The recent warming trend has the main lake water temperature today at the bottom end of the lake at 47 degrees. This is about 5 degrees warmer on the main lake than a week ago and the sand bass like the warmer water. When the wind has let us get on the lake this week the sand bass bite has been good. Cloudy days before the fronts the fish are on top of the structure in 25ft to 30ft and on blue bird high pressure days the bite has been as deep as 40 ft. You can usually tell where the best bite will be by looking for the suspended schools of fish and shad off of the structure and fish at the level they are suspended on the the structure. We are still using 8lb. line and sensitive rod to feel the bites. Even though the water is really warmed up the bite can be really subtle. Best bait for this warming water is Cotton Cordell CC spoon ¾ oz. chrome using a couple short hops and holding the bait still just off of the bottom for the bite. All white bass fishing has been on the east arm of the lake from Isle Du Bois State Park to Wolf Island on main lake structure.
Largemouth bass fishing is also getting better with the warming water. I Have found water temperature in the mid 50's late in the day in protected areas. A couple more weeks of warming and prespawn bass fishing will really be good. Caught fish this week on Booyah Boogie 3/8 oz. chart/white and Cotton Cordell super spot ½ oz. tomatoe red. Have been fishing grass in 4ft to 6ft with deeper water near by. Not getting many bites and covering a lot of water to get the bites.
Have a good fishing week,
Tim