| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 55-65 | - Smallmouth bass are actively roaming shallow flats in pre-spawn mode, showing increased feeding activity as they prepare for spawning
- Fish are targeting crawfish in boulder areas, exhibiting typical spring foraging patterns
| - Shallow flats with scattered boulders
- Rocky points adjacent to spawning flats
- Mixed rock and coontail areas in 8-15 foot depth range
| - Finesse Hair Jigs with soft plastic trailer
- Ned Rigs worked slowly along bottom
- Drop Shot with small profile baits
| - Crawfish
- Small Bottom-Dwelling Baitfish
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 52-65 | - Bluegills moving from deeper wintering areas to warmer, shallow flats and bays in preparation for spawning
- Actively feeding during warming trends, especially during afternoon hours
- Congregating near emerging vegetation and warming substrate
| - Protected shallow bays with emerging vegetation, especially coontail and cabbage in 4-8 foot range
- Transition areas between shallow flats and deeper water near points
- Areas near public launch with submerged vegetation in 8-12 foot depth
| - Live Bait Rigs with small minnows or worms suspended just above vegetation
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with light jigs near emerging weed growth
- Bobbers with suspended baits at varying depths to find active fish
| - Small insects and larvae near emerging vegetation
- Young of the year perch
- Small crustaceans in warming shallows
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Green Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 55-65 | - Smallmouth bass actively moving into shallow spawning areas, particularly focusing on protected bays and flats with mixed rock and coontail
- Males aggressively defending nests while females stage on nearby deeper structure between spawning waves
| - Protected shallow flats with mixed rock and coontail in 2-6 feet of water
- Secondary points adjacent to spawning bays
- Outside edges of coontail beds near deeper water access
| - Tubes worked slowly around visible beds and rocky areas
- Ned Rigs fished with subtle movements near staging areas
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) for covering water to locate active fish
| - Crawfish emerging from winter hibernation
- Small perch in grass edges
- Juvenile bluegills in shallow vegetation
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 65-75 | - Actively spawning in shallow areas, males guarding nests while females stage nearby
- Feeding opportunistically between spawning activities, particularly during early morning and evening hours
| - Protected shallow bays with firm bottom and vegetation edges
- Areas near lily pad fields in 2-6 foot depths
- Shoreline areas with coontail and cabbage weed edges
| - Bobbers with light jigs worked slowly near vegetation
- Micro Crankbaits worked parallel to spawning areas
- Live Bait Rigs with small leeches or worms
| - Small insects and larvae
- Tiny crustaceans
- Small minnows
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Green Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 58-68 | - Post-spawn smallmouth are actively feeding to recover energy, moving between shallow flats and adjacent deeper structure
- Fish are establishing summer feeding patterns, becoming more aggressive and schooling around key structure elements
| - Rocky points adjacent to spawning flats in 8-15 feet of water
- Outside edges of coontail beds in 10-20 feet of water
- Transition areas between flats and deeper water with mixed rock and grass
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked parallel to depth changes
- Drop Shot along rocky points and vegetation edges
- Ned Rigs worked slowly through transition areas
| - Perch moving along weed edges
- Crawfish emerging in rocky areas
- Small bluegills in shallow vegetation
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 62-72 | - Transitioning to shallow post-spawn feeding areas, actively foraging in and around vegetation in 5-15 foot depths
- Showing increased aggression and feeding activity as they recover from spawn, particularly during morning and evening hours
| - Shallow coontail and cabbage weed edges in 8-12 foot depths
- Protected coves with emerging vegetation near shoreline points
- Submerged vegetation near public launch areas in 5-15 foot range
| - Bobbers with small jigs worked slowly through vegetation
- Drop Shot with light line for suspended fish near weed edges
- Micro Crankbaits worked parallel to weed edges
| - Small insects and larvae in emerging vegetation
- Young-of-year perch fry
- Small crustaceans in weed beds
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
- Green Colors
|
