Memorial Day is upon us.  The lake was busier than most Memorial Days in recent history.  This is likely due to the unseasonably hot temperatures.  The heat wave has been warming the lake and improving the fishing tremendously.

Largemouth bass are still spawning in the shallows in 3-5 ft of water.  The best location is by Lake Lawn golf course, Viewcrest Bay or the Highlands Bay.  The best approach is fishing Wacky Worm Senkos in green pumpkin red flake.  With the warm weather, the best action is between 5 and 9 a.m.

Smallmouth bass are also still spawning on hard sand bottom in 12-14 ft of water.  The best location has been by Willow Point or Belvidere condos.  They can be caught drop shotting small finesse worms, split shot rigged nightcrawlers or fat head minnows.

Northern Pike action has been good in the shallow, weedy bays.  You want to use Thill slip bobbers with a medium sucker fished about 2 feet above the weeds.  Viewcrest Bay and Browns Channel have been my best areas.  I’ve been working a depth between 8 and 10 ft of water.

Crappie fishing has also been very good on the weed line in 12-15 ft of water.  The best location has been by the marina in the middle of the lake or by Belvidere Park.  Purple and pink have been my best colors for the plastics fished on a 1/32 oz Arkie jig.

Bluegill fishing has been excellent.  The fish are in 4-5 ft of water.  On a secondary pattern they are suspended over 14-15 ft of water.  For the suspended fish, I’ve been using leaf worms on a single hook fished beneath the boat.  Some of the bluegills caught on Sunday were in excess of 10 inches.  The shallow fish can be caught on bobbers with leaf worms, hellgrammites or Lindy ice jigs tipped with wax worms.  The best location has been by Browns Channel or Willow Point fishing on the hard sand bottom.

Walleye fishing last week was very slow.  I had absolutely no success on any depth range.  With the bass bite so strong, save the walleye fishing for later in the year.

Good luck and I hope to see you on the water.  For guide parties, please call Dave Duwe at 262-728-8063