Current Conditions May
Pineview Reservoir — Live USGS & Weather Data
Rain Next 48hrs
Yes — 3.70"
Target Species
Smallmouth Bass
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
Tiger Muskie
Bluegill
⚠️ Tiger Muskie: Must be immediately released — no possession.
⚠️ Bass limit: 6 per day, only 1 over 12 inches.
⚠️ Crappie limit: 20 per day.
⚠️ Bait restriction: No whole fish as bait. Cut baitfish max 1 inch, no more than 1 piece per hook.
⚠️ Spearfishing: Closed for bass April 1 through 4th Saturday of June.
Best Time to Fish Today
Mid-morning through afternoon as water warms up. Bass spawn activity peaks midday in coves and shallow pockets.
Shore Fishing — Spring Recommendations
Spinners & Spoons
Smallmouth and largemouth bass move shallow in spring. Rooster Tail spinners and Little Cleo spoons in gold/silver work great along rocky shorelines and shallow points.
Soft Plastics for Bass
Bass are spawning in spring — Texas rig Senko worms in coves and pockets near flooded vegetation. Stay shallow 2-6 feet. Big smallies are very common at Pineview.
Crappie Jigs
Best crappie fishing of the year as they stage near spawning beds in May. Small 1/32-1/16 oz jigs in white, pink, or chartreuse under a bobber near brush piles.
Trolling — Spring Recommendations
Shallow Crankbait Troll
Troll shallow running crankbaits (6-12 feet) at 2.0-2.5 mph in shad or perch patterns for bass as they move up to spawn. Cover the flats and rocky points systematically.
Perch Harnesses
Small spinner harnesses tipped with a worm piece trolled at 1.5 mph in 10-20 feet are excellent for yellow perch in spring as they move toward spawning areas.
Jigging — Spring Recommendations
Ned Rig for Smallmouth
Ned rig is one of the deadliest spring techniques for smallmouth bass at Pineview. Small mushroom head jig with Z-Man plastic in green pumpkin or natural. Fish rocky points and drop-offs slowly.
Crappie Jigs
Crappie are easy to catch in May when concentrated near spawning beds. Small 1/32-1/16 oz jigs in white, pink, or chartreuse jigged slowly in 5-12 feet near brush and submerged structure.
Bass & Muskie — Spring Recommendations
Sight Fishing for Bass
Spring is prime bass time at Pineview. Smallmouth spawn on rocky flats and points, largemouth in coves with vegetation. Skip cast Texas rigged Senko worms to shallow structure. Big fish are very common.
Spinnerbaits
Willow leaf spinnerbaits in white or chartreuse slow rolled along weed edges and rocky banks are excellent for pre-spawn bass. 3/8-1/2 oz works well in the clear to stained water of Pineview.
Fly Fishing — Spring Recommendations
Damsel Nymphs
Damselfly nymphs are incredibly effective from a float tube in spring as they migrate to shore. Olive damsel patterns size 10-12 on an intermediate line stripped slowly toward the bank.
Woolly Bugger for Bass
Black and olive Woolly Buggers stripped along rocky points and weed edges are excellent for smallmouth bass in spring. Vary retrieve speed — a fast aggressive strip often triggers explosive strikes.
Callibaetis Nymphs
Callibaetis mayflies start hatching in late spring on Pineview. Soft hackle and nymph patterns size 14-16 on an intermediate line are very effective when bass and perch are visibly feeding near the surface.