Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 53-65 | - Pre-spawn bass are actively staging on transition areas and moving toward spawning locations, with water temperatures ranging from 53-65°F
- Fish are showing a mix of aggressive and finesse feeding patterns, particularly active around docks and points leading to spawning areas
| - Docks in the first half of creek arms, especially those with walkways and pilings
- Secondary points leading into likely spawning areas in 10-15ft range
- Protected shallow pockets with rip rap and laydowns
| - Wacky Rigs skipped under docks and around pilings
- Spinnerbaits worked around shallow cover in low light conditions
- Texas Rigs with finesse worms around rip rap and structure
- Lipless Crankbaits on points and transition areas
| - Crawfish becoming active in warming water
- Shad schools around points and creek channels
- Small minnows in shallow areas
| - Dark Neutrals
- Natural Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Striped Bass | 52-65 | - Large schools actively feeding on shad in pre-spawn pattern, clearly visible on sonar
- Fish suspending and following bait schools rather than strictly relating to structure
- Transitioning from winter creek patterns to main lake areas following bait migrations
| - Main lake creek channel intersections where bait schools concentrate
- Dam areas with current that concentrate baitfish
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
| - Deep Diving Crankbaits (13'+)
- Umbrella Rigs
- Vertical Jigging Deep (20'+)
| | - Natural Shad Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Metallic Colors
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 58-68 | - Starting to move from deeper wintering areas to shallower protected pockets, staging near spawning areas
- Actively feeding to build energy reserves for upcoming spawn, most active during warmer parts of day
| - Protected shallow coves with emerging vegetation
- Dock areas in 4-8 foot depth range
- Brush piles and laydowns near spawning flats
| - Bobbers with small jigs suspended 2-4 feet deep
- Finesse Hair Jigs worked slowly near cover
- Live Bait Rigs with small minnows or worms
| - Small insects and larvae
- Tiny minnows and shad fry
- Zooplankton
| - Dark Neutrals
- Pink Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
Spring (Pre-Spawn) | Crappie | 52-62 | - Crappie are transitioning from deeper winter areas to shallower pre-spawn staging areas, following creek channels and moving toward spawning coves
- Fish are becoming more active and aggressive, staging near brush piles and laydowns in 8-15 foot depths before moving shallower
- Feeding activity increases as water warms, with fish targeting both shad and minnows around structure
| - Creek channel bends with adjacent brush piles in 8-15 foot depths
- Protected coves with laydowns and dock posts
- Staging areas near shallow flats where water warms first
| - Crappie Spider Rigging
- Crappie Dock Shooting
- Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')
| - Shad moving into shallower water as temperatures warm
- Small minnows around brush piles and dock structures
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-72 | - Pre-spawn to spawning bass transitioning between staging areas and shallow bedding locations, with cold fronts temporarily pushing fish deeper
- Fish showing strong attraction to natural shoreline cover, particularly in wind-protected areas with laydowns and woody structure
| - Wind-protected forested shorelines with laydowns and downed trees
- Shallow natural cover areas in 2-6 foot depth range
- Secondary points and protected pockets with stable temperatures
| - Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip) targeting visible cover in protected areas
- Spinnerbaits worked around shallow cover for reaction strikes
- Drop Shot for finesse approach in same areas when bite is tough
| - Crawfish becoming active in shallow areas
- Baitfish moving into spawning pockets
| - Dark Neutrals
- Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Striped Bass | 58-68 | - Staging in pre-spawn areas near creek channels and river inlets, making upstream movements toward spawning grounds
- Actively feeding to build energy reserves for spawn, with aggressive response to larger profile baits
- Schooling behavior becomes more concentrated as fish gather in staging areas
| - Main river channel confluences and creek mouths where spawning runs begin
- Secondary points and channel swings leading into spawning tributaries
- Dam areas with current flow that concentrate pre-spawn fish
| - Umbrella Rigs worked through suspended schools of pre-spawn fish
- Large Hair Jigs (Preacher) worked along channel edges
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Large) for imitating larger shad profiles
| - Large Gizzard Shad congregating in pre-spawn areas
- Threadfin Shad schools in tributary mouths
- Blueback Herring moving into spawning areas
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Metallic Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 65-75 | - Male bluegill actively creating and guarding spawning beds in shallow protected areas, while females stage nearby
- Multiple waves of spawning activity due to southeastern location and warm climate
- Aggressive territorial behavior from males protecting nests, making them more likely to strike at intrusive baits
