Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 47-57 | - Fish are transitioning from winter patterns to pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawning
- Bass are relating heavily to transition areas between deep water and spawning flats, particularly around river channels and points
| - River channels adjacent to pea gravel flats and points
- Secondary points and back of pockets with rip rap
- Brush piles along transitional banks
| - Hard Jerkbaits worked slowly along transition banks
- Swim Jigs around channel edges
- Lipless Crankbaits around grass flats and rip rap
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') near brush piles and stumps
| - Shad - primary forage based on multiple reports
- Blueback Herring - noted in spring reports
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 45-55 | - Transitioning from winter areas to pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding but still relating heavily to bottom structure
- Showing preference for rocky structure where the bottom transitions to slightly warmer water
| - Boulder fields and rock piles in 8-15 foot depth range
- Transition areas where river channels meet main lake structure
- Bluff walls adjacent to spawning flats
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) worked slowly along bottom
- Ned Rigs worked through rocky areas
- Drop Shot with small profile baits
| - Shad
- Crawfish emerging from winter habitat
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Chartreuse Colors
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Crappie | 47-59 | - Crappie are transitioning from winter patterns, staging in large schools at 10-12ft depths over deeper water (25-30ft), actively feeding on shad
- Fish are suspended in the water column, following large bait schools in open water/basin areas during pre-spawn staging
| - Creek channels in 25-30ft of water, particularly where fish are suspended 10-12ft down
- Main lake points near deep water access
- Protected coves with transitional depth changes leading to spawning areas
| - Crappie Long Lining (Pulling/Trolling) at 1 mph along creek channels
- Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling) targeting suspended schools in open water
- Crappie Spider Rigging to precisely target suspended fish at specific depths
| - Shad (primary forage based on multiple fishing reports)
- Small baitfish schools suspending at similar depths
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Pink Colors
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 55-65 | - Moving from deeper wintering areas to shallower pre-spawn staging areas, actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawning
- Gathering in schools near spawning flats, focusing on areas with emerging vegetation and warming water
| - Protected creek mouths and coves with emerging vegetation in 4-8 foot depth
- Brush piles and laydowns adjacent to spawning flats in 6-10 foot depth
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
| - Live Bait Rigs with small minnows or worms suspended near cover
- Bobbers with light jigs worked slowly around emerging vegetation
- Finesse Hair Jigs worked methodically through brush piles
| - Small insects and larvae beginning to emerge with warming water
- Young-of-year shad in creek mouths and protected areas
- Small crustaceans around vegetation and woody cover
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 52-65 | - Bass are actively engaging in spawning behavior, moving between staging areas and shallow spawning flats
- Fish are relating heavily to shoreline structure, particularly wood and rock transitions as reported
- Movement patterns suggest a transition phase with 57°F water temperature indicating pre-spawn to spawn conditions
| - Rock transitions on 45-degree or steeper banks, as specifically noted in recent success
- Laydowns and wood cover near shoreline, particularly in protected areas
- Points with access to deeper water, especially given recent Ned rig success
| - Shakey Heads with 7-inch finesse worms, proven effective in recent reports
- Ned Rigs, particularly effective on points as reported
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) around shallow wood cover
| - Shad, confirmed as primary forage in reports
- Crawfish, indicated by successful crawdad-colored presentations
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 48-58 | - Pre-spawn smallmouth bass transitioning from winter areas to spawning flats, making frequent stops at staging points near spawning areas
- Males actively searching for and preparing nest sites in protected areas with hard bottom, while females remain in slightly deeper water
| - Protected rocky coves and pockets with gravel or small boulder bottom composition
- Transition areas between deep winter haunts and spawning flats, especially around bluff walls
- Secondary points with mixed rock and gravel near spawning bays
| - Tubes worked slowly along rocky transitions and potential bed areas
- Ned Rigs fished with subtle movements around staging points
- Shallow Diving Crankbaits (0-6') worked parallel to bluff walls
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Small shad schools in creek arms and coves
