Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 48-58 | - Smallmouth bass are transitioning from winter depths to pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawning
- Fish are moving along transition routes between deep wintering areas and shallow spawning zones, particularly active during warming trends
| - Rock piles adjacent to deeper water that provide both feeding zones and pre-spawn staging areas
- Secondary points with mixed rock and brush that lead into spawning bays
- Dock areas with rocky bottom structure that warm quickly in spring sun
| - Blade Baits worked slowly along transition areas between deep and shallow water
- Ned Rigs dragged through rocky areas and near dock posts
- Tubes worked methodically around rock piles and brush
| - Crayfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Small baitfish schools in pre-spawn patterns
- Bottom-dwelling prey items near rock structure
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Purple Colors
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 48-58 | - Pre-spawn largemouth bass are staging near spawning areas, making gradual movements from winter depths to shallower flats
- Fish are becoming more active and aggressive as they prepare for spawning, with feeding increasing during warming trends
| - Secondary points and protected bays adjacent to deeper water
- Emerging vegetation edges in 4-8 foot depths
- Rock piles and riprap areas that warm quickly
| - Lipless Crankbaits worked through emerging vegetation
- Bladed Jigs with slow, steady retrieves near cover
- Soft Jerkbaits worked with long pauses
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Small baitfish in warming shallows
- Perch in transition areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Walleye | 42-48 | - Pre-spawn walleye are staging near spawning areas and making transitional movements from winter locations to shallow spawning grounds
- Fish are actively feeding during daylight hours due to stained water conditions (1.9m Secchi depth)
- Walleye utilizing docks and hard structure as staging areas during pre-spawn period
| - Areas near docks positioned close to spawning grounds
- Rock piles and hard bottom areas, especially near deeper water access
- Dam areas and current breaks where walleye stage before spawning
| - Blade Baits worked slowly along bottom near staging areas
- Live Bait Rigs with minnows near dock structures
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with hair jigs around hard structure
| - Minnows/small baitfish in transitional areas
- Crawfish near rocky structure
- Young-of-year panfish in dock areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Catfish | 55-70 | - Catfish are beginning to move from deeper wintering areas to warmer, shallower flats and channels as they prepare for spawning
- Actively feeding during warming trends, particularly in areas where current or wind concentrates forage
| - Channel edges adjacent to shallow flats, especially near rock piles and dock areas
- Protected bays with warmer water, particularly those with matted grass or flooded brush
- Transition areas between different bottom compositions, especially where rock meets soft bottom
| - Live Bait Rigs with cut bait or large minnows positioned near bottom structure
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with scented baits around dock edges and rock piles
- Texas Rigs (Worming) with large soft plastics dragged through transitional areas
| - Bottom-dwelling fish like small bullheads and suckers
- Leeches and crawfish becoming more active in warming waters
- Young-of-year panfish in shallow protected areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 58-68 | - Smallmouth bass are in spawning mode, actively establishing and guarding nests in shallow protected areas near flooded brush with deep water access
- Fish are making frequent movements between slightly deeper staging areas and shallow spawning zones, especially during warmer parts of the day
| - Flooded brush in 3-9 feet of water with nearby deep water access
- Protected shallow coves with hard bottom and cover
- Rock piles and transitions near spawning flats
| - Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9')
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)
- Tubes
- Ned Rigs
| - Crayfish becoming more active in warming water
- Small baitfish relating to shallow cover
| - Purple Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-68 | - Largemouth bass are in spawning mode, moving into shallow protected areas with heavy cover, particularly the matted grass areas mentioned in reports
- Fish are showing aggressive behavior, willing to chase and strike moving baits as evidenced by the success of bladed jigs
| - Matted grass areas in protected bays and coves, particularly where spawning beds are likely
- Secondary points with vegetation near spawning flats
- Shallow protected areas with complex shoreline structure
| - Bladed Jigs ripped through heavy cover, as specifically proven in recent reports
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) for targeting specific areas in the matted grass
- Spinnerbaits worked along edges of grass mats
| - Crawfish, which are primary targets as evidenced by successful bait colors
- Bluegill and other sunfish beginning to move shallow
