| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-70 | - Bass are actively transitioning into pre-spawn patterns, seeking warmer water in shallow, dark-bottom bays with temperatures reaching 70°F
- Fish are staging near spawning areas but still actively feeding, utilizing vegetation and other cover as ambush points
| - Shallow, dark-bottom bays with submerged vegetation
- Secondary points and staging areas adjacent to spawning flats
- Docks and laydowns in protected areas
| - Bladed Jigs worked through and around vegetation
- Spinnerbaits parallel to emerging weed edges
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around docks and laydowns
| - Bluegill concentrated in shallow areas
- Various small baitfish utilizing emerging vegetation
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Chartreuse Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 52-65 | - Transitioning from deeper winter areas to shallow warming bays, staging in pre-spawn locations near emerging vegetation
- Actively feeding on emerging insects and small invertebrates as water temperatures rise, with increased activity during warmer afternoons
| - Protected shallow bays with emerging vegetation in 3-8 feet of water
- Secondary points and breaks leading to spawning areas in 8-12 feet
- Dock areas providing cover and warming effects in 4-7 feet
| - Bobbers with light jigs suspended near emerging vegetation
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') along vegetation edges
- Crappie Dock Shooting for fish holding tight to dock structures
| - Emerging aquatic insects and larvae
- Small invertebrates in vegetation
- Zooplankton in warming shallows
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Crappie | 52-62 | - Crappies are transitioning from deeper winter haunts to shallow pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding as they prepare for spawning
- Fish become increasingly active during warming trends, especially in afternoon hours when water temperatures peak
- Moving in small schools, staging near transition areas between deeper water and shallow spawning flats
| - Shallow dark-bottom bays that warm quickly, especially near deeper water access
- Submerged vegetation edges in 6-12 feet of water
- Laydowns and dock pilings adjacent to deeper water
| - Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling) with light jigs around shallow cover
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') near structure transitions
- Crappie Dock Shooting when fish relate to dock structures
| - Small minnows gathering in warming shallows
- Emerging aquatic insects near vegetation
- Zooplankton in upper water column
| - Pink Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-70 | - Bass staging in pre-spawn areas near spawning flats, making short feeding moves to warm shallows
- Males actively preparing and guarding nests in protected areas, especially dark-bottom bays that warm faster
- Females moving between staging and spawning areas, feeding opportunistically
| - Protected shallow bays with dark bottoms, particularly on the north side where vegetation is present
- Areas between docks with laydowns providing spawning cover
- Transition areas between spawning flats and slightly deeper staging zones
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around shallow cover and spawning areas
- Swim Jigs along edges of spawning flats and through sparse vegetation
- Soft Jerkbaits worked slowly for staging fish
| - Spawning Bluegill in similar shallow areas
- Small baitfish moving into warming shallows
- Crawfish becoming more active in warming waters
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 65-75 | - Bluegills moving into shallow spawning areas, actively building and defending nests in colonies
- Fish become more aggressive and territorial during spawning, with increased feeding activity in pre-spawn phase
| - Protected shallow bays with firm bottom near vegetation
- Areas adjacent to docks in 2-6 feet of water
- Shallow flats with emerging vegetation
| - Bobbers with small jigs suspended 1-3 feet deep
- Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along spawning areas
- Finesse Hair Jigs cast to visible beds
| - Aquatic insects and larvae
- Small crustaceans
- Zooplankton
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Crappie | 58-68 | - Moving into shallow bays and coves (2-6 feet) seeking warmer water temperatures for spawning, particularly active during dawn and dusk
- Males creating and guarding nests in areas with firm bottom near vegetation or woody cover
- Pre-spawn females staging slightly deeper (6-10 feet) near spawning areas
| - Dark-bottom shallow bays that warm quickly, especially near submerged vegetation
- Shallow coves with laydowns and dock structures
- Transitions between spawning flats and slightly deeper staging areas
| - Crappie Dock Shooting
- Bobbers
- Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
| - Small minnows gathering in warming shallows
- Emerging aquatic insects near vegetation
- Young-of-year bluegill fry
| - Pink Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 65-75 | - Post-spawn bass have transitioned from spawning areas to mid-depth zones, actively feeding to recover energy while relating to cover adjacent to spawning flats
- Fish are actively targeting spawning bluegill, moving between deeper staging areas and shallow ambush points throughout the day
| - Mid-depth areas just outside spawning flats with submerged vegetation
- Shallow areas with active bluegill beds, particularly near docks and laydowns
- Points and irregular shoreline features with access to both shallow and deeper water
| - Texas Rigs (Worming) worked slowly through vegetation in mid-depth areas
- Bladed Jigs around shallow cover and bluegill spawning areas
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) for actively feeding fish chasing bluegill
| - Spawning Bluegill in shallow areas
- Young of year baitfish beginning to emerge
| - Dark Neutrals
- Chartreuse Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 65-75 | - Bluegills are actively feeding in post-spawn recovery phase, focusing on insect life and small invertebrates in and around vegetation
- Fish are spreading out across feeding flats and transitioning to summer patterns, typically in 4-8 foot depth range
| - Weed edges and pockets in 4-8 feet of water
- Shallow flats with emerging vegetation
- Dock areas with nearby vegetation
| - Bobbers with small jigs suspended just above vegetation
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9')
- Micro Crankbaits worked slowly through vegetation gaps
| - Aquatic insects and larvae
- Small crustaceans
- Zooplankton
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Crappie | 62-72 | - Transitioning to post-spawn dispersal pattern, with fish moving from shallow spawning areas to early summer locations near submerged vegetation and woody cover
- Actively feeding to recover from spawn, with most aggressive feeding during early morning and evening periods
| - Submerged vegetation edges in 6-12 feet of water
- Docks and laydowns adjacent to spawning bays
- Secondary points with mixed vegetation and woody cover
| - Crappie Dock Shooting
- Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
- Bobbers
| - Small minnows and fry gathering around new vegetation growth
- Zooplankton concentrations in upper water column due to low light penetration
- Emerging aquatic insects near vegetation
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
