Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Crappie | 48-58 | - Fish are transitioning from winter deep-water patterns to shallower pre-spawn staging areas, becoming more active with warming trends
- Moving into warmer bays and coves during daylight hours, especially on sunny days
- Feeding activity increases as fish prepare for spawning, with peak activity during early morning and late afternoon
| - Protected shallow bays and coves with emerging vegetation
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
- Shallow dock areas (4-8 feet) adjacent to deeper water
| - Crappie Dock Shooting
- Finesse Hair Jigs
- Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
| - Small minnows gathering in warming shallows
- Young-of-year baitfish schools
| - Dark Neutrals
- Purple Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 48-58 | - Bass are transitioning from winter depths to pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawning
- Fish are moving along migration routes from deeper wintering areas to shallow spawning bays, stopping at key transition points
| - Secondary points and channel swings adjacent to spawning bays
- Shallow protected coves with emerging vegetation
- Dock structures in 4-8 foot depth range
| - Lipless Crankbaits along emerging vegetation edges
- Bladed Jigs worked around dock posts and vegetation
- Soft Jerkbaits fished with long pauses in staging areas
| - Green Sunfish gathering in warming shallows
- Juvenile Bass in transitional areas
- Crawfish becoming active in rocky areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 48-58 | - Smallmouth are transitioning from winter deep water areas to pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawning
- Fish are becoming more aggressive but still relating heavily to structure, particularly in the stained water conditions
- Movement patterns follow warming trends, with fish most active during afternoon hours when water temperatures peak
| - Rocky points and transition areas adjacent to deeper wintering areas
- Dam structure where current and rock create prime staging areas
- Secondary points in 4-8 foot depth range with access to deeper water
| - Blade Baits worked slowly along bottom contours
- Jerkbaits worked with long pauses in shallow zones
- Tubes dragged on bottom near rocky structure
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Small baitfish concentrated near structure
- Young of year perch in shallow flats
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Walleye | 42-52 | - Pre-spawn walleyes staging near spawning areas, with increased feeding activity during warming trends
- In this stained water (1.1m secchi), fish are active throughout the day, particularly near current breaks and structure
| - Current breaks and rocky areas near the dam structure
- Shallow flats adjacent to deeper wintering areas
- Emerging weed edges in 4-8 foot depths
| - Blade Baits worked slowly along bottom transitions
- Live Bait Rigs with minnows near structure
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with heavy jigs in current areas
| - Shiner minnows moving shallow for spawning
- Small crayfish becoming active with warming water
- Young of year perch in shallow grass edges
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Spawn) | Crappie | 58-65 | - Moving into shallow spawning areas near shore structure and submerged vegetation, actively feeding during pre-spawn staging
- Males creating and guarding nests in protected areas while females stage slightly deeper until ready to spawn
| - Protected shallow coves with submerged vegetation in 2-6 foot depths
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
- Dock areas providing overhead cover in spawning zones
| - Crappie Dock Shooting
- Bobbers
- Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
| - Small minnows in shallow spawning areas
- Young of year baitfish beginning to emerge
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Purple Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-65 | - Bass moving into shallow spawning areas (2-5 feet) near shoreline complexity features
- Males preparing and guarding nests while females stage nearby in slightly deeper water
- Increased aggression and territorial behavior around nesting sites
| - Protected shallow coves with firm bottom near docks
- Shallow grass islands with adjacent deeper water
- Secondary points leading into spawning pockets
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around shallow cover
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) for pre-spawn females
- Wacky Rigs for sight fishing bedding bass
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Juvenile sunfish in shallow vegetation
- Small baitfish moving shallow
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 55-65 | - Smallmouth bass are in pre-spawn to spawning mode, moving from winter depths to shallow spawning areas, particularly focusing on rocky or gravel areas in 2-5 foot depths
- Males will be actively guarding nests while females move between spawning areas and slightly deeper transition zones
- Aggressive territorial behavior near nesting sites, with increased reaction strikes to protect spawning areas
| - Rocky shorelines and points in 2-5 foot depth range, especially those adjacent to deeper water
- Protected coves with gravel or small rock bottom composition
- Areas near docks that provide both cover and hard bottom for spawning
| - Tubes worked slowly around potential spawning areas
- Ned Rigs dragged near nesting sites
- Soft Jerkbaits for cruising pre-spawn fish
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Small baitfish in spawning areas
- Juvenile perch in shallow zones
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Spawn) | Walleye | 42-52 | - Fish moving into shallow spawning areas, particularly around hard bottom and gravel areas near shoreline complexity
- Feeding actively in pre-spawn, becoming more focused on spawning activities as water warms
- Low light feeding periods extended due to stained water conditions
| - Rocky points and gravel areas in 2-6 feet of water
- Current breaks near dam structure
- Shallow grass flats adjacent to spawning areas
| - Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along bottom structure
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with slow presentations
- Blade Baits worked through current areas
| - Small baitfish concentrating in spawning areas
- Juvenile perch in shallow grass
- Crawfish becoming active in rocky areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Crappie | 62-72 | - Post-spawn crappies are transitioning from shallow spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy
- Fish are suspending near vertical structure and moving between shallow and mid-depth zones throughout the day
| - Submerged vegetation edges in 8-12 foot depths
- Dock areas with 6-10 feet of water
- Deeper ledges adjacent to spawning flats
| - Crappie Dock Shooting
- Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
- Finesse Hair Jigs
| - Small Minnows
- Newly hatched fry
- Small insects
| - Dark Neutrals
- Purple Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 62-72 | - Post-spawn bass are transitioning from shallow spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy
- Fish are utilizing grass edges and dock areas as primary feeding zones, making frequent moves between shallow and moderate depths
| - Outside edges of grass islands in 4-8 foot depth range
- Dock posts and shaded areas, especially near deeper water access
- Shallow grass flats adjacent to deeper water
| - Swim Jigs worked along grass edges and through scattered vegetation
- Texas Rigs (Worming) for methodically working dock areas and grass patches
- Spinnerbaits for covering water and targeting actively feeding fish
| - Juvenile bluegill and green sunfish gathering near vegetation
- Young of year bass in shallow grass areas
- Crawfish active in vegetation and around dock posts
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 58-68 | - Post-spawn smallmouth transitioning from nesting areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy
- Fish moving between shallow feeding zones and adjacent deeper recovery areas throughout the day
- Aggressive feeding behavior during prime morning and evening periods, especially around rock-to-wood transitions
| - Rocky points and transition areas adjacent to spawning flats in 4-8 foot depth range
- Dam area rocks and current breaks in 5-12 foot range
- Dock edges with nearby rock or gravel bottom composition
| - Soft Jerkbaits worked with aggressive twitches and longer pauses
- Tubes dragged and hopped along rocky transitions
- Swim Jigs worked parallel to dock edges and through transition zones
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Small baitfish relating to newly emerging vegetation
- Young of year panfish in shallow zones
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Walleye | 48-62 | - Post-spawn walleye transitioning from shallow spawning areas to early summer feeding patterns, actively hunting in low-light conditions due to stained water
- Fish taking advantage of turbid conditions to feed throughout the day, especially around current breaks and weed edges
| - Current breaks and eddies near the dam structure where walleye stage to ambush prey
- Emerging weed edges in 4-8 foot depths where baitfish are congregating
- Points and irregular shoreline features with mixed rock/vegetation
| - Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along transitions and current breaks
- Blade Baits worked through current areas near the dam
- Lipless Crankbaits worked parallel to emerging weed edges
| - Young-of-year perch gathering in emerging vegetation
- Minnows and small baitfish concentrated near current breaks
- Juvenile panfish in shallow feeding areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|