Keeping a detailed fishing diary will make you a better fisherman. Before heading out on yesterday’s trip I checked data for the past 2 yrs. on that date. 2019 was an outlier due to constant flood. This yr. will get an asterisk for low water just like ’06 & 1988.

Data both years showed water temp in the mid 40’s. In 2020 the bass were still suicidal on a Rat-L-Trap bite. Last year it was chilly. Found active walleyes in 22-23 fow.

Clients this year wanted to target walleyes/crappie We didn’t find the active in ,10 fow–even though the temp had warmed 5 degrees up to 53 over the previous 48 hrs.

Walleyes “stairstep” into deeper water in the fall. Reverse is true in the spring. We found active fish in 16-18 fow , dragging hair & meat. Short fish. When a 13″ slab hit a 1/4 oz jig & minnow it was clear the River was talking to us.

Switched to crappie fishing. On the trip 2 days earlier crappies were biting extremely light.4 ft. down over at least 10 fow. Had to got to a floro leader. A double uni joining it to hi-vis braid FOUR FEET LONG was a perfect strike indicator!

With water warming up beyond 50 the fish were aggressive. No need for floro. Bigger crappies tend to relate to a little different structure than average fish…when fishing this particular structure you’ll only pick up 1 or 2…but watching a thick 13-15 inch slabber do the Stevie Wonder head shake as you try to ease it out of hiding is a bona fide thrill!