Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 55-62 | - Pre-spawn bass are actively feeding and transitioning from winter areas to spawning flats, following shad movements and utilizing ambush points
- Fish are making staged movements toward shallow spawning areas, holding at transitional structure like points and brush in 5-15 foot depth range
| - Main lake and secondary points adjacent to spawning flats
- Flooded brush in pre-spawn staging areas
- Protected coves with complex shoreline features
| - Hard Jerkbaits worked with long pauses around points and brush
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) retrieved steadily along point transitions
- Bladed Jigs worked through shallow brush and around points
| - Shad schools staging near points and transition areas
- Perch utilizing brush and woody cover
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Spotted Bass | 52-62 | - Moving from winter holding areas to pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawning
- Relating heavily to transition areas between deep winter haunts and spawning flats, especially around points and channel swings
- Most active during warming trends, particularly in afternoons when water temperatures peak
| - Main lake points with access to deep water, especially those with rocky structure
- Channel swing banks with submerged timber in 8-15 foot range
- Secondary points leading into spawning pockets with mixed rock and wood cover
| - Lipless Crankbaits worked along transitions from deep to shallow water
- Shakey Heads worked slowly around rocky points and timber
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) for actively feeding fish chasing shad
| - Shad schools congregating in pre-spawn areas
- Crawfish becoming more active as water warms
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Striped Bass | 52-62 | - Striped bass are transitioning from winter patterns to pre-spawn staging, following large schools of shad as they move from deep basins to shallower flats and creek arms
- Fish are becoming more aggressive as water temperatures rise, actively pursuing bait schools and utilizing the complex shoreline for ambush points
| - Main lake points and creek arm intersections where pre-spawn staging occurs
- Submerged timber areas adjacent to deeper water
- Wind-blown shorelines where currents concentrate baitfish
| - Umbrella Rigs worked through bait schools at varying depths
- Large Hair Jigs (Preacher) worked along channel edges
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Large) slow-rolled near structure
| - Shad schools moving from winter depths to shallower pre-spawn areas
- Secondary forage including small baitfish utilizing timber and rocky shorelines
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Chartreuse Colors
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | White Bass | 52-62 | - White Bass staging near tributary mouths and main lake points in preparation for spawning run, actively feeding in schools
- Fish moving from deeper wintering areas to shallower pre-spawn staging areas as water temperatures rise
- Aggressive feeding behavior during warming trends, particularly during shad movements in creek channels
| - Main lake points adjacent to spawning tributaries
- Creek channel edges with submerged timber
- Shallow flats near deep water access
| - Blade Baits worked vertically along channel edges
- Lipless Crankbaits retrieved through staging areas
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) for mimicking shad
| - Shad schools congregating near spawning areas
- Small baitfish in creek channels
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Light Neutral Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-68 | - Largemouth bass are in spawning mode, with males guarding nests in shallow protected areas while females move between staging and spawning zones
- Fish are highly territorial and aggressive during this period, particularly responsive to intrusions near nest sites
| - Shallow protected areas with laydowns and woody cover, particularly in coves
- Secondary points and flats adjacent to spawning pockets
- Brush piles in 5-10 foot depth range serving as staging areas
| - Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') worked parallel to shoreline cover
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) targeting visible cover and potential spawning areas
- Spinnerbaits worked around laydowns and shallow wood
| - Crawfish becoming active in shallow areas
- Bluegill moving into spawning areas
- Shad schools in pre-spawn staging areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Spawn) | Spotted Bass | 58-68 | - Spotted bass moving into shallow spawning areas (2-8 feet) near rocky points and creek channels, staging on adjacent deeper structure
- Males actively guarding nests while females move between spawning flats and deeper staging areas
| - Rocky points and shelves adjacent to spawning pockets
- Submerged timber in 5-15 foot range near spawning flats
- Creek channel intersections with main lake points
| - Shakey Heads worked slowly around rocky areas and timber
- Soft Jerkbaits fished with twitching action in spawning pockets
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around visible cover in spawning areas
| - Shad congregating in pre-spawn areas
- Crawfish becoming more active in rocky areas
