| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 48-58 | - Largemouth bass are transitioning to pre-spawn patterns, actively roaming shallow flats near deep water access and utilizing docks as staging areas
- Fish are showing increased feeding activity but may require varied retrieval speeds to trigger strikes as water temperatures fluctuate
| - Docks adjacent to deeper water, especially those providing shade and ambush points
- Shallow flats with quick access to deeper water
- Points and steeper banks transitioning to spawning areas
| - Bladed Jigs worked around docks and shallow cover
- Hard Jerkbaits with varied cadence along points and flats
- Soft Jerkbaits skipped under docks
| - Perch actively moving in shallow areas
- Alewife beginning to move shallow
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 35-54 | - Pre-spawn smallmouth bass are transitioning from winter locations to staging areas, actively feeding to prepare for spawning. Fish are schooling on structure in 5-15 foot depth range, with increased activity during warming trends.
- Fish are showing aggressive feeding behavior when encountered, particularly responding to bait presentations above their holding depth, as evidenced by their willingness to move up from rock piles to strike.
| - Rock piles and points in 5-15 feet of water, especially those adjacent to deeper water
- Shallow flats with isolated patches of grass in 6-8 feet
- Wind-blown points with good baitfish presence
| - Hard Jerkbaits with jerk-jerk-pause cadence, especially effective on wind-blown points and near baitfish schools
- Damiki Rig worked 3-4 feet above rock piles when fish are spotted on electronics
- Drop Shot around ledges and deeper structure during colder periods
| - Perch - primary forage based on multiple recent catches
- Alewife - particularly around open water points
- Minnows - especially important around rock structure
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Metallic Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Northern Pike | 38-48 | - Pre-spawn pike are actively feeding and becoming more aggressive as they prepare for spawning, primarily targeting larger forage in shallow areas near spawning locations
- Fish are moving from winter deep-water areas to shallow spawning areas, particularly focusing on areas with emerging vegetation and warming water
| - Shallow flats adjacent to deep water, especially those with emerging vegetation
- Protected coves and bays that warm up first in spring
- Points and structure leading into spawning bays
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Large) worked slowly through shallow areas
- Spinnerbaits retrieved at moderate speeds parallel to emerging weed edges
- Hard Jerkbaits with long pauses in slightly deeper transitional areas
| - Perch congregating in pre-spawn areas
- Alewife moving into warmer shallow waters
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Vibrant Assorted Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 55-68 | - Pre-spawn and spawning largemouth bass moving shallow (2-5ft range) seeking warmer water and bedding areas
- Fish transitioning between staging areas and spawning flats, with males guarding nests while females move between deeper and shallow water
| - Protected shallow coves and pockets with firm bottom (2-5ft depth)
- Docks providing staging areas adjacent to spawning flats
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
| - Ned Rigs worked slowly around spawning areas and staging points
- Wacky Rigs for sight fishing and slow presentations to bedding fish
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) for working around shallow cover
| - Bluegill gathering in similar spawning areas
- Small perch in staging areas
- Minnows around shallow vegetation
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 55-65 | - Moving into shallow staging areas (5-15 feet) near spawning flats, actively feeding before spawn
- Males preparing and guarding nesting sites in protected areas with hard bottom
- Females making periodic movements between deeper pre-spawn staging and shallow spawning areas
| - Protected rocky coves and points in 5-15 foot depth range
- Areas with isolated grass patches in 6-8 feet near spawning flats
- Hard bottom areas near deep water access
| - Tubes worked slowly along bottom in likely spawning areas
- Ned Rigs fished with subtle movements around staging areas
- Soft Jerkbaits worked with long pauses for pre-spawn fish
| - Perch gathering in shallow areas
- Alewife moving into spawning areas
- Herring schools in transitional areas
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Northern Pike | 42-52 | - Northern Pike moving into shallow bays and backwater areas with emerging vegetation for spawning
- Post-spawn fish actively feeding to recover energy, targeting abundant baitfish in transitional areas
| - Shallow bays with emerging vegetation and warmer water temperatures
- Transition areas where shallow flats meet deeper water
- Protected coves with submerged vegetation
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Large) worked slowly through spawning areas
- Spinnerbaits retrieved near emerging weed edges
- Inline Spinners cast parallel to shoreline structure
| - Perch congregating in shallow spawning areas
- Alewife moving into warmer shallow waters
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 65-72 | - Post-spawn bass transitioning from shallow spawning areas to early summer patterns, becoming more active but scattered across different depth zones
- Fish showing mixed behavior patterns - some remaining shallow near grass while others moving to deeper dock areas as temperatures rise
| - Docks with access to deeper water, especially during morning hours
- Shallow grass patches in 3-5 foot range, particularly those with open pockets
- Deeper ledges and transitions as the day progresses
| - Shakey Heads worked slowly around docks and transitions
- Texas Rigs (Worming) in grass pockets
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) for covering water between productive areas
| - Bluegill in shallow grass areas
- Small baitfish around dock areas
| - Dark Neutrals
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 58-68 | - Post-spawn smallmouth are actively feeding to recover energy, targeting perch and baitfish around transition areas between spawning flats and summer haunts
- Fish are establishing loose schools and becoming more aggressive in their feeding patterns as water temperatures stabilize
| - Rock piles and ledges in 8-15 foot depth adjacent to spawning flats
- Main lake points with mixed rock and grass in 6-12 feet
- Isolated boulder fields near deep water access
| - Drop Shot with small profile baits worked slowly around rock structure
- Ned Rigs dragged along transitional areas between spawning flats and deeper water
- Tubes bounced through rocky areas mimicking bottom-oriented forage
| - Perch concentrating around rock/grass transition areas
- Alewife moving into shallower water columns
- Small crayfish becoming more active on rocky structure
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Northern Pike | 52-65 | - Post-spawn pike are actively feeding to recover energy, primarily during early morning and late evening
- Fish are transitioning from spawning areas to early summer locations, following abundant baitfish schools
- Aggressive feeding behavior near emerging weed edges and points where forage congregates
| - Emerging weed edges adjacent to spawning bays
- Points and rocky areas near deeper water access
- Shallow flats with developing vegetation (2-8 feet)
| - Spinnerbaits worked parallel to emerging weed edges
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Large) with steady retrieve near points
- Inline Spinners in shallow feeding areas
| - Perch gathering near developing weed growth
- Alewife schools moving into warming shallow areas
- Young-of-year baitfish beginning to appear in the shallows
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
