| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 52-62 | - Pre-spawn bass are actively feeding while staging near spawning areas, with increased activity during warming trends
- Fish are transitioning from winter depths to shallower pre-spawn locations, focusing on structure that provides both depth access and warming potential
| - Brush piles in 5-12 foot depths adjacent to spawning flats
- Rock piles providing thermal advantage and ambush points
- Protected coves with transition areas to deeper water
| - Hard Jerkbaits worked with long pauses to trigger reaction strikes
- Shakey Heads worked slowly around rock and brush structure
- Bladed Jigs around shallow cover during warming periods
| - Bluegill in and around brush cover
- Minnows relating to rock structure
- Crawfish becoming active on rocky bottom areas
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 48-58 | - Transitioning from winter deep rock piles to shallower pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding on crawfish
- Making gradual movements toward spawning areas while maintaining close proximity to deep water escape routes
- Becoming increasingly active with warming water temperatures, particularly during afternoon hours
| - Rock piles and rocky points in 8-15 foot depth range adjacent to potential spawning bays
- Transition areas between deep winter haunts and shallow spawning flats
- Secondary points with mixed rock and gravel in 5-12 foot range
| - Ned Rigs worked slowly along rock transitions
- Tubes dragged and hopped through rocky areas
- Drop Shot with small profile baits for finicky fish
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Small perch in rocky areas
- Various smaller minnow species
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-68 | - Largemouth bass are actively spawning and protecting beds in shallow water, particularly around docks and rocky bottom areas
- Fish are generally less focused on feeding and more territorial, requiring slower presentations
| - Shallow rocky bottom areas near docks
- Protected coves with hard bottom
- Secondary points with mixed rock and vegetation
| - Tubes worked slowly along bottom
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around dock pilings
- Wacky Rigs for finicky spawning fish
| | - Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 52-62 | - Actively staging on transition areas between deep wintering spots and shallow spawning flats, with males beginning to establish nesting sites
- Feeding actively but sporadically, primarily targeting crawfish with opportunistic feeding on small baitfish
- Males becoming increasingly territorial and aggressive as water temperatures rise
| - Rock piles and rocky points adjacent to potential spawning flats
- Protected shallow bays with gravel or small rock bottom
- Dock areas with nearby hard bottom structure
| - Tubes worked slowly along rocky transitions
- Ned Rigs dragged through spawning flats
- Finesse Jigs pitched to visible structure
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Small perch in rocky areas
- Various minnow species moving shallow
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 72-80 | - Post-spawn largemouth bass are actively feeding around submerged vegetation in 10-12 feet of water to regain energy
- Fish are showing preference for ambush points near vegetation edges, utilizing these areas to feed on shad
| - Submerged vegetation edges in 10-12 feet of water
- Dock areas with nearby vegetation
- Rocky points with adjacent weed growth
| - Drop Shot with finesse worms worked slowly through vegetation
- Texas Rigs (Worming) along weed edges
- Swim Jigs through vegetation gaps
| | - Dark Neutrals
- Natural Shad Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 58-68 | - Smallmouth bass transitioning to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover from spawn. Fish are becoming more aggressive and establishing deeper haunts while still utilizing transitional depths
- Moving between shallow feeding areas and slightly deeper resting areas, particularly around rock-to-weed transitions
| - Rock piles and points in 8-15 foot depth range, especially those adjacent to spawning flats
- Dock areas with nearby deep water access
- Weed edges developing in 5-8 foot range, particularly those near rock structure
| - Drop Shot worked methodically around rock piles and dock edges
- Tubes dragged and hopped along rocky transitions
- Ned Rigs worked slowly around developing weed edges
| - Crawfish emerging from winter patterns and highly active
- Small perch moving along weed edges
- Juvenile bluegills beginning to school in the shallows
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Green Colors
|
