| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 48-58 | - Pre-spawn smallmouth actively moving into shallower rocky areas, staging near spawning flats while feeding opportunistically
- Fish transitioning from winter patterns to more aggressive spring feeding, particularly active during warmer parts of the day
| - Rocky edges and rock piles in 4-6 feet of water
- Transition areas between deep winter holes and shallow spawning flats
- Points and irregular shoreline features near potential spawning areas
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked with bottom contact and slow lifts
- Ned Rigs worked slowly along rocky structure
- Drop Shot with small profile baits for pressured fish
| - Yellow Perch
- Smaller baitfish moving shallow with warming water
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 52-62 | - Pre-spawn bass are moving from deeper winter areas into staging zones near spawning flats, actively feeding to build energy reserves
- Fish are relating heavily to cover in shallow water (3-5ft), particularly wood structure as evidenced by recent catches around stumps
| - Stumps and woody debris in 2-5 foot depth range
- Docks and boat lifts in spawning bays
- Secondary points leading into spawning coves
| - Wacky Rigs worked slowly around cover
- Spinnerbaits around docks and wood cover
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) for precise presentations to stumps
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Bluegill in shallow cover
- Small perch around wood structure
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 59-68 | - Actively patrolling shallow water (4-8 feet) around spawning areas, with aggressive feeding on perch and minnows near structure
- Moving between pre-spawn staging areas and spawning flats, showing increased aggression around docks and boulder areas
| - Docks with adjacent deep water access, particularly those allowing for skip casting
- Boulder fields and rock walls in 4-8 foot depth range
- Submerged vegetation edges near hard structure
| - Ned Rigs skipped under docks and worked slowly along bottom
- Texas Rigged soft plastics dragged near boulders and rock walls
- Soft Body Swimbaits worked parallel to structure
- Hard Topwater (Prop) worked over submerged vegetation
| | - Dark Neutrals
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-68 | - Largemouth bass are in spawning mode, actively protecting nests in shallow water and showing aggressive territorial behavior around docks and other shallow cover
- Fish are making frequent moves between deeper staging areas and shallow spawning zones, particularly around dock areas
| - Docks and boat lifts in 2-3 feet of water, particularly those with wood piles and brush nearby
- Protected shallow bays with submerged vegetation in 4-8 feet
- Shallow coves and points created by the complex shoreline
| - Wacky Rigs with light fluorocarbon leader (8lb) for finesse presentations around docks
- Spinnerbaits worked around dock posts and shallow cover
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) for precise presentations to wood cover and dock pilings
| - Bluegill gathering in shallow spawning areas
- Perch relating to dock areas and wooden structure
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 58-65 | - Post-spawn smallmouth are actively feeding in shallow to moderate depths, focusing on perch around submerged vegetation
- Fish are establishing predictable feeding patterns in the 6-8 foot depth range, using grass edges as ambush points
| - Submerged grass beds in 6-8 feet of water
- Points with mixed rock and vegetation
- Protected shoreline areas with vegetation
| - Texas Rigs (Worming) with weightless presentations
- Ned Rigs worked along grass edges
- Drop Shot with finesse presentations
| - Perch
- Young of year baitfish beginning to emerge
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 65-74 | - Post-spawn largemouth are transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy
- Fish are utilizing dock areas and weed edges as primary feeding zones, showing increased aggression
| - Docks and boat lifts in 2-6 feet of water, especially those adjacent to spawning flats
- Submerged vegetation edges in 4-8 feet of water
- Protected coves and bays with emerging weed growth
| - Spinnerbaits worked parallel to dock edges and through gaps
- Wacky Rigs worked slowly around dock posts and vegetation
- Swim Jigs targeting weed edges and dock shadows
| - Bluegill gathering in shallow areas near docks
- Perch actively feeding in vegetation edges
- Minnows schooling around dock structures
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
|
