| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 39-48 | - Fish are sluggish and require slow presentations due to cold water temperatures, with reports showing fish pecking at baits before committing
- Fish are congregating around specific structure (cribs, brush piles, rock piles) and schooling up, allowing multiple catches once located
| - Brush piles and cribs in 8-35 foot range
- Rock piles with proximity to deeper water
- Rocky points with access to pre-spawn staging areas
| - Ned Rigs worked extremely slowly with long pauses
- Tubes dragged or deadsticked on the bottom
- Drop Shot with minimal movement to target suspended fish
| - Perch, as confirmed by multiple fishing reports
- Crawfish becoming more active as water warms
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 48-58 | - Fish transitioning from winter deep water patterns to warmer shallows, staging near spawning areas
- Actively feeding during warming trends, with less activity during cold fronts
- Moving along transition areas between deep winter haunts and shallow spawning bays
| - Secondary points leading into spawning bays with emerging vegetation
- Deep weed edges adjacent to spawning flats
- Protected coves with early vegetation growth
| - Lipless Crankbaits worked through emerging vegetation
- Bladed Jigs slow-rolled near vegetation edges
- Soft Jerkbaits worked with long pauses in transition areas
| - Baitfish schools congregating near emerging vegetation
- Early season crawfish becoming active in rocky areas
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Walleye | 42-52 | - Pre-spawn walleyes staging near spawning areas, moving from winter depths to shallower transitional areas
- Feeding actively but in shorter windows, primarily during low-light periods
- Males arriving first at spawning areas, with females staging slightly deeper
| - Rocky points and shorelines with gravel substrate
- Shallow bays with firm bottom adjacent to deeper water
- Transition areas between deep winter holes and spawning grounds
| - Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along bottom transitions
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with slow, subtle movements
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) retrieved steadily
| - Perch in the 2-4 inch range
- Small baitfish schools moving shallow
- Juvenile crawfish becoming active in rocky areas
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Purple Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 55-65 | - Smallmouth bass moving into shallow rocky areas (2-8 feet) to establish spawning beds, particularly around protected bays and points
- Males actively guarding nests while females stage in slightly deeper water (8-15 feet) near spawning areas
- Aggressive territorial behavior, especially from males protecting nests
| - Rocky points and flats in 2-8 foot depth range with pea gravel or small boulder bottom
- Protected bays with hard bottom adjacent to deeper water
- Secondary points near spawning bays with mixed rock and gravel
| - Tubes worked slowly around visible beds and potential spawning areas
- Ned Rigs deadsticked near bedding areas
- Soft Jerkbaits worked slowly for pre-spawn females
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Small perch in shallow areas
- Various small baitfish moving shallow
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 55-65 | - Fish moving into shallow spawning areas, particularly in protected bays and coves with firm bottom
- Males staging on pre-spawn areas near spawning flats, becoming increasingly aggressive as water warms
- Females making periodic moves between deeper staging areas and shallow spawning zones
| - Protected shallow bays with emerging vegetation
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
- Edges of cabbage and milfoil beds in 5-8 foot depth
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around emerging vegetation
- Soft Jerkbaits worked slowly along vegetation edges
- Spinnerbaits on windy shorelines and points
| - Minnows gathering in warming shallows
- Small panfish in emerging vegetation
- Crawfish becoming active in shallow areas
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Walleye | 42-52 | - Walleye moving into shallow rocky areas and tributaries for spawning, most active during low light periods
- Post-spawn fish staging on adjacent drop-offs and points, gradually transitioning to deeper water
| - Rocky shorelines and points in 2-6 feet of water
- Tributary mouths and inflowing streams
- Adjacent drop-offs and deeper points in 8-15 feet for post-spawn staging
| - Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along rocky shorelines
- Blade Baits worked with slow, vertical presentations
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) retrieved steadily near bottom
| - Perch focusing on shallow rocky areas
- Small baitfish gathering in tributary areas
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Purple Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 58-68 | - Post-spawn smallmouth are actively recovering and beginning to feed aggressively, transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns
- Fish are moving between shallow and mid-depth ranges (8-20 feet) following baitfish schools and targeting crawfish
| - Rocky points and adjacent drop-offs in 8-15 foot depth range
- Offshore rock piles and humps in 14-20 foot range
- Transition areas between spawning bays and main lake points
| - Drop Shot with finesse baits worked slowly along rock transitions
- Tubes dragged and hopped through rocky areas
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked parallel to break lines
- Ned Rigs worked slowly on rock piles and points
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy and highly active
- Perch schools in transition areas
- Small baitfish gathering in post-spawn areas
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-72 | - Fish transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy
- Moving between shallow cover and nearby deeper edges of vegetation, especially during daily warming trends
| - Edges of cabbage and milfoil beds in 5-15 foot range
- Secondary points near spawning bays with emerging vegetation
- Shallow flats adjacent to deeper water with scattered vegetation
| - Texas Rigs (Worming) worked slowly through emerging vegetation
- Spinnerbaits parallel to weed edges during active periods
- Soft Jerkbaits worked erratically over vegetation tops
| - Young-of-year baitfish beginning to school
- Bluegills preparing to spawn in shallows
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Walleye | 48-58 | - Post-spawn walleyes transitioning from spawning areas to early-season feeding locations, becoming more active as metabolism increases
- Fish actively feeding during low-light periods (dawn/dusk) in relatively shallow water, taking advantage of emerging weed growth and baitfish concentrations
| - Rocky points and shoreline areas adjacent to spawning grounds in 8-12 foot depth
- Emerging cabbage weed edges in 6-15 foot depth
- Offshore humps and structure transitioning to 15-20 foot depth
| - Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along rocky points and transitions
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) with steady retrieves parallel to structure
- Lipless Crankbaits around emerging vegetation
| - Young perch gathering in emerging weed growth
- Small baitfish schools moving shallow with warming water
- Emerging crayfish becoming active in rocky areas
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
- Purple Colors
|
