| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 48-58 | - Bass transitioning from winter depths to pre-spawn staging areas, becoming more active with warming trends
- Fish showing increased feeding activity during stable weather, particularly targeting larger forage to build pre-spawn energy reserves
- Movement patterns following warming sun-exposed shorelines and locations with early vegetation growth
| - Secondary points adjacent to spawning bays in 6-12 foot depth
- Early emerging cabbage beds in 4-8 foot depth
- Northern shorelines receiving most direct sunlight
| - Lipless Crankbaits worked through emerging vegetation
- Blade Baits worked slowly along points and transitions
- Soft Jerkbaits with long pauses for cold fronts
| - Bluegill congregating in early vegetation
- Small crawfish becoming active in warming shallows
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
- Metallic Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 55-68 | - Fish transitioning to spawning areas, with males preparing and guarding nests in protected shallow areas while females stage on nearby deeper structures
- Activity levels increasing with warming water, particularly during stable weather patterns and warming trends
- More aggressive during pre-spawn, becoming protective rather than feeding-focused during actual spawn
| - Protected shallow bays and coves with firm bottom in 2-4 foot depth
- Secondary points and inside turns near spawning areas in 4-8 foot depth
- Deep weed edges in 8-12 foot depth where females stage
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) for precise presentations to visible beds and shallow cover
- Soft Jerkbaits for covering water and targeting pre-spawn staging fish
- Wacky Rigs for finesse presentations in clear water conditions
| - Bluegill concentrating in similar spawning areas
- Small baitfish moving shallow with warming water
- Crawfish becoming more active in warming shallows
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-68 | - Post-spawn largemouth bass are transitioning to deeper water along weed edges, actively feeding to recover energy after spawning
- Fish are responding well to surface presentations during calm conditions, suggesting active feeding behavior in the upper water column during low light periods
| - Weed edge lines in 8-15 feet of water, particularly where cabbage beds are present
- Secondary points with emerging vegetation near deeper water access
- Protected coves with developing weed growth, especially during post-frontal conditions
| - Hard Topwater (Popping) - especially effective during calm conditions and early morning
- Soft Jerkbaits - excellent for suspended fish along weed edges
- Texas Rigs (Worming) - effective for working through and along vegetation edges
| - Bluegill concentrating around emerging weed growth
- Young of year baitfish beginning to appear in the shallows
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Green Colors
- Natural Craw Colors
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