| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 48-58 | - Bass actively moving to warmer north bank areas and shallow zones where sun exposure heats the water faster
- Fish staging near pre-spawn areas with particular focus on areas with last year's vegetation and matted grass that absorbs heat
| - North banks with matted grass and old vegetation
- Last year's lily pad stems in protected areas
- Rock piles that absorb and retain heat
| - Spinnerbaits worked through sparse cover and lily pad stems
- Swim Jigs for working through thicker grass mats
- Bladed Jigs (Chatterbaits) especially effective in stained water conditions
- Lipless Crankbaits in more open water areas
| - Primary forage based on multiple fishing reports
- Secondary forage in open water areas
| - Light Neutral Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 58-65 | - Bluegill beginning to move from winter depths to shallow spawning areas, staging near transition zones
- Feeding activity increasing as water warms, with focus on insects and small crustaceans near vegetation
| - Submerged vegetation edges in 4-8 feet of water
- Brush piles and stumps near spawning flats
- Protected coves with hard bottom areas
| - Live Bait Rigs with small worms or insects
- Finesse Hair Jigs worked slowly near cover
- Bobbers with suspended baits near vegetation edges
| - Aquatic insects emerging in warming water
- Small crustaceans in vegetation
- Mollusks near hard bottom areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-68 | - Fish are moving into shallow spawning areas, particularly in protected coves and near vegetation
- Males actively guarding nests while females stage on nearby deeper structure
- Feeding activity increases during pre-spawn, becomes territorial during spawn
| - Protected shallow coves with mixed vegetation and woody cover
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
- Grass lines adjacent to harder bottom areas
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)
- Wacky Rigs
- Soft Jerkbaits
| - Bluegill concentrating in spawning areas
- Small baitfish relating to emerging vegetation
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 62-72 | - Panfish moving shallow to spawn, actively defending nesting areas in protected zones with vegetation
- Feeding actively on small insects and crustaceans near submerged vegetation and hard bottom areas
| - Submerged vegetation in 2-6 feet of water with firm bottom
- Protected coves with scattered lily pads
- Hard bottom areas near shoreline structure
| - Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9')
- Bobbers
- Finesse Hair Jigs
| - Small insects and aquatic larvae
- Minnows
- Small crustaceans
| - Light Neutral Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 65-75 | - Fish are actively feeding in post-spawn recovery phase, primarily relating to shallow cover and transitional areas between spawning flats and summer haunts
- Bass are targeting both bluegill and shad, showing aggressive feeding behavior around vegetation edges and woody cover
| - Inside grass lines and matted grass edges in shallow water
- Stump fields and standing timber, especially those near spawning flats
- Outside grass lines where depth transitions occur
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around stumps and timber
- Frogs/Toads worked over matted grass and vegetation
- Neko Rigs for finesse presentation in clearer areas
| - Bluegill gathering around shallow cover and vegetation
- Shad moving along grass lines and vegetation edges
| - Dark Neutrals
- Natural Craw Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 68-75 | - Post-spawn bluegill transitioning from spawning areas to deeper feeding zones, actively seeking food to recover energy
- Fish relating heavily to submerged vegetation and brush piles as primary feeding stations
- Establishing daily feeding patterns with peak activity during morning and evening hours
| - Edges of lily pad fields in 4-8 feet of water
- Brush piles near deeper water access
- Submerged vegetation adjacent to spawning flats
| - Bobbers with small jigs suspended at specific depths near cover
- Finesse Hair Jigs worked slowly through vegetation
- Live Bait Rigs near brush piles and vegetation edges
| - Small insects and larvae around vegetation
- Small crustaceans near hard bottom areas
- Zooplankton in and around vegetation
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
