it does not guarantee a bass will take.

Explore without rushing or taking risks

We have seen takes and swirls close to shore, so do not overlook the final part of the retrieve. That is not a claim that bass are always under your feet.

Cover accessible water thoughtfully, giving each presentation enough attention to learn from it. There is no need to change colour constantly or make sure every possible spot is covered.

Choose secure paths and fishing positions rather than rock-hopping between gullies. Waders are not a reason to enter unfamiliar ground, deep water or strong currents. Stay on safe ground if you are uncertain, and keep casts clear of other shore users.

A weighted craw as another option

We have had enjoyable winter fishing with weighted creature baits, which encouraged us to keep exploring them beyond winter.

The 3-inch Weighted Root Beer Craw is the current linked option. Compare its profile and rigging with your other soft plastics, rather than assuming a creature bait must outperform a slim lure in March.

Build a useful early-spring record

Check knots, leader, hooks and other tackle before the session. Carry reliable lighting and a backup if the outing may extend into darkness, and use them whenever needed for safe footing, unhooking or navigation.

Record the tide stage, weather, clarity, lure, retrieve and result, including blanks. The aim is to learn which combinations are worth revisiting at your local marks, not to turn one catch into a universal spring pattern.

Our recommendation is to keep the lure selection manageable, work it with control and let the conditions set the limits of the session. March is a chance to enjoy the changing season, whether or not a bass joins you. Tight lines from Bass Lures UK.