Just a quick note I spend Feb/Mar at my place in ARK, my big crappie this year was 3 lbs 10 ozs, my big Brown was 8 lbs on the Red.

I am back home in N/central WI and this year fishing compared to last year is starting slow. I am retired and fish 4-5 days a week. I also keep a diary (35 years) and in checking last year 4/24th started off hot and kept going. To date small females are hanging around the shallows and the slab males laying back away have been scattered and not stacking, also, they are very black already. Plenty of small gills hanging around and no bulls. Bass in the shallows, (23 incher on my 4 wgt last wk). Comparing weather this year it has been very unsettled with extremely high winds, mostly S/SE, 10-20MPH. Waves will affect the panfish coming in. I don't believe there will be a good spawn this year. Also clarity on many of the lakes I fish is 10-15 ft down and I don't see any fish swimming around and few new weeds appearing yet. Next wk after the tourists lv it may be hot-ter? Mem. day is early this year. I only fliy fish and remember to catch and release if you hit the beds - the best time for the big "guys" is after they bed.