| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 52-65 | - Pre-spawn bass are actively staging and transitioning from winter patterns to spawning areas, following warming trends and focusing on feeding to prepare for spawning
- Fish are moving from deep winter channels to transitional areas like points and channel swings, becoming more aggressive as water temperatures rise
| - Secondary points and channel swings adjacent to spawning flats
- Rock piles and matted grass in protected coves
- Transition areas between deep channels and shallow spawning areas
| - Lipless Crankbaits worked through emerging vegetation
- Bladed Jigs with trailer near grass edges and points
- Soft Jerkbaits worked slowly over transitional areas
| - Shad schools congregating in pre-spawn areas
- Bluegill beginning to become more active in warming shallows
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Walleye | 42-52 | - Walleye are transitioning from winter deep water channels to shallower spawning areas, following migrations routes along hard bottom and channel edges
- Fish are staging near spawning areas but still actively feeding, making multiple movements between deeper staging areas and shallow spawning zones
| - Rock piles and points adjacent to deep water channels, particularly those leading to potential spawning areas
- Hard bottom transitional areas between 8-15 feet deep where pre-spawn walleye stage
- Protected bays with gravel or rock bottom that will warm up first
| - Blade Baits worked slowly along bottom transitions
- Live Bait Rigs with minnows near staging areas
- Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19') with slow, subtle movements
| - Shad schooling in pre-spawn staging areas
- Small baitfish gathering in warming shallow bays
- Crawfish becoming more active in rocky areas as water warms
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Metallic Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Crappie | 52-62 | - Crappie are transitioning from winter deep-water areas to pre-spawn staging areas, following creek channels and depth transitions
- Fish are becoming more active and beginning to feed more aggressively as water temperatures rise, gathering in schools near staging areas
| - Secondary points and creek channel bends near spawning flats
- Brush piles and laydowns in 8-15 foot depth range along creek channels
- Transition areas where deep creek channels meet developing vegetation
| - Crappie Spider Rigging
- Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')
- Crappie Long Lining (Pulling/Trolling)
| - Small minnows and shad gathering in pre-spawn areas
- Small insects and crustaceans becoming more active in warming waters
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Purple Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-68 | - Bass are actively engaging in spawning behavior, with reports showing them utilizing rock piles and matted grass areas for bedding
- Fish are moving between pre-spawn staging areas and shallow spawning flats, with a focus on shoreline-oriented structure
| - Rock piles near shoreline points, particularly those just off shore as indicated in recent reports
- Matted grass areas in shallow water, providing spawning habitat
- Submerged vegetation edges adjacent to spawning flats
| - Shakey Heads worked slowly around rock piles and spawning areas
- Frogs/Toads worked over matted grass areas
- Blade Baits near submerged vegetation for pre-spawn fish
| - Shad - multiple reports indicate shad as primary forage
- Crawfish - actively feeding on crawfish around rocky areas
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Natural Shad Colors
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Walleye | 42-52 | - Walleye are moving into shallow rocky areas and points for spawning, becoming more active during dawn and dusk periods
- Males arrive first and stay longer on spawning grounds, while females move in briefly to deposit eggs before returning to slightly deeper transition areas
| - Rocky points and hard bottom areas, especially where they transition to deeper water
- Shallow grass lines adjacent to spawning areas where pre and post-spawn fish stage
- River channel edges where fish stage before moving to spawning grounds
| - Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along rocky points and hard bottom areas
- Blade Baits worked with slow, vertical presentations near staging areas
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') worked parallel to shoreline structure
| - Shad schools in pre-spawn staging areas
- Small panfish near emerging vegetation
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Metallic Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Crappie | 58-68 | - Staging in pre-spawn areas near shallow flats, moving progressively shallower as water warms
- Aggressive feeding periods during warming trends, particularly during morning and evening hours
- Males preparing and guarding nests in shallow areas, while females stage slightly deeper until ready to spawn
| - Protected coves and creek arms with depths of 2-6 feet
- Shallow flats near creek channel transitions
- Laydowns and brush in creek mouths
| - Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
- Bobbers
- Crappie Spider Rigging
| - Small shad and minnows
- Young of the year baitfish
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Natural Shad Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 69-74 | - Post-spawn bass are actively guarding fry in shallow areas while beginning to transition to summer patterns
- Fish are showing mixed activity levels - some still sluggish from spawning while others actively feeding along grass edges and points
| - Outside edges of grass lines and reed beds
- Points with access to deeper water
- Lily pad fields, especially those near deeper water access
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked along grass edges
- Bladed Jigs around points and vegetation transitions
- Wacky Rigs pitched to lily pads and sparse cover
| - Shad - primary forage based on multiple recent reports
- Bluegill - especially around grass and vegetation
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Walleye | 52-65 | - Post-spawn walleye are transitioning from shallow spawning areas to early summer feeding patterns, actively pursuing shad and other baitfish along structural elements
- Fish are moving between shallow and mid-depth areas, using points and weed edges as primary feeding zones
| - Main lake points with access to deeper water, especially those with rock or gravel substrate
- Emerging weed edges in 8-15 foot depth range
- Secondary points in major creek arms where shad congregate
| - Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along transitions from rock to soft bottom
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') worked parallel to emerging weed edges
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) retrieved steadily through suspended fish
| - Shad schools beginning to form in creek arms and along points
- Young of year perch in emerging weed growth
- Crawfish becoming active on rocky structures
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Metallic Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Crappie | 65-75 | - Crappie are transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, suspending near creek channel edges and utilizing brush piles as staging areas
- Fish are actively feeding to recover from spawn, with most activity during early morning and evening hours
- Schools are beginning to reform and suspend near vertical structure and along depth changes
| - Brush piles positioned near creek channel edges in 12-18 feet of water
- Secondary points with access to deeper water
- Deeper dock structures adjacent to spawning flats
| - Crappie Long Lining (Pulling/Trolling) along channel edges to locate active schools
- Crappie Spider Rigging near brush piles and channel breaks
- Crappie Dock Shooting for fish holding under deeper docks
| - Young-of-year shad beginning to school
- Small minnows around brush piles
- Small bluegill in remaining vegetation
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
