me and a buddy are making a trip to  someplace south. we are in NJ and wanna go fishing on spring break. not sure where is the place to be for really good fishing in march? i have a 17ft tracker with a 60hp so i can handle most lakes.  any recomendations for some really awesome fishing, maybe for smallies?

Depends on how far you want to go.  If you want to fish in the Tenn, Alabama, Georgia area Guntersville in northeastern Alabama is the best lake in the southeast except for lakes in Florida.  If you want to go all the way to Florida some of the lakes in Polk County Florida would be good, Toho, Kissimmee, etc...

how about dale hollow? im willing to go to florida but if i can get an awesome place closer id like to. guntersville is an idea

Two words: Stick Marsh.

Most people don't realize it but we have some of the best fishing in the country right here in Va.  Buggs Island is absolutely loaded with 3-5lb bass.  We have a small (900) acre lake called Briery Creek that produces MANY bass over 10lbs every spring.  It's nothing but standing timber but it's full of hawgs!  

Honestly though, there's a million places to hit in the southeast in March that would make your trip worthwhile.  

Two words: Stick Marsh.

X2

Two words: Stick Marsh.

Yes, I forgot about Stick Marsh.  Idle speed only or hire a guide.

The spill way at the southeast corner of Farm 13 is always good if the water is flowing.

Yeah there are some great fisheries in Virginia.  Sandy River Resevoir which is near Briery Creek, also is supposed to have some big fish..  

You can't go wrong in the south east, some of the best places in the world to fish for largemouth, catfish, tarpon and reds.  Lake Lanier used to be a great place to fish but last I heard it was still pretty low.  Louisiana over on the West bank has some really good bass fishing, or you can go down to the orange groves in south Florida and catch some good bass.  If you had the finances and time I would go down to south Florida and get in some of those inter coastal's that way you can fish for all kinds of species in brackish water.  Just a suggestion.

Lake Varner in Covington, GA or Lake Lanier in Cumming, GA.

Varner is PACKED full of fish over 8. One of our members here on BR, Randall, caught a 15lber out of Varner last year. It's an electric motor only lake, but the fish will be spawning about the time your trip is set to take place. Varner is pretty clear and if your a good sight fisherman, it's the place to go.  Many of the 1-day jonboat tournaments out there are won with 25-35lbs/5 fish

Lanier is still very low, but the magnum spotted bass sure don't care. They are slaying big fish on Lanier right now and that will continue all year. The water is super clear and since almost all of the 72 ramps are closed, the pressure has been low.

If you choose to go to Varner, email Randall Kirkpatrick with Fish Atlanta Guide Services. He has awesome prices and will teach you more in a day than you have learned your whole life.

If you go to Lanier, contact Ryan Coleman. He is the most popular guide on the lake and to add to his credentials, he won the BASS Invitational on Lanier in 2007. The dude knows his stuff.

Good luck and have fun!

Don't take that 17 foot boat to Guntersville in March unless you like spearing waves and draining batteries.

Lake Varner in Covington, GA or Lake Lanier in Cumming, GA.

Varner is PACKED full of fish over 8. One of our members here on BR, Randall, caught a 15lber out of Varner last year. It's an electric motor only lake, but the fish will be spawning about the time your trip is set to take place. Varner is pretty clear and if your a good sight fisherman, it's the place to go. Many of the 1-day jonboat tournaments out there are won with 25-35lbs/5 fish

Lanier is still very low, but the magnum spotted bass sure don't care. They are slaying big fish on Lanier right now and that will continue all year. The water is super clear and since almost all of the 72 ramps are closed, the pressure has been low.

If you choose to go to Varner, email Randall Kirkpatrick with Fish Atlanta Guide Services. He has awesome prices and will teach you more in a day than you have learned your whole life.

If you go to Lanier, contact Ryan Coleman. He is the most popular guide on the lake and to add to his credentials, he won the BASS Invitational on Lanier in 2007. The dude knows his stuff.

Good luck and have fun!

Varner is the place to go if you want a chance at true monster of a bass. Randall's rates are very low because he doesn't have to put gas in his boat. You can't go wrong with two or three days out with him. Then from Covington you can reach sevaral great lakes that are within a 45min drive from there. (Oconee, Jackson, Sinclair, Lanier)

I vote Dale Hollow.  It can be tough to fish and you might get skunked one day, but you could also boat 15 3-5lb smallies.  Jigs in PB&J, cumberland craw, or green pumpkin w/ a little orange work all year long.

I agree with the Buggs Island, except here in NC we call it Kerr Lake. You can catch plenty of bass plus stripers ( they naturally spawn  in the lake ) also you can fish Lake Gaston which is just a few minutes driving from Kerr. Both of these lakes have plenty of bass.

Lake Wiley is fun - may not be the best fishin but their stripers arekiller!