Stockade Lake Fishing Report
That’s where the post-front fish will stack up if the shallow bite never fires.
THE CALL: Largemouth bass are biting best right now on a pre-spawn pattern – target the warmest, most protected north-end coves with a slow-rolled chatterbait or a jig from 4:00 PM to sunset.
WHY IT WINS:
- Water temp hit 59°F and is rising fast (up 13° recently), pulling bass shallow toward spawning flats.
- High pressure (30.24 inHg) and clearing skies after morning clouds mean fish will tighten to cover and prefer slower, finesse presentations.
- Wind picks up to 11 mph by afternoon – that will fire up the wind-blown banks and push bait into the pockets.
START HERE: The large cove at the north end of the lake – the one-armed creek arm. Look for the first dark-bottom pocket with scattered laydowns and a shallow flat that drops to 6–8 ft. That’s the warmest water on the lake and the most likely staging area.
THROW THIS: 3/8-oz black/blue chatterbait with a green pumpkin trailer – slow-roll it just off bottom, pausing on any wood. Backup: 3/8-oz football jig in green pumpkin/craw, dragged through the same zone. If the wind really blows, switch to a 1/2-oz spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) to cover water.
BEST WINDOW: 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM. The afternoon sun will warm the shallows another degree, the wind will be at its peak (11 mph), and the high pressure will have settled – fish will feed more aggressively in that last hour before dark.
NEXT MOVE: If the north cove is dead after 45 minutes, slide to the first steep bank on the east side of the main lake. Drop a 1/4-oz Ned rig (green pumpkin) on the 8–12 ft break and fish it slow. That’s where the post-front fish will stack up if the shallow bite never fires.