- Small bluegill near spawning areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Pink Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Crappie | 58-68 | - Staging in shallow coves and protected areas (2-6 feet) for spawning, with males building and guarding nests while females move in and out of spawning areas
- Highly aggressive territorial behavior from males guarding nests, making them more likely to strike at intrusive baits
- Females staging slightly deeper (6-10 feet) near spawning areas, moving shallow periodically for spawning activity
| - Protected shallow coves with hard bottom and scattered wood cover
- Shallow creek arms with stable water temperatures
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
| - Crappie Dock Shooting
- Bobbers
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9')
| - Shad concentrating in spawning areas
- Small bluegill and juvenile sunfish
- Juvenile yellow perch
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 65-75 | - Spawning activity with males building and guarding nests in shallow protected areas
- Aggressive territorial behavior, especially from males defending nests
- Concentrating in large numbers in spawning colonies near shoreline structure
| - Protected coves with firm bottom in 2-4 feet of water
- Areas near submerged vegetation and brush piles in shallow water
- Creek mouth flats with scattered cover
| - Bobbers with small jigs suspended 2-3 feet deep
- Live Bait Rigs with small hooks and split shot
- Micro Crankbaits worked slowly through spawning areas
| - Small insects and larvae
- Juvenile shad
- Plankton and microscopic organisms
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 65-77 | - Post-spawn bass are actively feeding and transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, with many fish relating to bait schools and showing aggressive surface feeding behavior
- Fish are showing mixed depth patterns - some actively feeding shallow around cover while others are staging on deeper structure like points and river channels
| - Laydowns and floating docks near spawning pockets where shad are spawning
- River rock points in the middle portion of the lake
- Submerged vegetation and tree lines in shallow water
| - Swim Jigs around floating docks and laydowns during shad spawn
- Carolina Rigs worked slowly along points with river rock
- Hard Topwater (Walking) for schooling fish
- Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) in vegetation and cover
| - Spawning Shad
- Bream/Bluegill
- Insects
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Smallmouth Bass | 58-68 | - Post-spawn smallmouth are actively feeding to recover energy, typically holding near rocky structure in 8-15 foot depths
- Fish are transitioning from spawning areas to early summer patterns, showing aggressive feeding behavior during stable weather
| - Bluff walls with boulder transitions
- River channel rocky areas with current breaks
- Main lake points with mixed rock and gravel
| - Drop Shot worked slowly along bluff walls
- Tubes dragged and hopped through boulder fields
- Shakey Heads worked on main lake points
| - Crawfish emerging from winter dormancy
- Small shad schools
- Juvenile bluegill in shallow rock areas
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Crappie | 62-72 | - Post-spawn crappie are transitioning from shallow spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy
- Schools are beginning to suspend near deeper structure, following shad movements in the water column
| - Main lake points adjacent to spawning bays where fish stage during transition
- Brush piles and standing timber in 12-20 foot depths
- Creek channel edges where they intersect with flats
| - Crappie Long Lining (Pulling/Trolling) to cover water and locate active schools
- Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19') around identified structure
- Crappie Spider Rigging for precise depth control in suspended schools
| - Shad schools suspending near structure
- Small bluegill and sunfish near shallow cover
- Young-of-year baitfish beginning to emerge
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
- Pink Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 65-75 | - Post-spawn bluegill are actively feeding to recover energy, transitioning from shallow spawning areas to slightly deeper structure
- Fish are establishing summer patterns, congregating around brush piles and vegetation edges in 8-12 foot range
- Feeding activity increases during morning and evening hours, with fish moving shallower during these prime periods
| - Brush piles and stumps in 8-12 foot range adjacent to spawning flats
- Creek mouth transitions where vegetation meets deeper water
- Protected coves with submerged vegetation and cover
| - Live Bait Rigs worked slowly around brush piles
- Bobbers with small jigs suspended near cover
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9') around vegetation edges
| - Small insects and larvae near vegetation
- Young-of-year shad in creek mouths
- Plankton and micro-invertebrates around brush piles
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Bold Striped Patterns
|