When water temps rise and fish start visiting brush and stumps out from spawning areas is what a call pre-spawn or stage'n .

But I seldom fish spawning fish but prefer to catch bigger females and incoming males off the banks . All of them do not spawn at once and seems like here they stage and return to same spots post spawn . We see several different false runs many spring till temps stays right . Each cold snap pushing them back out . I see big females on shallow cover up to 2 months early . I guess taking advantage of water being warmed but not near ready to spawn .