| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 52-62 | - Bass are transitioning from winter areas to pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding to build energy for spawning
- Fish are relating to transitional structure between deep and shallow water, particularly active during warmer parts of the day
| - Rip rap banks near deeper water, particularly those receiving afternoon sun
- Sparse brush piles on points leading into spawning pockets
- Untouched shorelines with natural cover in 10-12 foot depth range
| - Bladed Jigs worked with yo-yo retrieve parallel to rip rap
- Lipless Crankbaits around sparse brush piles and point edges
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') along shoreline transitions
| - Shad schools transitioning to spawning areas
- Crawfish becoming more active in rocky areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Crappie | 55-65 | - Crappie are staging in pre-spawn areas near spawning grounds, actively feeding as they prepare for the spawn
- Fish are moving between deeper staging areas and shallower pre-spawn zones, following daily temperature fluctuations
| - Drops and ledges adjacent to spawning flats with stumps or timber
- Secondary points with standing timber in 10-19 foot range
- Brush piles positioned near spawning coves
| - Finesse Jigs worked slowly around vertical cover
- Crappie Spider Rigging targeting suspended fish near structure
- Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19') around timber
| - Shad schools suspending near structure
- Small minnows in and around timber
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Natural Shad Colors
- Purple Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 62-72 | - Bass are actively spawning with fish moving between bedding areas and staging points, highly influenced by water temperature fluctuations (62-72°F reported)
- Fish showing aggressive territorial behavior around beds in marinas and grass mats, with increased activity during stable weather patterns
| - Matted vegetation along steeper banks near flooded brush, particularly in smaller main lake pockets where water warms quickly
- Marina areas with grass and visible beds
- Rip rap areas on bridges and dam providing staging areas
| - Soft Jerkbaits worked slowly through holes in grass and along edges
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) with soft plastics targeting beds and grass holes
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits worked along rip rap and hard structure
- Bladed Jigs around grass edges and transitional areas
| - Shad (primary forage based on multiple reports)
- Bluegill (common spawning period forage)
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Chartreuse Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Crappie | 58-72 | - Crappie are moving into shallow areas (2-8 feet) near woody cover and vegetation for spawning, with males establishing and guarding nests while females stage slightly deeper
- Fish are highly active during dawn and dusk periods, with males becoming increasingly aggressive in protecting spawning areas
| - Flooded brush and timber in 2-8 feet of water, especially in protected coves
- Vegetation edges near deeper water access
- Stumps and wood cover adjacent to spawning flats
| - Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
- Crappie Dock Shooting
- Bobbers
| - Small shad in shallow spawning areas
- Small bluegill and juvenile sunfish
- Small minnows gathering in warming shallows
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Natural Shad Colors
- Pink Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 65-75 | - Bass are transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding on shad and crawfish during morning and evening periods
- Fish are relating heavily to brush piles and woody structure, particularly during the post-spawn shad spawn period
| - Brush piles near spawning flats in 5-15 foot depth range
- Secondary points with woody cover
- Grass edges adjacent to deeper water
| - Structure Jigs worked through brush piles
- Bladed Jigs around shad spawn areas
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) in heavy cover
| - Shad (particularly during morning spawn)
- Crawfish in and around woody structure
- Bluegill beginning to spawn in shallow areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Crappie | 68-78 | - Post-spawn crappie are transitioning to deeper water, regaining energy after spawning while actively feeding on shad
- Fish are establishing summer patterns, suspending near vertical cover and moving between brush piles
| - Brush piles and standing timber in 10-19 feet of water
- Main lake points with access to deeper water
- Edges of matted grass near deeper water
| - Crappie Long Lining (Pulling/Trolling)
- Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')
- Crappie Spider Rigging
| - Shad
- Small Sunfish
- Juvenile Bass
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
