| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Gar | 58-68 | - Gar becoming more active as water warms, moving from deeper wintering areas to shallower flats and vegetation edges
- Beginning to stage near spawning areas, with increased feeding activity during warming trends
- Surface-oriented feeding patterns emerging, especially during sunny afternoons
| - Shallow flats adjacent to deeper wintering areas, especially those with emerging vegetation in 8-foot range
- Protected coves with warmer water temperatures
- Edges of vegetation where baitfish concentrate
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Large)
- Inline Spinners
- Live Bait Rigs
| - Sunfish gathering in pre-spawn areas
- Schools of shad moving into shallower water
- Various minnow species concentrated near vegetation edges
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Metallic Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 48-58 | - Moving from winter depths to transitional staging areas, following warming trends in shallower water
- Actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawning, with increased activity during warmer afternoons
- Relating heavily to the first available cover near deeper wintering areas
| - Secondary points with access to deeper water
- Shallow bays with emerging vegetation in 4-8 feet
- Protected pockets on north shores receiving most sun exposure
| - Lipless Crankbaits worked through emerging vegetation
- Bladed Jigs around secondary points
- Soft Jerkbaits worked slowly in transition areas
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Small bluegills in emerging vegetation
- Young of year baitfish schools
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Gar | 62-75 | - Moving into shallow, vegetated areas (4-8 feet) for spawning activities, often near weed edges
- Males actively guarding spawning sites while females stage in slightly deeper water
- Increased surface activity during warmer parts of day
| - Shallow vegetated bays with 4-8 foot depths near weed edges
- Protected coves with stable water temperatures
- Transition areas between shallow spawning sites and deeper staging areas
| - Soft Jerkbaits worked erratically near surface
- Live Bait Rigs with larger minnows
- Inline Spinners retrieved slowly near surface
| - Sunfish gathering in similar spawning areas
- Minnows concentrating in vegetated shallows
- Young of year panfish beginning to emerge
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Metallic Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 55-65 | - Staging in pre-spawn areas near shallow flats, moving into spawning areas as water temperatures stabilize
- Males preparing and guarding nests in protected areas, females moving between staging and spawning areas
| - Protected shallow bays and pockets with firm bottom composition
- Outside edges of emerging vegetation in 4-8 foot depth range
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) targeting visible cover and bedding areas
- Soft Jerkbaits worked slowly around staging areas
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') worked parallel to transitional areas
| - Bluegill beginning to move shallow
- Crawfish becoming more active in warming shallows
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Gar | 62-75 | - Post-spawn gar are actively feeding to recover energy, primarily hunting in shallow vegetated areas and weed edges around 8-foot depths
- Fish are becoming more surface-oriented as waters warm, frequently rolling at the surface to gulp air
- Most active during warmer parts of the day, utilizing vegetation edges as ambush points
| - Weed edges in 8-foot zones where vegetation meets open water
- Protected coves with emerging vegetation
- Secondary points with nearby vegetation
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Large)
- Hard Topwater (Walking)
- Inline Spinners
| - Sunfish gathering in shallow spawning areas
- Various minnow species using weed edges
- Young of the year baitfish beginning to appear
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Metallic Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-72 | - Post-spawn largemouth bass are recovering from the spawn and beginning to actively feed, transitioning between shallow spawning areas and early summer feeding zones
- Fish are establishing patterns along the outside edges of emerging weed growth, using these areas as primary feeding zones
| - Outside edges of emerging weed growth in 4-8 feet of water
- Secondary points with access to deeper water
- Shallow flats adjacent to spawning areas with early vegetation growth
| - Soft Jerkbaits worked with twitches and pauses along weed edges
- Texas Rigs (Worming) dragged slowly through sparse vegetation
- Spinnerbaits worked parallel to weed edges in low light conditions
| - Bluegills moving into shallow areas to prepare for their spawn
- Crawfish becoming more active in warming waters
- Young of the year baitfish beginning to appear in the shallows
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Natural Craw Colors
|
