| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 52-62 | - Bass are transitioning from winter areas to pre-spawn staging areas, becoming more active with warming temperatures
- Fish are actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawning, showing increased aggression toward moving baits
| - Brush piles adjacent to spawning flats in 4-8 foot depth range
- Points with mixed vegetation and hard cover near potential spawning areas
- Weed edges along transition areas between shallow and deeper water
| - Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') worked around brush piles and points
- Bladed Jigs around emerging vegetation and transition areas
- Soft Jerkbaits worked slowly near staging areas
| - Bluegill beginning to move shallow
- Shad schools in transition areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Walleye | 42-58 | - Pre-spawn walleye are staging near spawning areas and making feeding movements during low light periods
- Fish are transitioning from winter haunts to shallower spawning locations, particularly around rock and rip rap areas
| - Rock piles and rip rap areas that will be used for spawning
- Main lake points, especially those with wind exposure
- Transitions where deep winter areas meet shallow spawning flats
| - Hard Jerkbaits worked with long pauses to imitate struggling shad
- Blade Baits worked slowly along bottom transitions
- Live Bait Rigs with minnows near rocky structure
| - Shad concentrated in pre-spawn staging areas
- Small perch near rocky structure
- Minnows gathering in warming shallows
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Metallic Colors
- Purple Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-68 | - Bass are actively moving into shallow spawning areas, focusing on protected areas near shorelines
- Males are preparing and guarding nests while females stage on nearby drop-offs
- Feeding activity is opportunistic, with a focus on defending territory rather than actively chasing forage
| - Rip rap banks with good sun exposure
- Protected shallow coves with firm bottom
- Weed edges adjacent to spawning flats
| - Wacky Rigs worked slowly near visible cover
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) for precise presentations
- Shakey Heads for staging fish
| - Bluegill in shallow spawning areas
- Small baitfish around shoreline cover
| - Dark Neutrals
- Natural Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Walleye | 48-58 | - Walleye are in spawn/post-spawn transition, actively moving between spawning areas and feeding zones around points
- Fish are showing increased feeding activity with warming temperatures, targeting shad in relatively shallow water
| - Main lake points with rock or gravel substrate
- Transitional areas between spawning flats and deeper water
- Windward shorelines where shad concentrate
| - Hard Jerkbaits worked with long pauses along points
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') worked parallel to transitional areas
- Live Bait Rigs near spawning areas
| - Shad concentrated around points and windward areas
- Small perch in shallow transitional areas
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Metallic Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-68 | - Post-spawn bass are actively feeding to recover energy, primarily targeting bluegill and shad in shallow to mid-depth zones
- Fish are relating heavily to cover (laydowns, docks, brush piles) while maintaining proximity to spawning areas
- Showing aggressive feeding behavior with willingness to chase moving baits like spinnerbaits
| - Laydowns and dock areas in 3-8 feet of water
- Brush piles adjacent to spawning flats
- Matted grass edges providing ambush points
| - Spinnerbaits parallel to laydowns and dock edges
- Wacky Rigs around docks and sparse cover
- Shakey Heads worked slowly near brush piles
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') along transition areas
| - Bluegill (actively spawning)
- Shad (moving into shallower water)
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Walleye | 52-65 | - Post-spawn walleyes recovering and actively feeding, transitioning from spawning areas to early summer feeding locations
- Fish are relating to wind-blown points and structures, especially during shad feeding periods
- Movement patterns showing preference for hard-bottom areas near emerging weed growth
| - Main lake points with rock or riprap, especially wind-blown areas
- Emerging weed edges in 8-15 foot depth range
- Secondary points leading into coves with hard bottom composition
| - Hard Jerkbaits worked with longer pauses, targeting suspended fish
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') along rock transitions
- Live Bait Rigs with leeches or nightcrawlers near bottom structure
| - Shad schools congregating near points and structure
- Young of year panfish beginning to emerge in vegetation
- Crawfish becoming active on rocky areas
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Metallic Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
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