Wednesdays are fishing days for me, as I get out of the classroom at 12:40 on Wednesdays. Tonight I had a short time frame because of work on the other end of town at 5:00 but still managed to put in about 2-1/2 hrs in between. I knew with the warm sun beating on the water the last two days, it would be worth it. I headed to a notorious spring spot and started out throwing a spinnerbait and a flipping jig. The water temperature closest to the main current was holding at a reasonable 42 degrees. The further I advanced into the backwater, the warmer the water got. Once I hit 44 degrees I felt the first hit of the day and hooked up, only to lose it at the boat without even seeing it, but it felt like a solid fish..I advanced furter into the backwater and things just started to ignite. By the time I made it to the back of the lake, the water temperature was holding at an amazing 51.2 degrees, and the fish were eating. Time was an issue at this point, as I only had about a half hour left, but I quickly put 3 keepers in the boat, busting off another nice one after it wrapped me in a laydown. There’s nothing worse than watching a 2-1/2 lber leaping into the air over and over just feet from you trying to throw your jig, but you can’t have it! 
I was fortunate to have one of those 3 keepers be a toad, 19″ and way over 4 lbs. Check out the picture of that fatty! All the fish today were caught on a black and blue swim jig fished slow. THUMPPP!! It sure feels good to catch the first pool 8 fish of the year.
-Cade
