I went out Friday so I now have a report from my observations. Thought I should revise my fishing report as this lake is changing daily.

The lake is currently at 601.17. Summer pool is 599.77 but at this time they want the lake much lower so the rule curve is 594ft. above sea level. So we are 7ft. high.

Water temps yesterday was 49 on the north end and 51 on the south. Should be vice versa but the water coming in is cold. The north end is very stained and will warm quickly sometimes 10 degrees in a single day.

The Kaskaskia arm is still not fishable due to so much silt coming in. The Okaw arm has recovered and has good color if the wind doesn’t tear it back up or we have another three-inches of rain.

The reason the Kaskaskia arm is so dirty is that Champaign got hit hard with the storms and in three days it all reaches Lake Shelbyville. The Okaw arm is more local. Most times the lake gets pounded and it goes to Carlyle immediately so you always need to take in affect where the rain is coming from.

Right now what we don’t need is another flood but with the whole southern part of the U.S. flooded we are going to hold the water. Fish will go way up the reservoir and way back in coves further than they should and their eggs will be left high and dry because they are going to drop the lake as soon as they can. Right now they are matching in-flow to out-flow.

The crappie I found on the south end meaning Eagle boat ramp south were anywhere from 12-25ft. Plenty of fish on brush and stumps but sorting through all the small ones is the problem. About ten to one. Water color is perfect, slightly stained. Had a ball and in only three hours I caught about 40. Only six were over ten-inches so I opted for another plan.

The Okaw arm from point six up to just past the Wilborn boat ramp. Water has more color but still fishable. Didn’t go any higher but will this week. Won’t take much to destroy it so thankfully we don’t have any rain this week to speak of. Just high winds out of the west a couple of days and for the most part it will be protected since it runs north and south.

Up here anglers are spider rigging and long lining open water. A lot of the bigger fish are roaming looking for food. This is very effective in early April. I am tight lining over stumps, brush, Georgia cubes and manmade stumps with myself and two clients all up on the nose. In 8-12ft. For this reason not seeing a lot of fish on the Shelby cubes since they are put in deeper.

Depending on how much wind I am using a 3/32oz. all the way to a 1/4oz. Deep Ledge Jig. They shine in cover all all the locals use them around here. I personally make them and sell them both on my on-line store or at Chip’s Marine, Howies LakeSide and Gregory’s Resort. I tip them with a Brushpile Hammer or Dart. I use a lot of Peppercorn Pearl, or Green Goblin and if it is muddy I go with Wyatt’s Blue Magic.

Not doing a lot of pendulum across the structure too many little very aggressive crappie in with the bigger ones. I am pushing up slow right on bottom. The allowing my self to drift back slowly. If no wind I now have a trolling motor on the back a quick tap and I drift back a couple feet. I never turn the head or even have to use the trolling motor on the front. Spooks the fish.

I have a ton of waypoints and this is what it takes right now, spawning and really bunching up isn’t for at least two weeks. So we get two or three over ten and move on. I have one day left open for spring crappie fishing and that is April 16th. The best weather day we have this week and it should be very good fishing. I attend a lot of fishing shows through the winter so my spring is always booked solid. This week starts a 7 day a week grind until July. Hope the old man holds up and more importantly the boat.

Steve Welch
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