| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 50-58 | - Bass are actively transitioning from winter areas to pre-spawn staging areas, moving into pockets and cuts near main lake points
- Fish are becoming more aggressive as water warms to 50-54°F, particularly around wood cover and incoming water sources
| - Protected pockets and cuts off main lake points with laydown logs
- Docks in 6-8 foot depth range
- Areas where streams or creeks enter the lake
| - Spinnerbaits worked around shallow wood cover
- Shallow diving crankbaits with aggressive retrieve and pause
- Texas rigs pitched to specific targets like stumps and laydowns
| - Shad moving into shallower water
- Crawfish becoming more active in warming water
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
| Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Crappie | 52-62 | - Crappie transitioning from winter depths to shallower pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding as water temperatures rise
- Fish moving into protected coves and pockets, gathering near structure in preparation for spawning
| - Protected coves with laydowns in 8-12 feet of water
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
- Creek channel bends with adjacent wood cover
| - Crappie Spider Rigging
- Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9')
| - Small shad schools beginning their spring movements
- Young-of-year baitfish emerging in warming waters
- Zooplankton becoming more active in warming shallows
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
- Purple Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 55-65 | - Bass are in various spawning phases, with some actively spawning on beds while others are transitioning to post-spawn. Smaller fish have completed spawning while some larger females still have eggs.
- Fish are relating heavily to shallow cover and protected areas, particularly focusing on spawning locations in coves, seawalls, and protected points.
| - Protected backs of coves with visible beds, especially near seawalls
- Wood laydowns and brush piles in spawning areas
- Rip rap banks in protected areas
| - Wacky Rigs worked slowly around visible beds and spawning areas
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) targeting wood cover and laydowns
- Shakey Heads for post-spawn fish transitioning off beds
| - Crawfish active in shallow areas around wood cover
- Bluegill becoming more active in spawning areas
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Green Colors
|
| Spring (Spawn) | Crappie | 58-68 | - Crappie are transitioning to spawning areas, moving from deeper winter haunts to shallow staging areas and eventual spawning sites near laydowns and other cover
- Males will move up first to prepare nesting areas, with females following as water temperatures stabilize in the optimal spawning range
| - Laydowns and woody cover in 2-6 feet of water, especially in protected coves
- Secondary points leading into spawning coves
- Shallow brush piles near spawning flats
| - Crappie Dock Shooting
- Bobbers
- Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
| - Small minnows gathering in spawning areas
- Juvenile shad moving into warmer shallows
- Zooplankton concentrations in spawning bays
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
- Purple Colors
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 62-72 | - Post-spawn bass are actively feeding to recover energy, showing aggressive behavior around cover and structure
- Fish are transitioning from shallow spawning areas to early summer patterns, utilizing points and ledges as migration routes
| - Ledges and points adjacent to spawning areas
- Laydowns and brush piles in 5-12 foot depth range
- Secondary points with access to deeper water
| - Structure Jigs worked through laydowns and brush
- Medium Diving Crankbaits (7'-12') worked along points and ledges
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) for precise presentations around cover
| - Crawfish - primary forage during post-spawn period
- Shad - becoming more active in warming waters
| - Natural Craw Colors
- Natural Shad Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
| Spring (Post-Spawn) | Crappie | 65-75 | - Post-spawn crappie transitioning from shallow spawning areas to deeper summer haunts, actively feeding to recover energy
- Fish suspending near cover in 8-14 feet of water, relating strongly to woody structure and depth changes
| - Laydowns and woody cover adjacent to deeper water
- Secondary points with access to deeper water
- Suspended cover near creek channels and depth changes
| - Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
- Hover/Mid-Strolling
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium)
| - Small shad and minnows
- Zooplankton
- Small bluegill fry
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
- Purple Colors
|
