Local pond just unthawed two days ago and it is supposed to be in the high 50's tomorrow. First time fishing this early, but I just have to be on the water. Let me know what you guys think.

I live in Georgia but we've had a brutally cold winter.  Water temps are extremely low for this time of year.  Anyway, I've been catching them since February on the same rig, day in and day out.  1/16oz screw in tungsten sinker, 1/0 ewg hook, and a 3.5" Keitech Swing Impact which is a small, ribbed paddle tail swimbait.  I really like the Swing Impacts but I'd imagine any smaller swimbait would do.  On the sunny, warm, windless days, my best retrieve has been just swimming it slowly around shallow cover.  When the wind has been blowing and it has been post frontal conditions, the lift and drop around the cover a bit deeper has worked better.  

 

Hope this helps and glad you're finally able to get out on the water!!  This has been a nasty winter for everyone.  

I'd give a lipless crankbait or jerkbait a try.

Drop shot works best for me as soon as they thaw, ponds still frozen here in Illinois

I've been out the last two days and zoom z-hogs and 4" dead ringers have been useful. I was just happy to get something that had waves on it, ice fishing ain't fishing to me. I got bored yesterday and was reeling back in to change baits, got bit. I fished a little faster and had two in the next 15 minutes. Nothing over 2 lb, but I was surprised at how fast I could get bites.

I live in north GA, its been unusually cold lately until the past week, Only thing I can catch anything on right now is Red Eye Shad lipless crank baits.