| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 56-65 | - Bass are transitioning into pre-spawn feeding mode, actively searching for prey around shallow cover and staging areas
- Fish are becoming more aggressive, willing to chase moving baits as water temperatures rise
| - Docks adjacent to spawning flats, especially those providing shade
- Submerged vegetation in 3-6 foot depth range
- Rocky points near spawning areas
| - Grass Jigs worked around dock pilings and vegetation edges
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) for covering water on weed flats
- Bladed Jigs for active fish in clearer water periods
| - Bluegill concentrating around dock areas and vegetation
- Crawfish becoming more active in warming waters
| - Dark Neutrals
- Chartreuse Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Crappie | 48-62 | - Crappies are transitioning from winter locations to pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawning
- Fish are becoming more active and schooling in larger groups, particularly during warming trends
- Movement patterns follow daily temperature fluctuations, with fish being most active during afternoon warming periods
| - Secondary points and shallow bays adjacent to winter holding areas
- Emerging weed edges in 4-6 foot depth range
- Protected coves and bays with slightly warmer water
| - Crappie Spider Rigging
- Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9')
| - Small minnows congregating in warming shallows
- Emerging aquatic insects near vegetation
- Young-of-year panfish in protected areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Walleye | 44-56 | - Pre-spawn walleyes staging near spawning areas, becoming more active with warming trends
- Moving from wintering areas to shallow rocky areas and points, particularly active during low light periods
- Feeding opportunities increase as water temperatures rise, with fish becoming more aggressive
| - Rock piles and hard bottom areas in 4-12 feet of water
- Points and offshore humps adjacent to spawning areas
- Emerging weed edges near spawning grounds
| - Blade Baits worked slowly along bottom transitions
- Jig and minnow combinations using Finesse Jigs
- Live Bait Rigs with leeches or minnows
| - Bluegills concentrated in pre-spawn areas
- Small minnows moving shallow with warming water
- Young of the year perch in emerging vegetation
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Pink Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 56-65 | - Bass are actively feeding during pre-spawn and spawn periods, with aggressive strikes on moving baits around emerging vegetation and docks
- Fish are transitioning between deeper wintering areas and shallow spawning zones, using mid-depth weeds as staging areas
| - Emerging milfoil beds in 3-6 foot depth range
- Docks adjacent to spawning flats
- Mid-depth weed edges serving as staging areas
| - Bladed Jigs worked through emerging vegetation
- Swim Jigs around dock posts and vegetation edges
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) for pressured fish in mid-depth weeds
| - Bluegill concentrating around docks and vegetation
- Young of year baitfish beginning to emerge in shallows
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Chartreuse Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Crappie | 58-68 | - Staging in pre-spawn areas near shallow bays and coves, actively feeding before spawning
- Moving into shallower areas (2-4 feet) during warmer parts of day, especially near vegetation and woody cover
- Schooling behavior becomes more concentrated as fish gather in spawning areas
| - Protected shallow bays with submerged vegetation in 2-4 foot depth
- Transition areas between deeper water and spawning flats
- Shallow wood cover and laydowns near spawning areas
| - Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling) with light jigs around shallow cover
- Bobbers with small jigs suspended at specific depths
- Crappie Dock Shooting when targeting fish under docks near spawning areas
| - Small minnows concentrated in spawning areas
- Young of year panfish in shallow vegetation
- Small invertebrates in emerging vegetation
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Walleye | 42-56 | - Pre-spawn walleye moving to rock piles and hard bottom areas in shallow water (2-8 feet) for spawning activities
- Males arrive first and stay longer on spawning grounds, while females move in briefly to deposit eggs
- Feeding activity is sporadic but intense when it occurs, primarily during low light periods
| - Rock piles and hard bottom areas in 2-8 foot depth range
- Points and shallow humps with gravel or rock substrate
- Transition areas between spawning locations and slightly deeper water
| - Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along bottom in spawning areas
- Blade Baits worked with slow lift-and-drop near spawning areas
- Jigs (Finesse Hair Jigs) tipped with minnows for neutral fish
| - Small minnows gathering near spawning areas
- Juvenile bluegills in slightly deeper adjacent areas
- Crayfish becoming active in rocky spawning areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 63-84 | - Post-spawn bass are transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy around vegetation and docks
- Fish are showing mixed aggression levels - some actively chasing moving baits while others requiring slower presentations
| - Milfoil and pad edges in 3-6 foot depth range with healthy grass growth
- Dock areas, especially those adjacent to spawning flats
- Offshore rock piles in 10-15 foot range as secondary pattern
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) with creature baits around vegetation
- Bladed Jigs worked around docks and pad edges
- Swim Jigs in areas with emerging vegetation
- Ned Rigs when fish become less aggressive or in calm conditions
| - Bluegill, particularly around spawning beds
- Juvenile baitfish in emerging vegetation
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Crappie | 62-72 | - Transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding but remaining relatively shallow due to the lake's limited stratification
- Forming loose schools near emerging weed edges and points, becoming more active during low-light periods
| - Emerging weed edges in 4-6 foot depth range
- Secondary points with access to slightly deeper water
- Protected bays with developing vegetation
| - Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling) with light jigs around emerging weed edges
- Crappie Long Lining (Pulling/Trolling) along depth contours near points
- Bobbers with small jigs suspended just above weed tops
| - Small minnows gathering around new weed growth
- Young-of-year baitfish beginning to school
- Aquatic insects emerging in the warming water
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Walleye | 52-65 | - Post-spawn walleye transitioning from spawning areas to early-summer feeding patterns, actively feeding during low light and overcast conditions
- Fish relating to emerging weed edges and rock piles, particularly active during dawn and dusk periods
| - Rock piles adjacent to spawning areas in 8-15 foot depths
- Emerging weed edges near points and transition areas
- Offshore humps with access to deeper water
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked slowly along transitions
- Live Bait Rigs with leeches or minnows near rock piles
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') during low light periods
| - Bluegill concentrating near emerging vegetation
- Small minnows in post-spawn recovery areas
- Young of the year perch starting to show up
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
