so I live on a clear spring fed lake in nh. there are both lmb and smb in it the deepest part is 80 feet.  there are no weeds at all in the lake its a sandy rocky bottom for the most part.  the water temp Is 55 deg.  as I paddle around my lure 11.5 I can see nests a good amount of them but no fish. at first I thought maybe they were from last year, but this morning I went back out and I saw the smallies around them but they were super spooked. as soon as I got anywhere remotely close they were gone.  I tried casting from distances couldn't get any interest. I am guessing there building there nests getting ready to spawn not interested in eating at all?  what are your thoughts.  the lmb are cruising the shore lines as well a little deeper the smallies  are nesting in 4ft of water and I've seen some nests as deep as 14 ft.

If the smallies are beginning to nest, look for the closest ledges you can find.  Fish that are still feeding actively will be on/around those ledges, likely chasing bait or using cover to ambush.  At 55 degrees, you'll likely have pre-spawn fish as well as early spawning fish.  

 

Also, with spawning beds, if your lake has walleye or yellow perch, they typically spawn first and those could be the beds you're seeing.  If that's the case, still look for deep water access/ledges/points near the spawning beds. 

No walleye or yellow perch

 There's lmb smb white perch sunfish hornpout and trout.  I'm thinking some smallies are just starting to nest. It's been cold and rainy all week so the bass aren't really moving much.

look for cover on the closest drop, there should be staging fish hanging around that cover, usually fat mommas waiting for the males to complete making beds, most likely they are right under you, back off a bit, toss some bottom bouncing lures and feel for the cover on the structure, or run a deep diver crankbait to search them out

Throw a super spook over the top of them...or a suspending jerkbait through them.

I'll give that s try I did try a popper over the nest nothing I'll be back out this afternoon and see what a few days of warm weather has done

7 hours ago, nhpleasantlakebass said:

I'll give that s try I did try a popper over the nest nothing I'll be back out this afternoon and see what a few days of warm weather has done

It's not just the nest.  Nest sight fishing is kind of an art unto itself.  Find the closest dropoff and fish it for active pre spawn fish.  You'll likely find the much larger females versus the smaller males that you're seeing making nests.  

Thank you that's some great advice I'll give that a try. 

On Thursday, May 05, 2016 at 11:41 PM, Turkey sandwich said:

"Also, with spawning beds, if your lake has walleye or yellow perch, they typically spawn first and those could be the beds you're seeing.  If that's the case, still look for deep water access/ledges/points near the spawning beds."

 

Walleye and perch are not bed spawners/nest guarders so this is impossible. Walleye and perch are broadcast spawners. The females swim over a gravel-type area, drop their eggs, and then the males swim over the same area to fertilize them. It only takes about one male to fertilize a large area which is why they normally allow the harvest of smaller walleyes, which are the males.

Really? Did not know walleye/perch don't nest at all. 

It's ok I figured them out thanks for the help guys