| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 68-73 | - Bass are staging near spawning areas and moving between deeper grass edges and shallow matted vegetation, actively feeding before spawn
- Fish are responding aggressively to both slow-moving bottom baits in vegetation and reaction baits like chatterbaits when pulled through sparse grass
| - Matted grass adjacent to spawning areas, especially where deeper water meets shallow flats
- Sparse grass and vegetation on shallow flats, particularly in 2 feet or less of water
- Submerged grass near outside edges of pad fields
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) with 1-1.5oz weights punching through matted vegetation
- Bladed Jigs ripped through sparse grass on flats
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') worked slowly around structure and grass edges
| - Bluegill beginning to move shallow near spawning areas
- Shad relating to grass edges and flats
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 62-72 | - Bluegill actively moving from deeper wintering areas to shallow staging zones near spawning flats
- Fish staging in pre-spawn areas near vegetation, primarily feeding on small invertebrates and zooplankton
- Becoming more aggressive as water temperatures rise, with increased feeding activity during warmer afternoon periods
| - Outside edges of Kissimmee grass and hydrilla in 3-6 feet of water
- Protected coves with emerging vegetation
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
| - Live Bait Rigs with small worms or crickets suspended 2-4 feet deep
- Bobbers with light wire hooks and small jigs near vegetation edges
- Micro Crankbaits worked slowly along vegetation lines
| - Small insects and larvae
- Zooplankton
- Newly emerging aquatic vegetation
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Purple Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 64-70 | - Bass are actively spawning with water temperatures between 64-70°F, requiring extremely slow presentations as noted in multiple reports
- Fish are holding tight to cover in shallow areas, particularly around lily pads and matted vegetation
- Post-frontal conditions trigger movement to slightly deeper matted vegetation as reported
| - Lily pad fields with hard bottom and mixed Kissimmee grass
- Matted vegetation areas, especially those adjacent to deeper water
- Submerged vegetation edges near spawning flats
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) worked extremely slowly around cover
- Wacky Rigs with extended pauses between movements
- Grass Jigs (chatterbug) for covering water to locate active fish
| - Bluegill in shallow vegetation areas
- Smaller bass and panfish around spawning areas
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Purple Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 68-75 | - Actively spawning in shallow areas, particularly around lily pads and Kissimmee grass in depths of 1-4 feet
- Males aggressively guarding nests and striking at potential threats, making them more susceptible to artificial baits
- Congregating in large groups in protected coves and bays where water warms first
| - Protected coves with lily pads and Kissimmee grass in 1-4 feet of water
- Shallow bays with matted vegetation where water warms quickly
- Edges of hydrilla beds near spawning flats
| - Bobbers with small jigs or live bait suspended 1-2 feet deep near visible beds
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with light jigs around bedding areas
- Micro Crankbaits worked slowly parallel to spawning areas
| - Small insects and larvae
- Smaller bluegill and juvenile panfish
- Aquatic worms and crustaceans
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 78-85 | - Post-spawn bass are actively feeding to recover energy, showing aggressive behavior towards moving baits as evidenced by recent tournament success with bladed jigs
- Fish are transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, relating heavily to submerged vegetation and matted grass
| - Matted grass areas adjacent to spawning flats, where recent tournament winners have found success
- Submerged vegetation edges in 4-8 foot depth range
- Points and deeper grass lines where post-spawn fish stage during their transition to summer patterns
| - Bladed Jigs worked through and around submerged vegetation
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) in matted grass areas
- Swim Jigs along grass edges and through scattered vegetation
| - Crawfish, as evidenced by recent fishing reports showing success with crawfish-imitating baits
- Bluegill beginning to stage for spawn in vegetation
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Purple Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 72-82 | - Post-spawn bluegill are actively feeding to recover energy, moving from shallow spawning areas to nearby feeding zones in 3-8 feet of water
- Fish are establishing summer patterns, congregating around vegetation edges and transition areas between lily pads and Kissimmee grass
| - Outer edges of lily pad fields adjacent to slightly deeper water
- Gaps and pockets within Kissimmee grass beds
- Protected coves with mixed vegetation
| - Bobbers with small jigs suspended 2-4 feet deep near vegetation edges
- Inline Spinners worked slowly through gaps in vegetation
- Live Bait Rigs with crickets or worms near cover
| - Aquatic insects and larvae around vegetation
- Small crustaceans in grass beds
- Zooplankton in water column
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
