| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 45-55 | - Fish moving from winter deep water locations to transitional pre-spawn staging areas, becoming more active with warming temperatures
- Focusing on bottom-oriented feeding while gradually becoming more aggressive as water warms
- Transitioning between deep wintering areas and spawning flats, using structural elements as migration routes
| - Rocky points and transitions adjacent to spawning flats in 8-15 foot range
- Deep rock piles near channel bends in 15-25 foot range
- Secondary points with mixed rock and sand bottom composition
| - Blade Baits worked slowly along bottom contours
- Tubes dragged and hopped on rocky transitions
- Ned Rigs worked methodically on points and rock piles
| - Crayfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Small perch and minnows in transitional areas
- Bottom-dwelling aquatic insects
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 55-65 | - Smallmouth bass are moving into spawning areas, typically in 2-8 foot depths with hard bottom composition, particularly around rock and gravel areas
- Males are actively guarding nests while females stage in slightly deeper water adjacent to spawning flats
- Aggressive territorial behavior makes fish more likely to strike at threats to their nesting areas
| - Protected shallow bays with rock or gravel bottom, especially on the north side of the lake where water warms faster
- Secondary points adjacent to spawning bays with mixed rock and sand bottom
- Shallow rock piles and boulder fields in 2-8 foot range
| - Tubes worked slowly around spawning areas
- Ned Rigs fished with subtle movements near nesting sites
- Soft Jerkbaits worked with long pauses in staging areas
| - Crayfish emerging from winter hibernation
- Small perch in shallow areas
- Young of year baitfish beginning to appear
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 58-68 | - Smallmouth bass are transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy
- Fish are moving between shallow and intermediate depths (8-15 feet) as they follow warming water temperatures
- Aggressive feeding behavior during prime morning and evening periods, especially around rock-to-sand transition areas
| - Rock-to-sand transition areas in 8-15 foot depth range
- Secondary points with mixed rock and gravel bottom
- Shallow main lake boulder fields adjacent to deeper water
| - Ned Rigs worked slowly along rock transitions
- Tubes dragged and hopped through rocky areas
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) for active fish
| - Crayfish emerging in rocky areas
- Small perch in transitional areas
- Young of the year baitfish beginning to appear
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Green Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
