This past week has been very warm and calm. Within a two-day period, some of the bays warmed from 52 degrees all the way up to 65 degrees.

Last Tuesday I checked an area that the smallmouth bass use for their spawning beds every year and there wasn't any activity. The water temperature was 52 degrees.

Thursday found me back in the area and amazingly, the bass were already on beds. The water temperature had risen to 67 degrees. I take great pleasure in just roaming around the shallows looking for fish on sunny, calm days that allow for good visibilit.y. This past week I have seen big walleyes in two or three feet of water--some big pike and lots of smallmouth bass. It is almost as much fun just watching the fish as it is to catch them.