Shad balls in the back of coves 2-20

[Bigmo]

Went out yesterday and only caught 3 on points. One was a 3lb. Smallmouth and the other 2 were non keepers in a few hours. But what surprised me was that I saw several shad balls in the middle to the very back of coves. While casting through them i could see bass attacking them. Is this normal for the shad to be back there so deep into the coves this time of year? 

[Quillback]

I also saw quite a bit of shad back in a couple of the coves, I think the warmer water near the surface brought them up, really saw some big schools of them, from a ways away they look liked shadows on the water.  Didn't really see any bass going after them however.   Some of the shad were struggling and saw some floaters here and there, almost lookedlike a cold water die off, but surface temps were 45-49 yesterday.  Maybe it's a seasonal thing, one of you guys that understand shad will have to explain that.

[Bill Babler]

Did I hear someone say Float-n-fly?

[96 CHAMP]

I seen them yesterday evening out at the end of a long run off, and this morning from out in 60' of water to 20', caught some kentuckys in the bunch but no blacks, been a few years back I found a good school of nice Ks and blacks in the back of a deep cove, all on grubs, Water temp at that time was 42, right time right place

[Quillback]

1 hour ago, Bill Babler said:

Did I hear someone say Float-n-fly?

That is a great idea, those shad are moving slow and some of them are struggling.  Ought to be perfect for a slow moving suspended bait like the F&F.  I always get a kick out of watching a bobber disappear.

[wareaglecamo]

talked to a very well known and respected TRL guide Friday night . . . he said everything will be three to four weeks early this Spring as it was 15-20 years back . . . also had the pleasure of having a conversation with Edwin Evers . . . very enjoyable:)

[JWT]

Shad balls in the coves you say?

strange... Any shad attached to them??

Sorry, couldn't resist..

[Tyler Martin]

I don't have any sonar, but I did see a couple floaters in shallow water as well. 

[abkeenan]

18 hours ago, wareaglecamo said:

talked to a very well known and respected TRL guide Friday night . . . he said everything will be three to four weeks early this Spring as it was 15-20 years back . . . also had the pleasure of having a conversation with Edwin Evers . . . very enjoyable:)

Could you explain his reasoning further? I've always thought that amount of sunlight is the determining factor for when fish do their thing. People also say that water temps is what triggers fish to go into baby making mode. Maybe people equate increasing water temps to spawn time but water temp is directly related to amount of sunlight attached to seasons. I'm not a biologist so I don't know if it is one, the other or combo of both but how would the season spawn pattern change as a result of anything that has happened to the lake composition with the last 15-20 years?

[Old plug]

I can tell you another one that triggers them as much as anything else. That is the length of day.