| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 39-50 | - Fish are transitioning from winter patterns to pre-spawn, with lethargic behavior in cold water (low 40s) requiring slow presentations
- Smallmouth become more active during brief warming trends, moving up to feed on sun-warmed rip rap and points
| - Rip rap banks and points, especially those receiving sun exposure
- Isolated boulders adjacent to rip rap
- Wind-blown points with current breaks
| - Hard Jerkbaits worked with long pauses between twitches
- Ned Rigs worked slowly along bottom structure
- Medium Diving Crankbaits (7'-12') around current breaks
| - Crawfish emerging from winter habitat in rocky areas
- Minnows concentrated near current breaks and structure
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Purple Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 48-58 | - Pre-spawn largemouth bass are actively staging near spawning areas, making deliberate movements from winter areas to shallow spawning grounds
- Fish are showing increased feeding activity but remain methodical, responding well to slower presentations with occasional bursts of speed
| - Main lake points adjacent to spawning bays
- Reeds and emergent vegetation in 3-6 foot range
- Secondary points with access to deeper water
| - Bladed Jigs with moderate retrieve and occasional pauses
- Soft Jerkbaits worked slowly along transition areas
- Lipless Crankbaits around emerging vegetation
| - Bluegill in shallow emerging vegetation
- Small baitfish along staging areas
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Walleye | 42-52 | - Walleye are transitioning from winter locations to pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding during low-light periods
- Fish are following baitfish schools near current areas and structural elements, particularly around the dam
| - Dam areas with current flow
- Deep river channel edges adjacent to spawning flats
- Main lake points near deeper wintering areas
| - Trolling Mid Depth (10-19')
- Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')
- Live Bait Rigs
| - Shad schools in transition areas
- Native minnow species moving shallow
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Chartreuse Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 55-65 | - Bass are transitioning to spawning areas, showing aggressive behavior around protective cover as noted in recent reports of activity in flooded brush piles
- Fish are relating heavily to hard structure and showing preference for slower presentations during daytime hours, with some increased activity during early/late periods
| - Rip rap shorelines adjacent to deep water, particularly those receiving sun exposure
- Flooded brush piles in spawning pockets
- Isolated boulders and rocky structure in pre-spawn staging areas
| - Football Jigs worked slowly with craw trailers along rip rap and rocky transitions
- Grass Jigs worked methodically through brush piles
- Spinnerbaits with copper blades during low light periods
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Small bluegill in shallow warming areas
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 64-66 | - Bass are actively moving into spawning areas, relating heavily to flooded brush and shallow cover as evidenced by multiple recent reports
- Fish are showing preference for slower presentations with most bites coming on the fall of baits
- Post-frontal conditions have pushed fish tighter to cover rather than roaming edges
| - Flooded brush with nearby points or ledges
- Brush piles in spawning pockets
- Shaded areas with flooded cover
| - Structure Jigs worked with a steady fall
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) with 1/4 oz weight for slow fall
- Bladed Jigs with slow rolling retrieve
| | - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Walleye | 42-52 | - Pre-spawn walleyes staging near spawning areas, moving from deeper wintering areas to shallow rocky or gravelly areas
- Feeding activity increases during low-light periods, especially in the stained water conditions
- Males arrive first and stay longest on spawning areas, while females move in and out quickly
| - Rocky points and shorelines with gravel substrate
- River channel areas with current breaks
- Wing dam structures with moving water
| - Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along bottom structure
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with slow, subtle presentations
- Blade Baits worked through current areas
| - Shad concentrations in pre-spawn staging areas
- Small minnows in current-swept areas
- Juvenile baitfish around structure
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Purple Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 62-72 | - Actively feeding in post-spawn recovery phase, relating strongly to hard structure and showing preference for slower presentations
- Fish are pushing up shallow to warmer water, particularly on sun-exposed rip rap and boulder areas
| - Rip rap banks and boulder fields, especially in sun-exposed areas
- Transition areas where rock structure meets deeper water
- Current breaks and wind-blown structure areas
| - Structure Jigs worked slowly along rock transitions
- Tubes dragged through boulder fields
- Ned Rigs worked methodically on hard bottom areas
| - Shad moving shallow along structural elements
- Crawfish emerging from winter hibernation in rocky areas
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Natural Shad Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 70-79 | - Post-spawn bass are transitioning to deeper water but still utilizing flooded brush and weed edges, showing sluggish behavior requiring slower presentations
- Fish are grouped up in specific areas, particularly along depth changes and vegetation edges, requiring thorough coverage of productive spots
| - Flooded brush and timber in transition areas
- Weed edges and ledges, particularly where they intersect with depth changes
- Submerged vegetation in 3-6 foot range with access to deeper water
| - Texas Rigs worked slowly through cover with occasional hops
- Bladed Jigs to cover water and locate active fish
- Shakey Heads worked along weed edges and depth transitions
| - Bluegill in and around shallow cover
- Shad moving along weed edges
| - Dark Neutrals
- Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Walleye | 48-62 | - Post-spawn walleye transitioning from spawning areas to early summer feeding patterns, actively feeding to recover energy
- Fish relating to mid-depth structural elements, particularly humps, as evidenced by recent fishing reports
- Feeding activity spread throughout day due to turbid conditions (1.9m Secchi depth)
| - Main lake humps in 10-19 foot range
- Points and river channel edges transitioning to summer locations
- Wing dam areas with current breaks
| - Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')
- Live Bait Rigs
- Trolling Mid Depth (10-19')
| - Shad schools suspended near structure
- Small minnows relating to transitional areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Chartreuse Colors
|
