| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 50-57 | - Fish are actively staging in pre-spawn areas, particularly around laydowns and chunk rock in 5-6 foot of water
- Males are becoming aggressive and moving into spawning pockets, especially around wood cover
| - Laydowns extending from shallow to deeper water in spawning pockets
- Chunk rock areas in 5-6 foot staging zones
- Protected shallow bays with wood and old grass
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around laydowns and wood cover
- Bladed Jigs worked through staging areas
- Swim Jigs around grass and wood combinations
| - Crawfish active in rocky areas
- Minnows present around laydowns
- Small bluegill starting to move shallow
| - Dark Neutrals
- Natural Craw Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 48-58 | - Transitioning from winter depths to shallow spawning areas, staging on transitional structure like points and channel edges
- Actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawning, with increased activity during warmer afternoon periods
- Utilizing current breaks and rock structure as primary holding areas, especially near pre-spawn staging zones
| - Main lake points with rock structure near deep water access
- Secondary channel edges adjacent to spawning flats
- Current breaks and eddies near rock piles with deeper water nearby
| - Blade Baits worked slowly along channel edges and point transitions
- Tubes dragged and hopped through rocky areas
- Ned Rigs worked methodically on points and current seams
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Small baitfish congregating in pre-spawn areas
- Bottom-dwelling prey near rock structure
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 52-65 | - Bluegill and panfish are transitioning from deeper winter areas to warmer shallows, staging near spawning areas
- Fish are becoming more active and feeding opportunistically as water temperatures rise, particularly during afternoon hours
- Schools are breaking into smaller groups and moving toward areas with emerging vegetation and protective cover
| - Protected coves with emerging vegetation in 4-8 foot depth range
- Brush piles and laydowns near spawning flats
- Riprap areas that warm quickly in afternoon sun
| - Bobbers with light jigs suspended 2-4 feet deep near cover
- Finesse Hair Jigs worked slowly through brush piles
- Micro Crankbaits retrieved steadily along riprap and emerging weed edges
| - Small insects and larvae around emerging vegetation
- Tiny minnows in shallow warming areas
- Freshwater shrimp and small crustaceans
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 52-65 | - Largemouth bass transitioning into spawning phase, actively searching for and creating beds in protected shallow areas
- Males guarding nests while females stage nearby, making frequent movements between deeper staging areas and shallow spawning zones
- Increased feeding activity during pre-spawn, followed by territorial behavior during spawn
| - Laydowns in protected shallow areas, particularly those near spawning flats
- Secondary points with mixed vegetation near spawning coves
- Hard bottom areas in 2-6 feet of water, especially near grass edges
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) targeting visible cover and potential bed areas
- Soft Jerkbaits for fish staging near spawning areas
- Shakey Heads for pre-spawn fish holding on harder bottom
| - Crawfish becoming more active in warming shallows
- Bluegill moving into similar spawning areas
- Shad schools in nearby staging areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 58-65 | - Actively spawning and guarding beds in protected areas, particularly near flooded brush as noted in recent reports
- Males aggressively defending nests while females stage in slightly deeper water nearby
| - Flooded brush areas in pool 6 with nearby deeper water, as confirmed by recent success
- Rocky points and current breaks identified in lake profile, especially those adjacent to spawning flats
- Secondary channels noted in lake profile, particularly where they intersect with spawning areas
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) - proven effective in recent reports for working flooded brush
- Tubes - excellent for spawning smallmouth, especially around rock structure
- Ned Rigs - effective for spawning smallmouth when pitched to visible beds
| - Crawfish - primary forage confirmed by recent fishing reports
- Small bottom-dwelling prey items near spawning areas
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 65-75 | - Bluegill moving into shallow spawning areas, particularly in protected coves with firm bottom and vegetation
- Males actively guarding nests in colonies, becoming aggressive and territorial
- Frequent feeding activity in pre- and post-spawn phases, focusing on small insects and crustaceans near vegetation
| - Protected coves with submerged vegetation in 2-4 feet of water
- Shallow flats near laydowns and brush piles
- Shoreline areas with matted grass and riprap in 4-6 feet
| - Bobbers with small jigs suspended 2-3 feet deep
- Finesse Hair Jigs worked slowly around spawning beds
- Live Bait Rigs with small worms or insects
| - Small insects and larvae near vegetation
- Tiny crustaceans in shallow areas
- Small minnows around weed edges
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 62-75 | - Post-spawn bass are actively feeding to recover energy, showing aggressive behavior towards topwater and moving baits
- Fish are transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, relating heavily to grass edges and hard cover
| - Matted grass patches, especially isolated clumps
- Sand drops near spawning flats
- Riprap banks with adjacent vegetation
| - Frogs/Toads worked over matted grass
- Hard Topwater (Walking) on long casts to sand drops
- Swim Jigs worked along grass edges and riprap
| - Bluegill gathering around shallow cover
- Shad schools moving along drop-offs
| - Dark Neutrals
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 58-68 | - Post-spawn smallmouth are actively feeding to recover energy, focusing on baitfish near channel ledges
- Fish are utilizing current breaks and channel edges as primary feeding zones, taking advantage of moving water to ambush prey
| - Main river channel ledges with current breaks
- Rocky points adjacent to deeper water
- Secondary channel edges with rock structure
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked along ledges
- Drop Shot with small baitfish profiles
- Ned Rigs worked slowly along rock structure
| - Minnows
- Small Baitfish
- Crawfish
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 65-75 | - Post-spawn bluegills moving from shallow spawning areas to deeper feeding zones near weed edges and submerged structure
- Actively feeding during morning and evening hours, seeking out abundant insect life and small baitfish near vegetation
| - Weed edges and grass mats in 6-8 foot depth range
- Brush piles and laydowns adjacent to spawning flats
- Protected coves with submerged vegetation
| - Bobbers with light jigs worked slowly through cover
- Inline Spinners retrieved steadily near weed edges
- Live Bait Rigs with small leeches or worms
| - Aquatic insects and larvae near vegetation
- Small minnows and juvenile shad
- Tiny crustaceans in weed beds
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
