Warming Water Temperatures Push Fish to Shallow Structure

Fishing on Rough River is beginning to transition from winter toward early spring patterns.

Water temperatures are still cold, keeping most fish in deeper water, but longer daylight and warming trends are starting to move fish toward shallow structure.

Crappie are being caught around rock ledges, brush piles and submerged timber in roughly 10–20 feet of water. Bass remain in winter patterns near channel swings, ledges, and deeper cover, with slow presentations producing the best results.

As water temperatures begin pushing into the 50s over the next few weeks, anglers should start seeing crappie activity increase and bass moving toward early spring staging areas around the lake.

Late winter and early spring are often when some of the biggest bass of the year are caught, as fish begin feeding more aggressively ahead of the spawn.