| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 52-62 | - Bass actively transitioning from winter patterns to pre-spawn staging areas, moving into shallower water as temperatures climb
- Fish relating strongly to grass and laydowns in the 58°F water, showing increased feeding activity
| - Grass lines and laydowns along banks, particularly in areas with good sun exposure
- Secondary points with submerged vegetation leading to spawning flats
- Protected coves with emerging vegetation and woody cover
| - Bladed Jigs worked parallel to grass lines and through laydowns
- Spinnerbaits along bank transitions and through emerging vegetation
- Lipless Crankbaits worked over submerged grass beds
| - Shad schools beginning to move shallower
- Bluegill becoming more active in warming shallows
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Crappie | 52-62 | - Crappie are transitioning from winter patterns to pre-spawn staging, moving from deeper winter haunts towards shallow spawning areas, particularly active during warming trends
- Fish are becoming increasingly aggressive in feeding behavior, suspending near structure and actively pursuing shad in the upper water column, especially during warmer parts of the day
| - Brush piles and stake beds in 8-15 feet of water adjacent to spawning flats
- Protected coves with abundant dock structure, particularly on the northern banks that warm first
- Channel swing banks and points leading into spawning bays
| - Crappie Spider Rigging - Allows for precise depth control and multiple bait presentations while working staging areas
- Crappie Dock Shooting - Effective for targeting fish holding tight to dock structure in pre-spawn pattern
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') - Perfect for working brush piles and suspended fish near structure
| - Shad schools congregating in pre-spawn staging areas
- Small bluegill and juvenile panfish in and around brush piles
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Pink Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Sauger | 45-55 | - Pre-spawn sauger are transitioning from winter deep water patterns to shallower staging areas, becoming more active with warming water temperatures
- Fish are actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawning, with peak activity during dawn and dusk periods
| - Transition areas where deep water meets shallow flats, particularly near vegetated edges
- Main lake points and irregular shoreline features that provide access to both depth and spawning areas
- Deep water channels and creek arms that serve as migration routes to spawning areas
| - Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')
- Blade Baits
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium)
- Medium Diving Crankbaits (7'-12')
| - Shad schools congregating in pre-spawn staging areas
- Bluegill in and around vegetation edges
- Small baitfish utilizing warming shallow areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Chartreuse Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-68 | - Bass moving into shallow spawning areas, particularly in protected coves and around grass lines with nearby wood cover
- Males actively guarding nests while females stage on adjacent deeper structure between spawning rounds
- Increased aggression and territorial behavior around spawning sites
| - Protected shallow coves with mix of grass and wood cover
- Grass lines adjacent to harder bottom areas
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around visible cover and bed areas
- Swim Jigs along grass lines and through spawning areas
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') on pre-spawn transition routes
| - Bluegill starting to move shallow
- Shad schools in pre-spawn patterns
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Crappie | 58-68 | - Crappie moving into shallow spawning areas (2-6 feet) near brush piles and docks, with males establishing and guarding nests while females stage slightly deeper
- Feeding activity increases in pre-spawn, becoming more sporadic during actual spawning, with fish particularly active during dawn and dusk periods
| - Protected coves and bays with brush piles in 2-6 foot depths
- Dock areas with nearby spawning flats
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
| - Crappie Dock Shooting
- Bobbers
- Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
| - Shad (primary forage base)
- Small insects and larvae (secondary spring food source)
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Pink Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Sauger | 45-55 | - Sauger actively moving to shallow spawning areas (2-8 feet) near rocky points and gravel areas, especially during dawn and dusk
- Males arrive first at spawning areas, with females moving in during optimal temperature periods
- Feeding remains aggressive but becomes more location-specific during the spawn
| - Rocky points and gravel flats in 2-8 foot depth range
- Transition areas where vegetation meets harder bottom
- Channel edges adjacent to spawning flats
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked slowly along bottom
- Jig and Minnow combinations using Live Bait Rigs
- Lipless Crankbaits worked through transitional areas
| - Shad schools in pre-spawn staging areas
- Small bluegills near vegetated areas
- Smaller baitfish gathering in warming shallows
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Chartreuse Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 53-65 | - Post-spawn largemouth bass are actively feeding to recover energy, relating heavily to grass lines and matted vegetation
- Fish are showing aggressive feeding behavior in relatively shallow water, with reported catches in the 12-15 inch range
| - Matted grass edges and inside grass lines in shallow water
- Laydowns and woody cover adjacent to vegetation
- Protected coves with emerging vegetation
| - Bladed Jigs worked along grass edges and through sparse vegetation
- Frogs/Toads worked over matted vegetation
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around grass edges and laydowns
| - Bluegill congregating around vegetation
- Shad moving along grass edges
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Crappie | 58-72 | - Post-spawn crappie are transitioning from shallow spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy
- Fish are suspending near cover in the 5-8 foot range, especially around brush piles and dock structures
- Most active during early morning and evening hours due to the moderate staining (1.9m Secchi)
| - Brush piles adjacent to spawning flats in 5-8 foot depths
- Dock structures with good shade coverage
- Points and creek channel intersections near spawning bays
| - Crappie Dock Shooting
- Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
- Bobbers
| - Shad (primary forage based on reports)
- Small bluegill and juvenile sunfish
- Emerging insect larvae
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Sauger | 52-65 | - Actively feeding in low-light conditions, moving from deeper wintering areas to shallower flats and points as they recover from spawn
- Staging near transition areas between vegetation and deeper water, using complex shoreline features as travel corridors
- Most aggressive during dawn and dusk, with periods of opportunistic feeding throughout the day in turbid conditions
| - Points and inside turns adjacent to deeper water, especially those with submerged vegetation
- Shallow flats (8-15 feet) near deep-water access
- Complex shoreline areas with multiple depth changes and vegetation edges
| - Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')
- Medium Diving Crankbaits (7'-12')
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium)
| - Shad schools moving into shallower water
- Young of year bluegill near vegetation edges
- Small baitfish utilizing emerging vegetation
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
