Fishing in May: What's Biting
The species with the strongest bite in May across the lakes in our guide, how to fish each one and where to go.
Largemouth Bass
As water climbs from the high 40s into the 50s, bass slide out of deep winter spots and stage on points and channel edges in 5-15 ft near shallow coves. Warm afternoons push them into the shallows to feed. Slow-rolled spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and lipless cranks find them well.
Try: Plastic worms (Texas, wacky, Carolina), Jigs with craw trailers, Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits.
Bluegill
At 50-60F bluegills move from deeper holes to warm, shallow flats near weeds in 3-8 ft. Small jigs, worms, and tiny flies do well on bright afternoons.
Try: Worms and crickets, Wax worms, 1/64-1/32 oz jigs.
Crappie
At 50-60F, crappie move from deeper brush to shallow coves, bushes and docks in 3-10 ft. Small jigs or minnows below a float find them. Fish early in the day.
Try: 1/32-1/16 oz jigs with soft plastic bodies, Live minnows, Small spinners.
Walleye
After ice-out, walleye gather near tributaries and rock and gravel shorelines at 40-50F in 3-12 ft. They feed best at dusk and into the night. Jig-and-minnow, stick baits and slow crankbaits work well.
Try: Jig with minnow, Nightcrawler harness on a bottom bouncer, Crankbaits.
Smallmouth Bass
When water reaches the mid-40s to low 50s, smallmouth move from deep wintering holes to rocky flats and points near spawning areas, usually 8-20 ft. Tubes, hair jigs and suspending jerkbaits crawled along rock are tops.
Try: Tube jigs, Drop-shot with small minnow plastics, Ned rig.
Channel Catfish
At 50-60F, channel cats move out of deep holes to shallow flats, creek mouths and riprap at 3-12 ft. Cut bait, worms and stinkbait fished on bottom work well, mostly evenings.
Try: Cut shad or bluegill, Chicken liver, Nightcrawlers.
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