| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 48-58 | - Pre-spawn smallmouth transitioning from winter depths to warmer, shallow staging areas near spawning flats
- Actively feeding during warming trends, but remaining close to deep water access
- Highly influenced by daily temperature changes and becoming more sight-oriented as water warms
| - Rock piles and boulder fields in 6-12 foot range adjacent to potential spawning flats
- Wind-blown points with mixed rock and sparse vegetation
- Transition areas between deep winter haunts and shallow spawning areas
| - Ned Rigs worked slowly along bottom structure
- Blade Baits for actively feeding fish during warming trends
- Drop Shot with subtle presentations for inactive fish
| - Perch schooling in transitional areas
- Bluegill moving shallow on warm afternoons
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Pink Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Walleye | 38-48 | - Pre-spawn walleye are staging near spawning areas and actively feeding to build energy reserves. With the lake's low clarity (1.1m), they remain relatively active during daylight hours
- Fish are transitioning from winter deep water patterns to shallower areas, particularly targeting shoreline structures and rocky points where spawning will occur
| - Rocky points and boulder areas between points, especially those with transition to deeper water
- Shallow flats adjacent to deep water access, particularly those with emerging vegetation
- Secondary points in bays and channels leading to potential spawning areas
| - Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along bottom transitions near spawning areas
- Blade Baits worked with slow, vertical presentations around staging areas
- Swim Jigs worked slowly through transition areas between shallow and deep water
| - Shad congregating in pre-spawn staging areas
- Bottom-dwelling insects becoming more active with warming water
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Chartreuse Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 48-60 | - Pre-spawn largemouth bass are transitioning from winter deep water areas to warmer shallow flats, staging near spawning areas
- Fish are actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawning, with increased activity during warming trends
| - Secondary points adjacent to spawning bays with emerging vegetation
- Shallow flats (2-8 feet) with early vegetation growth
- Channel swing banks near spawning pockets
| - Lipless Crankbaits worked through emerging vegetation
- Bladed Jigs around sparse reed patches
- Soft Jerkbaits worked slowly over shallow flats
| - Bluegill moving shallow with warming trends
- Small baitfish schooling in pre-spawn areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 55-65 | - Smallmouth bass are moving into shallow spawning areas (2-8 feet) near hard bottom and rock structure, with males preparing and guarding nests
- Pre-spawn feeding activity is heightened as fish stage near spawning flats, particularly during warming trends
| - Rocky flats and shorelines with mixed gravel/boulder bottom in 2-8 foot depth range
- Transition areas between spawning flats and deeper water, especially near points and rock piles
- Protected bays and coves with hard bottom structure that warm faster than main lake areas
| - Tubes worked slowly around rocky areas and potential nest sites
- Ned Rigs dragged along transition areas between spawning flats and deeper water
- Soft Jerkbaits worked with subtle twitches for pre-spawn fish
| - Small perch gathering in shallow rocky areas
- Juvenile bluegills near spawning flats
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Pink Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Walleye | 42-52 | - Walleye moving into shallow rocky areas and tributary mouths for spawning, most active during low light periods
- Post-spawn fish transitioning to nearby deeper structure to recover, with feeding becoming more aggressive as water warms
| - Rocky points and shorelines in 2-6 feet of water with good current flow
- Adjacent deeper holes 8-12 feet deep for staging and recovery
- Boulder areas between points where pre and post-spawn fish gather
| - Live Bait Rigs with slow presentations near bottom
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with subtle movements
- Blade Baits worked slowly along transition areas
| - Spawning small crayfish
- Shallow water minnows and young shad
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-65 | - Actively seeking shallow spawning areas with suitable bottom composition, particularly in protected bays and near reed beds
- Males guarding nests while females stage on nearby deeper structure between spawning waves
- Increased aggression and territorial behavior around nesting sites
| - Protected shallow bays with mixed vegetation and firm bottom
- Reed lines with adjacent deeper water access
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)
- Swim Jigs
- Soft Jerkbaits
| - Bluegill beginning to move shallow
- Small baitfish in spawning areas
- Juvenile crawfish becoming active
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 58-68 | - Post-spawn smallmouth are actively feeding to recover energy, primarily relating to transitional areas between spawning flats and summer spots
- Fish are showing increased aggression and chase behavior, especially during prime feeding windows in morning and evening
| - Rock piles and boulder fields in 6-12 foot depth range adjacent to spawning flats
- Sparse vegetation mixed with rocks on transitional flats
- Wind-blown points with good hard bottom structure
| - Drop Shot with light finesse presentations worked slowly near bottom structure
- Ned Rigs dragged and hopped along rocky transitions
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked just above bottom structure
| - Perch actively feeding in and around rock/boulder areas
- Bluegill moving into shallow areas with mixed vegetation
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Pink Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Walleye | 48-62 | - Post-spawn walleye are actively feeding to recover energy, primarily during dawn and dusk periods, with extended feeding windows due to low water clarity
- Fish are transitioning from shallow spawning areas to early summer locations, following forage and utilizing structure as rest areas between feeding periods
| - Rocky points and boulder areas between points in 8-15 foot depth range
- Shallow flats adjacent to deeper water, especially those with emerging vegetation
- Transition areas where shallow spawning bays meet main lake structure
| - Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along rocky transitions
- Swim Jigs worked parallel to shoreline structure
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') during low light periods
| - Shad congregating in post-spawn recovery areas
- Emerging insect populations in warming shallows
- Small baitfish relating to new vegetation growth
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Chartreuse Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-72 | - Bass are transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy
- Fish are utilizing emerging weed growth and reed edges as primary ambush points
- Most active during morning and evening hours, moving shallower during these periods
| - Emerging weed edges in 4-8 feet of water adjacent to spawning flats
- Reed lines with mixed vegetation, especially where they meet deeper water
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around reed edges and emerging vegetation
- Swim Jigs parallel to weed edges
- Spinnerbaits in stained water around vegetation edges
| - Bluegill beginning to congregate near emerging vegetation
- Young of year baitfish becoming more prevalent
- Crawfish active in warmer shallow areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Dark Neutrals
|
