What is the best approach to fishing smallmouth in early spring.  I normally am targeting salmon once ice is out but now with the bass fishing bug that I have been contaminated with would like to know what strategy to start with.  I have heard some say smallmouth doesn't really start picking up until the spawn which I believe in Maine is in early June?  Any advice would be great!

I don't do well at all in water colder than 50. I'm sure guys who target deep water bass will catch them with colder water but for me, the smallmouth fishing really takes off once the water temp hits 50 degrees and is fast and furious until they lock onto the beds when they stop feeding and get serious about spawning. At 50 degrees they come up shallow and feed heavily near the areas where they will spawn.Where I fish for them, this period lasts 2 to 4 weeks depending on the weather. I don't fish for bedding fish, so I stop smallie fishing at this time until after the post spawn.