Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 52-62 | - Bass are actively transitioning from winter areas to pre-spawn staging points, suspending 12-20 feet deep near access routes to spawning areas
- Feeding activity increases with warming trends, with fish showing aggressive behavior towards moving baits
| - Secondary points leading into spawning pockets, focusing on 15-20 foot depth range
- Laydowns and wood cover within 15 yards of the bank in 12-15 foot water
- Rock piles near transitional areas
| - Hard Jerkbaits worked with long pauses near depth changes
- Umbrella Rigs targeting suspended fish off points
- Finesse Jigs worked slowly around rock and wood cover
| - Shad schools suspended in the water column
- Crawfish becoming active on rocky structure
- Alewife present near points and transitions
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
- Chartreuse
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Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 48-55 | - Actively feeding on shad while staging on main lake points before spawning movement
- Moving between winter and pre-spawn staging areas, following predictable migration routes
- Becoming more aggressive as water temperatures rise, with fish gathering in pre-spawn locations
| - Wind-blown main lake points with shad present
- Deep-to-shallow transition areas near spawning flats
- Rocky points with access to deeper water
| - Umbrella Rigs mimicking shad schools
- Blade Baits worked along point contours
- Ned Rigs worked slowly on hard bottom areas
| - Shad schools congregating around points
- Crawfish becoming more active in rocky areas
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
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Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Spotted Bass | 52-62 | - Pre-spawn spotted bass are staging near deep vertical structure, actively feeding while preparing for the spawn
- Fish are likely suspending near bluff walls and following shad schools in the water column
| - Main lake bluffs with vertical structure
- Deep main lake points adjacent to spawning pockets
- Transitional rock and boulder areas near deep water
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked along bluff walls
- Umbrella Rigs for actively feeding fish following shad schools
- Shakey Heads worked along rocky transitions
| - Shad schools suspending near vertical structure
- Crawfish emerging from winter patterns in rocky areas
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-68 | - Largemouth bass are in spawning mode, actively creating and guarding nests in shallow protected areas near wood cover
- Males are extremely territorial and aggressive in defending nests, while females move between slightly deeper staging areas and spawning flats
| - Shallow areas with stumps and laydown trees in protected pockets
- Secondary points with timber leading into spawning pockets
- Protected coves with wood cover in 2-6 foot depth range
| - Wacky Rigs worked slowly around visible cover
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) for precise presentations to stumps
- Soft Jerkbaits for cruising fish between spawning areas
| - Bluegill gathering in similar spawning areas
- Crawfish becoming more active in warming shallows
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 57-62 | - Transitioning into spawning phase with water temperatures between 57-61°F, staging on points and moving into shallower areas near potential spawning sites
- Actively feeding on crawfish around hard-bottom areas and stumps, particularly in 6-10 foot depth range
| - Rocky points and transitions leading to spawning pockets
- Stumps in flatter pockets with 6-10 feet of water
- Brush piles near spawning areas
| - Ned Rigs worked slowly along bottom near spawning areas and points
- Tubes dragged on hard bottom areas
- Drop Shot with finesse presentations for suspended fish
| - Crawfish - primary forage during spawn period
- Shad - secondary forage option, especially for transitioning fish
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Spotted Bass | 58-68 | - Spotted bass actively staging and spawning on secondary points and bluff transitions, typically in 5-15 foot depths
- Males guarding nests during peak spawn, while pre/post spawn females moving between deeper staging areas and spawning flats
- Aggressive territorial behavior around spawning areas, particularly near rock and boulder transitions
| - Secondary points with mixed rock and gravel near deeper water
- Bluff wall transitions to spawning pockets
- Protected rocky coves with brush or timber
| - Shakey Heads worked slowly around spawning areas and transition points
- Soft Jerkbaits fished with erratic retrieves parallel to spawning areas
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) targeting visible cover near spawning zones
| - Shad schools suspending near spawning areas
- Crawfish emerging in rocky areas
- Small bluegill around shallow cover
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Natural Shad Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 62-72 | - Post-spawn bass are actively feeding to recover energy, utilizing brush piles and laydowns as ambush points
- Fish are transitioning between shallow spawning areas and deeper summer haunts, making points key transition zones
| - Deeper brush piles on main lake and secondary points
- Tree laydowns in 5-15 foot zones
- Secondary points with access to spawning pockets
| - Shakey Heads worked slowly through brush and around points
- Hard Jerkbaits worked methodically around laydowns
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) for targeting specific pieces of cover
| - Crawfish emerging in brush pile areas
- Shad schools around points and timber
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 63-72 | - Fish are actively feeding in mid-depth zones (8-10 feet) around timber and laydowns, showing post-spawn recovery behavior
- Beginning to establish summer patterns with both bottom-oriented feeding (crawfish) and surface activity (bluegill)
| - Mid-lake pockets with standing timber in 8-10 foot depth range
- Shallow laydowns and brush near surface
- Rocky areas with boulders in transition depths
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around timber and laydowns
- Hard Topwater (Popping) early and late day
- Football Jigs on rocky transitions
| - Crawfish actively moving in timber areas
- Bluegill in shallow cover
- Baitfish suspending near timber
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Spotted Bass | 62-72 | - Actively feeding in post-spawn recovery, primarily targeting shad in transitional areas between spawning flats and summer haunts
- Showing aggressive behavior during feeding windows, especially during cloudy conditions or early/late day periods
- Relating heavily to brush piles and standing timber in 10-20 foot depth ranges as they transition from spawning areas
| - Main lake points with access to deep water and abundant timber
- Secondary points with brush piles in 10-20 foot range
- Bluff walls adjacent to spawning pockets
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked at varying depths around timber
- Shakey Heads worked through brush piles and along bluff transitions
- Spinnerbaits paralleling points and timber edges
| - Shad schools suspending near timber and points
- Bluegill beginning to spawn in protected pockets
- Crawfish active on rocky transitions
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Green Colors
|