May is a very good month on Lake Shelbyville for just about any sportfish. We usually don’t have as many fronts coming through in May as we do in April, and they’re not as severe, so the fishing is a little more stable.

White bass will have finished their spring run up the rivers and will be returning to the lake, along with walleyes.

For the whites, use baits that you can work fast to cover a lot of water to find them. Crankbaits, twister-tail jigs, blade baits, and in-line spinners are good choices for shallower fish. For deep ones, try jigging spoons or twister tails, bouncing them on the bottom.

People will be trying to catch walleyes and sauger. Most will be fishing drop-offs of the big flats or long points, but you might also pick them up in shallow water on crankbaits, or any of the white bass baits. They frequently hang out in the same areas as the whites. May and June are two of the better months to fish for walleyes.

Largemouth bass usually spawn in May or early June. The time leading up to the spawn is a good time to fish; when they come off the beds, they’re hungry and active. Any number of bass baits will work. Try your “confidence” baits first and go from there, taking into consideration water temperatures and weather conditions.

I prefer to start shallow, because I think that shallow fish are looking for food and are more aggressive than deep fish, and they’re easier to find. I love fishing topwater, but if that’s not working, I’ll try spinnerbaits or crankbaits to cover water. If that’s not working, I’ll slow down with soft plastics that I can work in and around cover like stumps and lay-downs (fallen trees). Then I work deeper if I have to. We frequently throw crankbaits just because about any species will hit them; you can cover water and any hit might be a largemouth, walleye, sauger, muskie or white bass.

Most anglers will be crappie fishing. Crappies could’ve spawned in April, but most will spawn in May, and some could wait ‘til June; it depends on water temperatures, which can vary, depending on what area of the lake you’re in. The north end warms up faster than the south end, and back in creeks, it’ll be warmer than on the main lake. Some people prefer minnows; we always use jigs—usually a 1/16-ounce lead head with a tube jig body. I didn’t realize that so many people still use minnows until I went to work at Chip’s Marine; they sell a ton of them!

In May, crappies should be pretty active whether they’re pre- or post-spawn. They should be shallow around wood or rocks. They’ll also be in the Shelbyville Cubes, artificial stumps, etc. Looking around cover is the best place to start. Minnows or jigs will both work; use which ever you prefer. Crappies should be active enough so that we won’t have to use a bobber (float) above our jigs. If you’re using minnows, you’ll probably want a bobber, although a lot of anglers here have gone to 10- to 18-foot rods and just dip their baits into the cover. I still use a 6-foot rod to cast for crappies.

If you get a chance to get out, it’s a good time; the fish are active, and the weather’s not too hot yet—hopefully!