Why Smart Bank Anglers Carry Two Rods in March

Author

Keith Lusher
March 05, 2025

Hey, Keith here.

As bank anglers, we often miss out on the best crappie fishing opportunities of the year. 

While you may be focused on bass, March is actually prime time for crappie—they're growing more active and feeding heavily to prepare for the upcoming spawn.

These schooling fish are concentrated in specific spots right now, and finding one usually means finding many more. And there's nothing better than a freezer full of crappie fillets for your next fish fry.

Most bank anglers make two critical errors this time of year:

First, they ignore "accidental" crappie catches, missing the signal that they've found a productive spot.

Second, they limit themselves to one rod with bass-specific baits, making it impossible to properly work a crappie school when they find one.

Before I get to how you can turn those accidental March crappie catches into a stringer full of slabs, here’s what I watched this week, as well as a link to a great deal I found!

BEST LINKS

What I watched this week

  • 3 Cold Water Bass Fishing Myths ALL Anglers believe (Anglers)
    My thoughts: Sometimes it’s true that we get locked in on one technique or speed in the winter. Wes does a great job of warning against a few of those cold water myths.

  • Breaking Down a Pond to Catch CRAPPIE FROM THE BANK! (FiveRiverRodBender)

    My thoughts: Keeping with the theme of catching crappie on a bass lure, this guy uses a 2-inch Keitech Smallmouth Magic lure to catch March crappie.  

Deal of the week

Calling all Okuma reel lovers! Okuma is offering several products at a 50% discount, including the Limited Edition Wave Off Spinning Reels, Helios SX Low Profile Baitcast Reels, and various rods and combos. 

How to turn that accidental March crappie into a stringer full

After catching a 12-inch crappie on my Ned Rig while bass fishing with my friend John Reagan on a chilly March day, I was ready to move on down the shoreline to catch more bass. 

That was a huge mistake!

John stopped me, switched to his Roadrunner, and proceeded to show me why you never leave a crappie spot in March.

“Crappie are grouped up tight right now, and where there’s one fish, there are more!”

We ended up with 12 keeper crappie from that single location.

Now I never hit the bank in March without two rods: one for bass and one rigged specifically for crappie.

Carrying a second rod rigged for crappie will allow you to switch over quickly and catch more from the school.

My crappie rod is always pre-rigged with either a Roadrunner, Beetle Spin, or a Bobby Garland jig—all are proven winners this time of year.

Here are a few tips to remember for making the most of your March fishing trips:

Two-rod strategy:

  • Bring two rods: one rigged for bass, one for crappie.

  • For your crappie setup, tie on either a Johnson's Beetle Spin or a Bobby Garland Crappie Jig.

  • Yes, it's one more rod to carry, but during March, it's worth the extra weight.

Location memory:

  • When you catch a crappie, STOP.

  • Mark exactly where your cast landed (use a landmark like a tree, rock, or dock).

  • This spot isn't just about the cover you see; it's about the exact spot where you got the bite.

Working the school:

  • Immediately switch to your crappie rod.

  • Make repeated casts to the exact same spot.

  • Gradually work a 10-foot radius around your original catch point.

  • Stay put and pound that area for at least 10 minutes.