Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 54-63 | - Bass are transitioning from winter areas to pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding to prepare for spawning. Males are moving shallower while females stage on nearby points.
- Feeding activity is temperature-dependent, with most active periods during warmer parts of the day, particularly around shallow wood cover.
| - Laydowns and woody cover in spawning coves, particularly near small points
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
- Shallow wood cover in protected areas
| - Shakey Heads worked slowly around wood cover and points
- Spinnerbaits early in the day around shallow wood
- Bladed Jigs around transition areas and points
| - Crawfish emerging as primary forage in warming water
- Shad present in transition areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Catfish | 55-65 | - Pre-spawn catfish actively moving from winter deep water locations to transitional areas, becoming more aggressive in feeding patterns as water warms
- Fish staging near spawning areas like flooded brush and timber, making frequent feeding movements to nearby flats
- Increasing activity levels during warming trends, with peak feeding during early morning and evening hours
| - River channel edges where deep water meets emerging shallow flats
- Flooded brush and timber areas adjacent to deeper water
- Secondary creek arms with abundant woody cover
| - Live Bait Rigs with slip sinkers for precise depth control
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') around structure
- Carolina Rigs worked slowly along channel edges
| - Shad schools moving into shallower water
- Bluegill becoming more active in brush areas
- Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Crappie | 53-68 | - Crappie are transitioning from winter patterns to pre-spawn staging, moving from deeper creek channels toward spawning areas in coves and creek arms
- Fish are actively feeding to build energy for spawn, congregating around structure in 8-15 foot depths
| - Creek channel bends with adjacent brush piles in 8-15 foot depths
- Secondary points leading into spawning coves with laydowns or brush
- Staging areas near flooded brush in 5-10 foot depths
| - Crappie Spider Rigging to methodically work brush piles and channel edges
- Crappie Long Lining (Pulling/Trolling) along creek channels and point transitions
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') around visible cover and brush
| - Shad in 2-4 inch range gathering in pre-spawn areas
- Bluegill beginning to become more active in warmer areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Lake Whitefish | 50-57 | - Lake Whitefish are transitioning from deeper winter haunts to pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding on both benthic invertebrates and small baitfish near rock piles and points
- Fish are becoming more active with warming temperatures, making daily movements between deeper staging areas and shallower feeding zones
| - Rocky points and humps in 15-25 foot depth range where pre-spawn staging occurs
- River channel edges where current creates feeding opportunities
- Transition areas between rock piles and softer bottom where invertebrates are abundant
| - Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')
- Blade Baits
- Ice Fishing Jigs
| - Benthic invertebrates near rock piles and points
- Small shad and baitfish
- Aquatic insects beginning spring hatches
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Pink Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 57-68 | - Pre-spawn females staging in mouths of coves near spawning areas, transitioning to males moving shallow to prepare beds as water warms
- Activity levels increasing with warming trends, fish becoming more aggressive during cloudy conditions with light wind
| - Laydowns in mouths of coves serving as pre-spawn staging areas
- Protected shallow areas in backs of coves where males are preparing beds
- Submerged vegetation edges providing cover during spawning transition
| - Spinnerbaits worked around laydowns and cover, especially during cloudy conditions
- Shakey Heads worked slowly in spawning pockets and around bedding areas
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) for targeting specific pieces of cover and bed areas
| - Shad - primary forage based on multiple fishing reports
- Bluegill - secondary forage becoming more important as fish move shallow
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Spawn) | Catfish | 65-75 | - Actively seeking spawning areas in flooded brush, timber, and cavities in 5-10 foot depth range
- Males guarding nests become aggressive and territorial, while females stage in nearby deeper water
- Feeding activity increases as water warms, with peak activity during dawn and dusk periods
| - Flooded timber and brush areas near river channel edges
- Rock piles and laydowns in 5-10 foot depth
- Protected coves with woody structure
| - Live Bait Rigs with cut bait or live offerings
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') near structure
- Bobbers for suspended presentations around spawning areas
