Op I fish in Indiana and Michigan. Both lakes and rivers with and without shad. Right now our bass are relating to shallow areas with green vegetation and wood. Bottom comp doesn’t seem to matter. Shad are not currently in those area but bluegill and sun fish are heavily. Since Sunday I have had the best luck on large shallow cranks and walking top waters. The biggest bass seem to prefer a 6th sense swank in a baby bass color(green top, white sides). I’ve been casting other square bills and jerk baits in similar size of various colors and non produce like the swank. It has a very very different action than a traditional square, round, or coffin style crank. I have found the L style cranks produce almost as well but not as often.The key has been staying just over the top of the vegetation or 3-6 inches into it. Above or below that and they won’t take it.For top waters any ghost type 4-6inch walker has been on fire. Has to be a ghost or bone/pearl color others get follows but not takers. While fishing for bass I’ll generally toss out a wacky or t rigged stick bait. Almost always bluegills, sunfish or whatever bass may be feeding on will show themselves following those baits. Otherwise I use sidescan on my Helix to see if bait schools are in the area. Our water clarity has been changing a lot with the rain over the last week and water has cooled to 60 degrees give or take. Sun/cloud cover, and wind have not affected my fish at all. I fish daily from a boat.

1 hour ago, Pumpkinseed Lizard said:

Last night there was a pretty good mayfly emergence and as they were returning to water to lay eggs the bluegills were out in force eating the mayflies and the bass were eating the bluegills. It was pretty good. This pond also has a fair amount of shad.

This got me thinking. Lots of soybeans are getting harvested and the little orange and black Asian Beatles are everywhere. I wonder if the bluegill are eating them? I know they smell nasty when you smush them, maybe the bluegill won’t eat ‘em? 

Oh I'll bet they munch them up like candy.  If there's any on/in the water.

 

I haven't seen a single one of those things yet here.  I'm sure its coming soon though.  Along with the box elders.

3 hours ago, gimruis said:

Oh I'll bet they munch them up like candy.  If there's any on/in the water.

 

I haven't seen a single one of those things yet here.  I'm sure its coming soon though.  Along with the box elders.

There everywhere up here. For a couple days I had to take the shop vac and vacuum the windows to clear them off. Doesn’t help that I’m surrounded in hundreds of acres of soybeans.