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Spawn) | Walleye | 58-64 | - Post-spawn walleye transitioning to feeding patterns, actively hunting in relatively shallow water during both day and night due to stained conditions
- Fish relating heavily to shoreline structure and current areas, particularly around docks and dams during spring transition
| - Docks positioned near spawning areas and migration routes
- Dam areas with current breaks
- Rock piles and hard bottom areas in 8-15 foot depth range
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked slowly along dock edges
- Medium Diving Crankbaits (7'-12') near dam areas and current breaks
- Live Bait Rigs with leeches under bobbers around dock areas
| - Natural baitfish (minnows)
- Crawfish near rocky structure
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Light Neutral Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Catfish | 58-70 | - Moving into shallower spawning areas (2-8 feet) near cut banks and sheltered bays as water warms
- Males actively guarding nesting sites in cavities near structure, while females stage in slightly deeper adjacent areas
- Feeding activity increases during low-light periods, especially in turbid conditions
| - Cut banks and undercut areas in sheltered bays
- Rocky areas and dock pilings in 2-8 feet of water
- Transition areas between matted grass and deeper channels
| - Live Bait Rigs with bottom-bouncing presentation
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') near structure
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around heavy cover
| - Leeches and bottom-dwelling invertebrates
- Small panfish and young-of-year fish
- Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 62-72 | - Post-spawn smallmouth transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy
- Fish relating to both shallow and mid-depth structure, making frequent movements between feeding areas
| - Secondary points with rock piles adjacent to spawning bays
- Shallow dock areas with rocky bottom composition
- Transition areas between flooded brush and deeper water
| - Soft Jerkbaits worked with erratic retrieve along structure edges
- Tubes dragged and hopped through rock piles
- Ned Rigs worked slowly around dock posts and brush
| - Crayfish emerging and active in rocky areas
- Young-of-year perch in shallow cover
- Small baitfish relating to brush and dock areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Purple Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 64-70 | - Post-spawn largemouth bass are transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy
- Fish are utilizing grass edges and rock piles as primary feeding zones, especially during morning and evening periods
- Bass are becoming more aggressive in their feeding behavior, willing to chase moving baits in the stained water conditions
| - Grass edges adjacent to spawning flats in 4-8 feet of water
- Rock piles on main lake points in 8-12 feet of water
- Protected bays with matted grass, especially near deeper water access
| - Bladed Jigs worked along grass edges and through sparse vegetation
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) in and around matted grass
- Spinnerbaits parallel to grass lines and over rock piles
| - Crawfish emerging in rocky areas and along grass edges
- Bluegill beginning to spawn in protected bays
- Young of the year baitfish becoming more abundant
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Chartreuse Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Walleye | 58-68 | - Post-spawn walleye actively feeding during daylight hours due to stained water conditions (1.9m Secchi), transitioning between spawning areas and early summer locations
- Fish relating heavily to dock areas and hard structure, using these as ambush points to feed on recovering baitfish schools
| - Docks positioned near spawning areas and migration routes
- Rock piles and dam areas with current breaks
- Matted grass edges and flooded brush in 8-15 foot depth range
| - Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along dock edges and rock transitions
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') worked parallel to shoreline structure
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) retrieved steadily through key areas
| - Minnows/Baitfish schools recovering from winter patterns
- Crawfish active near rocky structure and dam areas
- Young of year panfish beginning to emerge in vegetated areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Catfish | 64-70 | - Post-spawn catfish are actively feeding and recovering, moving from spawning areas to feeding locations near current breaks and structure
- Fish are becoming more active with warming water temperatures, typically feeding heavily during dawn and dusk periods
| - Deep dock edges where they transition to rock piles, especially in 8-12 foot depth range
- Channel edges near flooded brush and matted grass
- Current breaks and eddies near points and cutbanks
| - Live Bait Rigs with weightless or slip-sinker presentations
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') around structure
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) for working heavy cover areas
| - Bottom-dwelling species including leeches and small fish
- Crawfish emerging in warming waters
- Young-of-year baitfish beginning to appear
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|