This migration path may not always be straight, since the structure and the signposts the fish use may turn to the right or to the left.

When a fish migration occurs, the fish move along these structures, near the bottom, as a group or school. If conditions are good, they may move up to the eight to ten foot depth. If conditions are very good, a few fish will then scatter into the shallows. When fish scatter into the shallows along the shoreline, the fisherman becomes aware of it, and this is when we hear that "the fish are biting."

At some times of the year, in the spring mostly, the fish may remain shallow for a period of time, and they may move to the far bays, coves, etc. However, for most of the normal fishing season they are in the shallows for only a short time, and the distance they scatter is not very far.

The first fish to appear in the shallows will be the smaller fish. If yearling fish are caught in the shallows, this usually means a movement is occurring, and larger fish should be at a reachable depth on structure in the near area.

Never expect the entire school of large bass to move to the shallows and scatter at the same time. In all my years I have never seen more than two or three big fish move in at one time.

I know you have fished the shoreline at some time and found the fish were really biting. But how many big bass did you catch? The reason you didn’t catch many wasn’t any fault of yours, nor was it because they were wise old birds. It was due to the fact that the fish were not there.

Let us assume some fish have scattered into the shallows. This is when the shoreline fisherman scores, and these areas would become known as "hot spots." It is always important to know these places since this is potentially good water. These spots also serve as a key to finding the migration routes.

The shoreline itself is never the factor that determines whether or not this is a hot spot. It is a hot spot only because the structure the fish use as they move from deep to shallow happens to lead here.

The movement or migration depicted is a shallow movement for any fish larger than about two pounds. Weather and water conditions would have to be excellent for these fish to continue into the shallows, and to scatter. This also means the average fisherman and especially the shoreline fisherman would never catch any of these fish.

This is, however, an ideal situation for a knowledgeable Spoonplugger. Because a limit of fish is schooled, catchable at an easy depth for lure control. The action would be fast and furious.