I'm in west central Indiana and I went to my a pond/lake at a club I belong to.  This is a strip pit lake so it is very deep and clear.  I used a new pool thermometer for the first time and took some temperature readings from the surface.  The pool thermometer floats so it reads the temp only eight or so inches down.  I had my thermometer on my baitcaster so I casted it out about teen to fifteen feet.  Anyway, the average temps were around 46 to 48 degrees.  I took the temp right up near the shore and it read around 48.  The air temperature was 60 F. and it was around 6pm.  

 

 So what do you think the bass are doing?   Do bass visit shallow water in 48 F. water?  Are they moving up but suspending in deep water?   Here is what I'm thinking - I won't be seeing any bass near shallow water until three weeks or so from now when hopefully the water temps at the surface reach 55 or so.  

A couple warm sunny days will get some bass moved in shallow.

During this time, do bass move or check out the shore/shallow water during morning time, mid-day afternoon, or when the sun is going down or anytime?  

During this time, do bass move or check out the shore/shallow water during morning time, mid-day afternoon, or when the sun is going down or anytime?  

 

You probably won't see them hanging out near shore -- but if the bait fish are shallow, the bass will come up to feed and then retreat again. If the bait fish aren't shallow, you probably won't find any bass shallow either.

 

For me, when I'm fishing from the banks (which is almost always), the bait fish are the biggest indicator of where the bass might be.

Spring time

Follow the bait

They gorge on food before spawning

+1

Follow the bait. You see some dark minnows trembling in a group at the bank, then throw a similar lure a feet yards out in front of them and bring into the bank.