| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 52-62 | - Pre-spawn bass transitioning from winter patterns to shallow feeding areas, actively seeking warmer water and preparing for spawn
- Fish showing increased feeding activity in 54°F water, especially around brush piles and other shallow cover
- Activity level influenced by daily temperature changes, with fish more active during warmer periods
| - Brush piles in pre-spawn staging areas
- Rip rap banks that warm quickly
- Protected coves with irregular shoreline features
| - Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') worked around brush piles and shoreline structure
- Bladed Jigs for covering water and triggering reaction strikes
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) worked slowly around brush and cover
| - Shad moving into shallower water
- Crawfish becoming more active in warming water
| - Bold Striped Patterns
- Natural Craw Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Crappie | 52-62 | - Staging in pre-spawn areas near shallow spawning flats, actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawning
- Moving progressively shallower as water temperatures warm, concentrating around structure adjacent to spawning areas
- Becoming more aggressive in feeding behavior as water temperatures rise, particularly during stable weather patterns
| - Rip rap areas adjacent to spawning flats, particularly in 6-10 foot depths
- Stump fields near shoreline areas that will warm first
- Submerged vegetation edges in 8-12 foot depths that provide staging areas
| - Crappie Spider Rigging - Allows for precise depth control and multiple bait presentations
- Drop Shot - Effective for targeting suspended fish around structure
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) - Mimics shad and triggers reaction strikes
| - Shad - Primary forage base according to stocking reports
- Fathead Minnows - Secondary forage as indicated by successful bait patterns
- Small Crappie - Indicated by bass fishing reports showing crappie as forage
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 54-65 | - Largemouth bass are in spawn/pre-spawn phase, actively feeding to bulk up before spawning as indicated by reports of aggressive feeding on 2-inch baits
- Fish are exhibiting aggressive strikes but may be somewhat finicky, with reports of short-striking baits and selective feeding patterns
| - Shallow protected areas near shoreline structure, particularly where rip rap is present
- Secondary points and irregular shoreline features with access to slightly deeper water
- Areas with submerged vegetation starting to grow, especially in protected coves
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked slowly near structure, matching the current forage size
- Underspins paired with small swimbaits, as specifically mentioned in recent success
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) for targeting shallow cover and spawning areas
| - Recently stocked Shad, which are becoming a primary forage base
- Bluegill, which are a consistent food source in this lake
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Crappie | 58-68 | - Crappie are moving into shallow spawning areas, typically 2-6 feet deep, around stumps and submerged vegetation for spawning
- Males are establishing and guarding nests while females stage slightly deeper, moving in periodically to spawn
- Aggressive territorial behavior during nest defense leads to more active feeding periods
| - Shallow coves with stumps and submerged vegetation in 2-6 feet of water
- Rip rap areas that warm up quickly and provide spawning structure
- Staging areas near deeper water adjacent to spawning flats
| - Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling) with light jigs around visible cover
- Bobbers with small jigs suspended at spawning depth
- Crappie Dock Shooting when fish are relating to shallow cover
| - Small shad and shad fry
- Fathead minnows
- Small invertebrates near spawning areas
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 54-68 | - Post-spawn bass are actively feeding in shallows, showing aggressive but cautious behavior when encountering bait
- Fish are relating to shoreline structure while targeting recently stocked shad, exhibiting opportunistic feeding patterns
| - Rip rap banks with access to slightly deeper water
- Shallow flats where shad are gathering
- Points and irregular shoreline features near spawning areas
| - Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') worked parallel to rip rap
- Soft Jerkbaits with erratic retrieves mimicking vulnerable shad
- Bladed Jigs worked through shad-holding areas
| - Shad (recently stocked and primary forage currently)
- Young Bass (as indicated by baby bass pattern success)
- Bluegill (transitioning to spawning areas)
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Crappie | 65-75 | - Post-spawn crappie transitioning from shallow spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy
- Fish relating strongly to cover (stumps, rip rap, submerged vegetation) while maintaining access to deeper water
| - Deeper edges of submerged vegetation in 8-12 feet of water
- Rip rap banks with access to deeper water
- Stump fields near creek channels or depth transitions
| - Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling) around vegetation edges
- Drop Shot with small soft plastics near stumps and rip rap
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) for active fish
| - Young-of-year shad beginning to school
- Small minnows around vegetation
- Small sunfish and juvenile crappie
| - Natural Shad Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
|
