Start Looking Shallow

The 10-day forecast for my hometown in North Georgia shows highs in the 60s every day! Given strings of sunny days, bass, crappie and bluegill should be moving onto shallow flats in big numbers during that time. Much is spawn related, but the fish also find food in the shallow water as the water warms and move into ambush positions around shallow cover. The best places to find the earliest shallow bite in major reservoirs tend to be big cover-rich flats that are close to deeper water and where the water is somewhat stained -- often close to a main lake. As spring progresses more fish will move well up the creeks. I'm ready for warm weather and for the shallow bite.

My next fishing stop actually is the White River in Arkansas. As a tailwater, the White is always cold, and the fish are much more impacted by water levels than water temperatures. By the time I get home, though, I expect the fish in the ponds around home to be shallow and aggressive and for the fishing action to make it seem more like spring.

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