| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 45-55 | - Smallmouth bass are transitioning from winter deep water areas to pre-spawn staging areas, becoming increasingly active as water temperatures rise
- Fish are starting to feed more aggressively but still maintaining deeper staging areas adjacent to eventual spawning flats
| - Deep rocky points adjacent to spawning flats in 15-25 foot depth
- Boulder fields near drop-offs in 12-20 foot range
- Transition areas where rock meets sand in 8-15 foot depth
| - Blade Baits worked with slow, vertical presentations along deep structure
- Drop Shot with small profile baits worked slowly near bottom structure
- Tubes dragged slowly across rocky areas
| - Smaller baitfish (perch and juvenile cisco) in pre-spawn staging areas
- Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy in rocky areas
- Suspended baitfish schools in deeper water
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Yellow Perch | 34-54 | - Perch are transitioning between deep winter haunts (20-28ft) and shallow spawning areas (3-5ft), with schools becoming more scattered than their tight winter groups
- Feeding activity is increasing with warming temperatures, but fish remain wary during bright, calm conditions
| - Shallow, warmer bays with murky water (3-5ft) showing temperatures near 47°F
- Deep basin areas in 22-28ft of water where winter-pattern fish are still holding
- Transition areas between deep and shallow water with rock and wood structure
| - Drop Shot with light line in clear water zones
- Ned Rigs dragged slowly along bottom structure
- Finesse Jigs worked around rocks and wood in shallow areas
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) for actively feeding fish
| - Small Minnows and young-of-year fish
- Gobies near bottom structure
- Small Perch and Bluegill
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Northern Pike | 34-54 | - Pre-spawn pike are actively feeding to build energy reserves, making aggressive moves on larger prey items in shallow warming areas
- Fish are transitioning from winter deep water patterns to shallow spawning areas, following primary forage movements
| - Shallow bays with emerging cabbage and Hydrilla vegetation in 3-8 feet of water
- Transitional areas where deep winter holes meet shallow spawning flats
- Rocky points and structure adjacent to spawning bays
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Large) worked slowly through vegetation edges
- Spinnerbaits retrieved steadily along weed edges and through scattered vegetation
- Live Bait Rigs with large minnows near vegetation edges
| - Yellow Perch congregating in pre-spawn areas
- Cisco transitioning from deep winter areas
- Various minnow species in warming shallows
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Metallic Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 55-65 | - Actively seeking shallow, warmer bays with hard bottom or gravel for spawning
- Males guarding nests while females stage on nearby deeper structure
- Aggressive territorial behavior around spawning areas
| - Protected shallow bays with gravel or boulder bottom
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
- Rocky shorelines in 2-8 feet of water
| - Ned Rigs worked slowly around spawning areas
- Tubes dragged on bottom near nests
- Drop Shot with small profile baits for staging fish
| - Crawfish emerging in warming shallows
- Small perch in spawning areas
- Juvenile baitfish near shoreline areas
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Yellow Perch | 42-54 | - Spring spawning perch are forming large schools in shallow to mid-depth areas, actively feeding before and after spawning events
- Fish are moving between staging areas and spawning locations, with most active feeding during early morning and late afternoon
| - Protected shallow bays with vegetation, particularly in Cooks Bay and near Willow Beach
- Secondary drop-offs near spawning areas in 8-15 feet of water
- Weed edges adjacent to hard bottom areas in 5-12 feet
| - Drop Shot with light line and small profile baits
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with ice fishing jigs tipped with live bait
- Live Bait Rigs with small minnows or worms
| - Small minnows and juvenile perch
- Aquatic insects and larvae
- Gobies near bottom structure
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Green Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Northern Pike | 34-54 | - Northern Pike are actively moving into shallow, vegetated areas for spawning, particularly focusing on emerging cabbage and Hydrilla beds as reported
- Fish are exhibiting aggressive feeding behavior in preparation for and after spawning, with a preference for ambush points in vegetation
| - Emerging cabbage and Hydrilla beds in shallow water
- Protected bays with vegetation
- Transition areas between shallow spawning areas and deeper water
| - Inline Spinners worked through and along vegetation edges
- Spinnerbaits parallel to weed edges
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Large) with steady retrieves
| - Minnows gathering in spawning areas
- Perch in and around vegetation
- Ciscoes in slightly deeper adjacent areas
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Metallic Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 58-68 | - Post-spawn smallmouth are actively recovering and beginning to feed aggressively, transitioning from shallow spawning areas to nearby deeper structure
- Fish are establishing early summer patterns, moving between shallow feeding areas and adjacent deeper recovery zones
| - Rocky points and boulder fields adjacent to spawning bays in 8-15 feet
- Secondary points with mixed rock and vegetation in 5-12 feet
- Transition areas between spawning flats and deeper main lake structure
| - Drop Shot with small profile baits worked slowly near bottom structure
- Tubes dragged and hopped through rocky areas
- Ned Rigs worked methodically around transition areas
| - Crawfish emerging in rocky areas
- Small perch around vegetation edges
- Young of the year baitfish beginning to school
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Yellow Perch | 45-54 | - Post-spawn perch are actively feeding to recover energy, forming loose schools in moderately deep water around structure and weed edges
- Fish are transitioning from shallow spawning areas to deeper summer locations, making frequent feeding movements between depths
| - Weed edges and emerging cabbage beds in 8-15 feet of water
- Secondary points and drop-offs near spawning bays
- Transition areas between shallow flats and deeper water in 12-20 feet
| - Drop Shot with small minnow-style soft plastics worked slowly along bottom
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with light jigs tipped with soft plastics
- Live Bait Rigs with small minnows or worms near structure
| - Small minnows and juvenile perch
- Gobies along rocky areas
- Emerging aquatic insects and larvae
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Green Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Northern Pike | 45-58 | - Post-spawn pike are actively feeding to recover energy, targeting abundant perch and baitfish in shallow to mid-depth areas near emerging vegetation
- Fish are making frequent movements between shallow feeding areas and slightly deeper recovery zones, especially during temperature swings
| - Emerging cabbage and Hydrilla beds in 8-15 foot depths adjacent to deeper water
- Rocky points and structure intersecting with emerging weed growth
- Shallow bays warming fastest with presence of baitfish schools
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Large) worked slowly through and around emerging vegetation
- Spinnerbaits retrieved at varying speeds near weed edges and over rocky structure
- Inline Spinners worked parallel to weed edges and through scattered vegetation
| - Yellow Perch congregating near emerging weed growth
- Cisco schools transitioning from winter deep water patterns
- Various minnow species gathering in warming shallow areas
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Green Colors
|
