| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 52-60 | - Pre-spawn bass are actively feeding and transitioning from winter areas to spawning flats, showing increased aggression
- Fish are responding well to both reaction baits and finesse presentations, with notable activity in open water and around structure
| - Flooded brush areas providing staging points near potential spawning flats
- Open water areas where bass are actively chasing bait
- Transition areas between deep water and shallow spawning flats
| - Drop Shot with finesse worms, particularly effective in brush areas
- Hard Jerkbaits worked with varying cadence in open water
- Hard Topwater (Walking) with pauses for aggressive fish
| - Bluegill - primary forage based on multiple reports
- Shad - indicated by success of silver-colored baits
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Purple Colors
- Natural Shad Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 52-65 | - Bluegill transitioning to pre-spawn feeding patterns, actively pursuing small prey items with aggressive strikes in warming shallows
- Fish staging near spawning areas but still maintaining feeding activity around brush and cover
| - Flooded brush in protected coves and shoreline areas
- Shallow flats adjacent to spawning areas
- Scattered reed beds and grass in 2-6 foot depths
| - Micro Crankbaits with erratic retrieve and pause
- Bobbers with small jigs near brush
- Inline Spinners worked slowly through cover
| - Small bluegill fry
- Aquatic insects
- Small crustaceans
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Pink Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-65 | - Bass actively spawning with males guarding beds and females moving between staging and spawning areas at 60°F
- Males aggressively defending nests against any intruders, making them more likely to strike
- Females making periodic moves to shallow areas to spawn, then returning to slightly deeper water
| - Shallow spawning flats near reeds and flooded brush
- Open water areas adjacent to spawning flats where females stage
- Protected coves with firm bottom composition
| - Tubes worked slowly around visible beds
- Neko Rigs with slow bottom contact presentation
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) for precise presentations to beds
| - Bluegill primarily in shallow areas
- Small baitfish in staging areas
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 52-65 | - Actively staging and spawning in shallow protected areas, particularly around flooded brush and reed beds
- Males actively guarding nests in colonies, becoming aggressive and territorial
- Feeding patterns increase during morning and evening hours, with periodic feeding throughout the day
| - Protected shallow coves with flooded brush and vegetation in 2-4 feet of water
- Reed beds and grass edges adjacent to slightly deeper water
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
| - Bobbers with small live bait or artificial presentations, suspended 1-3 feet deep
- Micro Crankbaits worked slowly along the edges of cover
- Live Bait Rigs with small jigs or hooks for sight fishing spawning beds
| - Small insects and larvae
- Tiny crustaceans
- Small minnows
| - Pink Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 62-72 | - Post-spawn bass are actively feeding to recover energy, primarily targeting bluegill in grass beds and open water areas
- Fish are transitioning between shallow and mid-depth zones, using grass edges as primary feeding zones
| - Grass bed edges in open water areas where bass can ambush bluegill
- Offshore grass patches in the basin where recent catches were reported
- Flooded brush areas adjacent to spawning flats where post-spawn fish stage
| - Micro Crankbaits worked through grass, matching the recent successful pattern
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) to mimic abundant bluegill forage
- Texas Rigs (Worming) worked through grass patches
| - Bluegill, which are the primary forage based on recent reports
- Small baitfish in open water areas
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 65-75 | - Post-spawn bluegill are actively feeding and recovering, moving between shallow cover and slightly deeper adjacent areas
- Fish are establishing summer patterns, frequenting brush piles and weed edges while feeding opportunistically on insects and small crustaceans
| - Flooded brush adjacent to spawning flats in 4-8 feet of water
- Reed and grass edges where they meet slightly deeper water
- Protected coves with mixed vegetation and woody cover
| - Live Bait Rigs with small leeches or worms suspended just above cover
- Micro Crankbaits worked slowly around brush and vegetation edges
- Bobbers with small jigs targeting suspended fish near cover
| - Small insects and larvae
- Tiny crustaceans
- Small minnows
| - Pink Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
|
