| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 46-64 | - Pre-spawn bass are transitioning from winter areas to spawning grounds, staging on transitional structure and actively feeding to build energy reserves
- Fish are highly responsive to temperature changes, pushing shallow on warm days (52-64°F reported) but retreating to cover during cold fronts as evidenced by multiple reports
| - Submerged vegetation edges near deeper water, particularly where shad are present
- Flooded timber and laydowns, especially when mixed with other cover like cattails
- Protected areas with reeds and emerging vegetation
- Points adjacent to spawning flats, particularly during warming trends
| - Bladed Jigs worked around vegetation edges and through scattered cover
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) in heavy cover, especially during cold fronts
- Spinnerbaits for covering water and targeting actively feeding fish
- Swim Jigs around flooded brush and vegetation edges
| - Shad schooling around grass edges
- Bluegill in and around cover and vegetation
- Crappie around brush piles and structure
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Walleye | 42-52 | - Walleye staging in pre-spawn areas, moving from wintering holes to shallower staging locations near spawning areas
- Feeding activity increases as water warms, with most active periods during low light conditions due to the stained water (1.1m secchi)
| - Current-influenced areas near wing dams where deeper water meets shallow spawning flats
- River channel edges adjacent to potential spawning areas
- Brush piles and laydowns in 8-15 feet of water near transitional areas
| - Blade Baits worked slowly along channel edges and near wing dams
- Live Bait Rigs with minnows presented near staging areas
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with hair jigs around brush and structure
| - Shad concentrated in pre-spawn staging areas
- Yellow Perch in and around woody cover
- Small baitfish schools near current breaks
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 48-58 | - Smallmouth bass are transitioning from winter depths to pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawning
- Fish are becoming more aggressive but still relatively methodical, using current breaks and structure edges as feeding stations
| - Rocky points and riprap areas adjacent to deeper water, especially those receiving wind current
- Wing dam structures that create current breaks and provide transition routes
- Shallow backwater areas that warm first, particularly those with hard bottom composition
| - Blade Baits worked slowly along bottom transitions with periodic pauses
- Tubes dragged and hopped along rocky structure
- Drop Shot with subtle movements in deeper staging areas
| - Perch relating to rocky structure
- Smaller shad schools in current breaks
- Crayfish becoming more active on hard bottom areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-68 | - Bass moving from pre-spawn staging areas into shallow spawning flats, particularly around protected coves with hard bottom
- Males actively guarding nests while females move between spawning areas and nearby deeper water
- Increased aggression and territorial behavior around nesting sites, especially during stable weather
| - Protected shallow coves with hard bottom and shoreline cover
- Areas with laydowns and timber in 2-6 feet of water
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around visible cover and potential spawning areas
- Bladed Jigs worked slowly through spawning flats
- Spinnerbaits along transition areas between spawning flats and deeper water
| - Bluegill beginning to move shallow
- Shad schools in pre-spawn staging areas
- Crawfish becoming more active in warming waters
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Walleye | 42-52 | - Walleye actively moving to shallow spawning areas, particularly around current-influenced areas and wing dams
- Fish are staging in pre-spawn locations near spawning grounds, with peak activity during dawn and dusk periods
- Males arrive first and stay longer in spawning areas, while females move in and out quickly
| - Wing dams and current breaks in 3-8 feet of water
- Rocky points and shoreline areas with gravel or rock substrate
- Transition areas between shallow spawning flats and deeper staging areas
| - Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9')
- Live Bait Rigs
- Blade Baits
| | - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 52-65 | - Fish are transitioning from deeper pre-spawn areas to shallow spawning flats, staging on the first break adjacent to spawning areas
- Males actively searching for and preparing nest sites in protected areas near hard bottom, while females stage slightly deeper
- Feeding activity increases as water warms, with fish particularly active during stable weather patterns
| - Protected shallow bays with hard bottom and scattered rock
- Areas near wing dams with mixed rock and gravel bottom
- Transition areas between shallow flats and the first deep break
| - Tubes worked slowly along rocky transitions
- Ned Rigs dragged on hard bottom areas
- Soft Jerkbaits worked with long pauses in staging areas
| - Perch moving shallow with spawning smallmouth
- Juvenile bluegill in protected areas
- Small crayfish becoming more active in rocky areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Pink Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-72 | - Bass are actively feeding in post-spawn recovery mode, targeting bluegill and other forage around vegetation and cover
- Fish are showing mixed patterns - some shallow relating to cover, others staging near deeper water around points and drops
| - Submerged vegetation edges and matted grass
- Laydowns and riprap banks
- Stumps and woody cover near spawning flats
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around heavy cover and matted grass
- Medium Diving Crankbaits (7'-12') around stumps and wood
- Drop Shot when fish are relating to bait schools
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) for active fish
| - Bluegill in and around vegetation
- Baitfish schools in slightly deeper water
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Walleye | 52-64 | - Post-spawn walleyes recovering in moderate depth transition areas, making short feeding movements to shallow flats during low light periods
- Fish are becoming more active but still relatively lethargic, preferring slower presentations near structure
| - Wing dams and current breaks in 8-15 foot depth range
- Secondary points and shallow flats adjacent to river channels
- Brush piles and laydowns in 6-12 foot zones
| - Live Bait Rigs worked slowly along structure edges
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') with slow, subtle movements
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') during low light periods
| - Perch congregating near brush piles and structural elements
- Shad schools beginning to form in warming shallows
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 55-65 | - Fish transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy
- Utilizing current breaks and wind-generated movement near hard structure for feeding opportunities
- Moving between shallow and deeper transition areas throughout the day based on light and temperature
| - Rocky points and boulder fields adjacent to spawning flats
- Riprap banks and wing dams with current breaks
- Transition areas between shallow backwaters and main lake access points
| - Bladed Jigs worked along current breaks and structure edges
- Tubes dragged and hopped through rocky areas
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) for covering water and targeting actively feeding fish
| - Yellow Perch congregating around rocky structure
- Shad schools starting to form in transition areas
- Bluegill moving to post-spawn locations
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Dark Neutrals
|