| - Protected shallow coves with firm bottom, especially near docks
- Shallow pockets with laydowns and brush piles in 2-4 feet of water
- Secondary points leading into spawning bays
| - Bobbers with small jigs or live bait suspended 1-3 feet deep
- Crappie Dock Shooting for fish holding under docks near spawning areas
- Inline Spinners worked slowly through spawning areas
| - Small insects and larvae near spawning beds
- Small crustaceans in shallow areas
- Tiny baitfish fry beginning to emerge
| - Pink Colors
- Dark Neutrals
- Light Neutral Colors
|
Spring (Spawn) | Crappie | 58-68 | - Crappie are moving into shallow staging areas (4-8 feet) near spawning flats, with males preparing nests while females stage slightly deeper
- Fish are becoming increasingly active and aggressive as water temperatures rise, focusing on shoreline areas with brush, laydowns, and dock pilings
| - Protected shallow coves with brush piles and laydowns in 4-8 foot depth range
- Dock areas adjacent to spawning flats, especially those with deeper water access
- Creek channel swings near spawning flats where females stage
| - Crappie Dock Shooting - excellent for targeting fish around numerous docks
- Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling) - effective for precise presentations to visible cover
- Bobbers - deadly for suspended fish around shallow cover
| - Shad - primary forage base noted in lake reports
- Small minnows gathering in spawning areas
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Pink Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Largemouth Bass | 58-72 | - Post-spawn bass are transitioning from shallow spawning areas to early summer patterns, becoming more active as they recover and feed heavily to regain energy
- Fish are relating heavily to shallow to mid-depth cover (laydowns, dock posts) and actively feeding on shad as evidenced by recent fishing reports
| - Shallow laydowns and woody cover in 3-8 feet of water, particularly productive given recent fishing reports
- Boat docks with posts and nearby brush piles in 10-15 foot range
- Main lake points and creek channel swings where post-spawn fish stage during transition
| - Soft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium) - burning these baits around shallow cover as validated by recent success
- Spinnerbaits - particularly effective around dock posts and in stained water conditions as shown in recent reports
- Bladed Jigs - effective in the stained water conditions, especially around shallow cover
| - Shad - primary forage base currently as evidenced by recent fishing reports
- Crawfish - secondary forage option especially around woody cover and docks
| - Vibrant Craw Colors
- Chartreuse Colors
- Dark Neutrals
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Striped Bass | 62-72 | - Post-spawn striped bass are actively feeding to recover energy, following large bait schools in open water and around major structure
- Fish are becoming more aggressive and willing to chase faster-moving baits, especially during morning and evening periods
- Schools are transitioning from winter creek patterns to main lake areas, using points and channel swings as migration routes
| - Main lake points and channel swings where creek channels meet the main lake
- Dam areas and current-influenced zones with bait concentrations
- Suspended areas over deeper water near major structure
| - Umbrella Rigs worked through suspended schools located on forward-facing sonar
- Soft Body Swimbaits (Large) presented along channel edges and points
- Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19') when fish are holding tight to structure
| - Schooling shad moving from creeks to main lake areas
- Secondary forage fish congregating around points and structure
| - Natural Baitfish Colors
- Metallic Colors
- Light Neutral Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Panfish / Bluegill | 68-78 | - Bluegill moving to slightly deeper water post-spawn, targeting feeding zones around docks and brush piles in 4-8 foot depth range
- Actively feeding during morning and evening periods, with concentration on insects and small prey in moderately stained water
| - Dock edges and pilings in 4-8 foot depths with adjacent brush
- Protected coves with laydowns and brush piles
- Secondary points with submerged vegetation near deeper water
| - Bobbers with precision placement around dock structures
- Crappie Dock Shooting for skittish fish under structures
- Finesse Hair Jigs worked slowly around brush piles
| - Small insects and larvae
- Juvenile shad
- Small crustaceans
| - Dark Neutrals
- Pink Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
|
Spring (Post-Spawn) | Crappie | 65-75 | - Post-spawn crappie transitioning to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy while relating to cover in 8-15 foot depth range
- Fish becoming more structure-oriented, gathering around brush piles and dock edges during feeding periods
| - Brush piles and laydowns adjacent to deeper water in 8-15 foot range
- Dock edges and pilings, especially those near creek channel swings
- Secondary points with woody cover transitioning into deeper water
| - Crappie Dock Shooting
- Crappie Spider Rigging
- Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling)
| - Young-of-year shad beginning to school
- Small minnows around structure
| - Chartreuse Colors
- Natural Baitfish Colors
- Pink Colors
|