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Striped Bass | 52-65 | - Striped bass are transitioning from winter patterns to spawning behavior, making upstream movements toward tributary areas and creek arms
- Fish are becoming more active with warming temperatures, moving from deep winter haunts to staging areas near spawning grounds
- Feeding activity increases pre-spawn, with fish targeting shad schools in transition areas
| - Main creek arm intersections with the main lake, particularly those with rocky banks
- Secondary points leading into spawning tributaries
- Submerged timber areas near deeper water in 15-25 foot range
| - Large Hair Jigs (Preacher)
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Large)
- Umbrella Rigs
- Trolling Mid Depth (10-19')
| - Shad schools congregating in pre-spawn areas
- Small baitfish moving shallow with warming water
| - Bold Striped Patterns
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | White Bass | 50-62 | - White Bass are making spawning runs into tributary areas and creek channels when water temperatures reach 50-60°F, typically congregating in large schools
- Fish are highly aggressive during pre-spawn and spawn, actively feeding on shad while moving between staging and spawning areas
| - Creek channels and tributary mouths where spawning runs occur
- Main lake points adjacent to spawning areas for staging
- Submerged timber near channel edges where pre-spawn fish gather
| - Blade Baits worked vertically along channel edges
- Lipless Crankbaits retrieved through staging areas
- Inline Spinners in tributary runs
| - Shad schools in pre-spawn staging areas
- Small baitfish in tributary areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Light Neutral Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-72 | - Post-spawn largemouth bass are transitioning to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy after spawning. They're relating heavily to cover, particularly timber and laydowns as evidenced in recent reports.
- Fish are showing aggressive feeding behavior around woody cover and gravel banks, suggesting a focus on both shad and crawfish forage bases.
| - Laydowns and submerged timber, especially those adjacent to spawning flats
- Gravel banks with nearby woody cover
- Secondary points with timber or brush
| - Texas Rigs (Worming) - proven effective in recent reports around timber
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) - successful technique reported for laydowns
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) - mentioned as effective in recent reports
| - Shad - primary forage mentioned in recent reports
- Crawfish - likely active around gravel banks and timber
| - Dark Neutrals
- Natural Craw Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Spotted Bass | 65-75 | - Post-spawn spotted bass are actively feeding to recover energy, primarily targeting shad in the upper water column and around structure
- Fish are transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, holding on points and breaks adjacent to spawning pockets
| - Main lake points with submerged timber and rocky structure in 8-15 foot range
- Secondary points and steep breaks near spawning pockets
- Shallow brush and laydowns in clearer sections of the lake
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked parallel to points and breaks
- Shakey Heads worked slowly around timber and rocky structure
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') targeting active fish chasing shad
| - Shad schools in upper water column
- Smaller sunfish near shallow cover
- Crawfish around rocky structure
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Striped Bass | 58-68 | - Post-spawn striped bass actively feeding to recover energy, following large schools of shad in the upper water column
- Fish transitioning between deeper winter areas and shallower feeding zones, often relating to points and channel edges
| - Main lake points near creek channels where current concentrates baitfish
- Submerged timber areas adjacent to deeper water
- Rocky shorelines with access to deeper water
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Large) worked through bait schools
- Umbrella Rigs for mimicking shad schools
- Trolling Mid Depth (10-19') along channel edges
| - Shad schools moving into shallower water
- Small baitfish utilizing submerged timber areas
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Chartreuse Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | White Bass | 62-72 | - Post-spawn White Bass are actively feeding and recovering, transitioning from spawning areas to main lake feeding zones
- Fish are schooling and chasing shad in open water, particularly during morning and evening periods
- Using main lake points and channel edges as staging areas between feeding runs
| - Main lake points adjacent to spawning tributaries where fish are transitioning to summer patterns
- Channel edges and submerged timber where current creates feeding opportunities
- Open water areas near structure where shad schools are present
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked at varying depths to match shad movements
- Inline Spinners cast and retrieved through schooling fish
- Lipless Crankbaits worked along channel edges and points
| - Shad schools in open water and along structure edges
- Small baitfish gathered around submerged timber
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Light Neutral Colors
|