Water temps are sitting around 70 right now at Puddingstone, and the spring bass bite has finally unlocked. Fish are pushing up into shallow areas hitting everything from chatterbaits (white) to dropshots, jerkbaits, and Senkos. One angler reported pulling a 5 pounder on a glide bait as well. The backside on the northwest shore has been producing numbers, while the bigger fish seem to be farther out on the main lake.

Trout action has been quiet over the last few weeks, although another CDFW stock was reportedly dropped this week, so we should see an uptick shortly.

Some big hand-sized bluegill are starting to be caught shallow as well.

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.