Water temps continue to dip at Puddingstone, now hovering around 62 degrees. Even with that slight cooling, the stable, warm winter stretch has bass starting to lean toward early prespawn behavior. Plenty of 1 to 3 pound fish are eating crawfish-imitating soft plastics and smaller crankbaits from the bank out to about 15 feet. The mid-afternoon heat has them most active. Give it another couple weeks of this weather and the push toward spawn mode should pick up.

The second trout plant of the year is expected next week. That’s good news for PowerBait shore anglers, and it should also kick the bass bite up another notch.