| - Shad concentrations in spawning areas
- Bluegill in shallow brush
- Crawfish emerging in rocky areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Spawn) | Crappie | 62-72 | - Crappie are in spawning mode, moving into shallow flooded brush and staging areas, with most active periods during warmer parts of the day at 68°F
- Fish are actively feeding on shad and bluegill in the 2-4 inch range while preparing for and during spawn
| - Flooded brush in 2-8 feet of water, particularly in protected coves and creek arms
- Shallow staging areas adjacent to spawning flats near creek channels
- Protected coves with woody cover and laydowns
| - Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling) around visible brush and cover
- Crappie Dock Shooting for fish holding tight to cover
- Bobbers with light jigs for precise depth control in spawning areas
| - Shad in 2-4 inch range
- Bluegill in 2-4 inch range
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
- Pink Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Lake Whitefish | 42-52 | - Moving from deep winter locations to shallower spawning areas, typically seeking rock piles and gravel substrate in 15-25 foot depths
- Actively feeding during pre-spawn period to build energy reserves, with most active periods during early morning and late evening
| - Rock piles and gravel areas near river channel intersections
- Transition areas between deep winter haunts and spawning grounds
- Points and humps with hard bottom composition
| - Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')
- Live Bait Rigs
- Small Tubes
| - Small shad and baitfish
- Benthic invertebrates
- Aquatic insect larvae
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Pink Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 69-77 | - Bass are transitioning to post-spawn patterns, actively feeding on shad during their spawn near shorelines early in the morning, then moving to deeper structure as the day progresses
- Fish are showing increased feeding activity with water temperatures between 69-77°F, particularly responsive to moving baits and shad imitations
| - Rock and clay banks with active shad spawn early morning
- Offshore humps and points with bait present
- Wind-blown banks with cover
- Rock piles and ledges in deeper water
| - Hard Topwater (Walking) early morning during shad spawn
- Spinnerbaits around shad and on wind-blown banks
- Deep Diving Crankbaits (13'+) on points with bait present
- Ned Rigs worked slowly on rock piles and ledges
| - Shad (primary forage, actively spawning)
- Bluegill (secondary forage in shallow areas)
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Catfish | 65-75 | - Post-spawn catfish are actively feeding and recovering energy, transitioning from spawning areas to main lake feeding zones
- Fish are moving between different depth ranges throughout the day, following baitfish schools and responding to warming water temperatures
| - River channel edges near spawning flats where catfish stage during post-spawn recovery
- Laydowns and flooded timber in 8-15 foot depths where baitfish congregate
- Rock piles and creek arm intersections with the main river channel
| - Live Bait Rigs positioned near structure and channel edges
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') around laydowns and timber
- Carolina Rigs worked slowly along rocky transitions
| - Shad schools moving into post-spawn feeding areas
- Bluegill in and around shallow cover
- Crawfish becoming more active in rocky areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Crappie | 65-75 | - Post-spawn crappie transitioning from shallow spawning areas to deeper summer holding areas, actively feeding to recover energy
- Fish beginning to school up and suspend near structure, especially in relation to baitfish movements
| - Brush piles and woody cover in 8-15 feet of water adjacent to spawning flats
- Creek arm channel edges with flooded timber
- Secondary points with submerged brush near deeper water
| - Crappie Long Lining (Pulling/Trolling) along channel edges and points
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') around brush piles
- Crappie Spider Rigging near suspended schools
| - Shad in 2-4 inch range gathering in schools
- Young-of-year bluegill beginning to appear in shallow areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Lake Whitefish | 50-57 | - Moving from deep wintering areas to mid-depth zones (15-25 feet) as water warms, following preferred temperature range
- Actively feeding on both baitfish and benthic invertebrates near rock piles and river channel edges
- Most active during early morning and late evening, seeking clearer water zones due to the lake's turbid conditions
| - Rock piles and river channel edges in 15-25 foot depth range
- Points and humps adjacent to deep water wintering areas
- Areas where submerged vegetation meets hard bottom structure
| - Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')
- Live Bait Rigs
- Trolling Mid Depth (10-19')
| - Shad in the 2-4 inch range
- Benthic invertebrates near rock piles
- Small crayfish emerging from winter dormancy
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|