Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 48-62 | - Pre-spawn largemouth bass are transitioning from winter areas to spawning zones, staging on route to shallow bays and coves
- Fish are becoming more active with warming trends, feeding opportunistically on bluegill near vegetation edges
| - Submerged vegetation edges in 7-9 feet, particularly coontail beds near spawning areas
- Secondary points and ledges leading into spawning bays
- Rock piles adjacent to vegetation providing staging areas
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked slowly along vegetation edges
- Texas Rigs (Worming) dragged through sparse vegetation
- Lipless Crankbaits worked over vegetation tops
| - Bluegill concentrating in and around vegetation
- Young of year baitfish beginning to emerge
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Northern Pike | 42-52 | - Actively moving into shallow spawning areas, particularly near emerging vegetation and rock structures
- Aggressive feeding behavior to build energy reserves before spawning
- Most active during warmer parts of day when water temperatures rise
| - Shallow bays with emerging weed growth in 3-8 feet of water
- Rocky areas adjacent to spawning flats in 5-10 feet
- Transition areas between deeper water and spawning areas
| - Inline Spinners worked slowly through shallow areas
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Large) with steady retrieve
- Spoons worked with erratic action in transition areas
| - Bluegill congregating in warming shallows
- Minnows in pre-spawn patterns
- Small perch in transitional areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Vibrant Craw Colors
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Crappie | 48-58 | - Crappie are transitioning from deeper winter haunts to shallower pre-spawn staging areas, becoming more active with warming water temperatures
- Fish are beginning to school more tightly and feed more aggressively as they prepare for spawning activity
| - Weed edges and coontail vegetation in 7-9 foot range, particularly near drop-offs
- Secondary points and creek channels leading to spawning coves
- Dock areas with deeper water access, especially on the sun-exposed sides
| - Crappie Spider Rigging - Slow presentation allowing for thorough coverage of staging areas
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') - Effective for working around dock posts and vegetation edges
- Crappie Long Lining (Pulling/Trolling) - Efficient for locating active schools in transition areas
| - Small minnows congregating in warming shallow waters
- Young-of-year bluegill beginning to become more active
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-68 | - Bass are transitioning into spawning areas, focusing on shallow protected zones with access to deeper water
- Fish are actively feeding on bluegill in and around vegetation, particularly in areas near spawning flats
| - Shallow lily pad fields adjacent to spawning flats
- Protected coves with vegetation in 7-9 feet
- Dock areas providing shade and cover near spawning areas
| - Drop Shot with finesse worms around vegetation edges
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) in lily pads and dense cover
- Wacky Rigs in clearer pockets between vegetation
| - Bluegill in shallow vegetation
- Small baitfish relating to vegetation edges
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Spawn) | Northern Pike | 38-52 | - Northern Pike are in their spawn/post-spawn phase, moving into and around shallow weedy bays and backwaters where water warms first
- Aggressive feeding behavior in preparation for and following spawning, with fish being particularly responsive to larger, flashy presentations in the stained water
| - Shallow weedy bays and backwaters, especially those with emerging vegetation
- Transition areas between spawning bays and slightly deeper water (8-12 feet)
- Areas near rock piles that warm quickly and hold baitfish
| - Spinnerbaits worked slowly through shallow spawning areas
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Large) with steady retrieves parallel to weed edges
- Inline Spinners in areas with emerging vegetation
| - Spawning suckers and shiners
- Young-of-year panfish
- Concentrated schools of baitfish
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Vibrant Craw Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Crappie | 58-68 | - Crappie moving into shallow spawning areas (2-8 feet) near protected shorelines and coves as water temperatures rise
- Males staging and creating beds while females stage slightly deeper on nearby structure
- Aggressive feeding periods during pre-spawn, becoming more territorial during actual spawn
| - Protected shallow coves with submerged vegetation in 2-8 foot range
- Dock areas providing shade and protection in spawning depth
- Weed edges near drop-offs where females stage pre-spawn
| - Crappie Dock Shooting
- Bobbers
- Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
| - Small bluegills and juvenile fish
- Minnows in shallow spawning areas
- Aquatic invertebrates around vegetation
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-72 | - Bass are transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding but still relatively shallow
- Fish are establishing home ranges around key structure, with multiple bass often using the same piece of cover as noted in dock fishing reports
| - Docks, particularly those near deeper water where weed cutting has occurred
- Lily pad fields in shallow water
- Weed edges and remaining vegetation in 7-9 foot range
| - Structure Jigs - skipping under docks, particularly effective with recent weed cutting
- Wacky Rigs - worked slowly with bottom contact around vegetation
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) - for working through remaining vegetation and lily pads
| - Bluegill, especially around docks and vegetation
- Young of year baitfish beginning to emerge
- Crawfish active in warmer shallow waters
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Northern Pike | 52-65 | - Actively feeding in post-spawn recovery phase, primarily targeting abundant forage in shallow to mid-depth zones along weed edges
- Most aggressive during early morning and evening hours due to low light penetration in stained water
- Utilizing ambush points near structural transitions, particularly where weeds meet rock piles
| - Weed edges in 8-12 feet of water, especially where they intersect with rock piles
- Shallow bays with emerging vegetation in 4-7 feet of water
- Points and ledges adjacent to spawning areas in 6-10 feet
| - Spinnerbaits worked parallel to weed edges with steady retrieves
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Large) with erratic retrieves near structure
- Inline Spinners in shallow bays during low light periods
| - Bluegill and other panfish gathering near emerging weed growth
- Minnows schooling along structural edges
- Young-of-year perch in shallow weed areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Dark Neutrals
|
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 relating to emerging weed growth and dock edges, suspending near cover in 7-12 foot range
- Feeding activity is highest during morning and evening periods, with fish moving shallower during these prime times
| - Weed edges and coontail vegetation in 7-9 foot range
- Dock edges and corners, especially those near depth changes
- Secondary points and ledges transitioning from spawning bays
| - Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling) with light jigs around vegetation
- Crappie Dock Shooting for fish holding tight to dock structure
- Hover/Mid-Strolling along weed edges and depth transitions
| - Small bluegills and juvenile panfish
- Minnows relating to emerging weed growth
- Aquatic invertebrates in vegetation
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|