The last week has been beautiful weather wise. Air temps have been 50-60 for the last week or sow, but water is high and it just snowed last night. A few areas that are exposed to sunlight and water current have opened up and I want to go out in my 12 ft jon boat. I have a Lowrance Elite 4x Dsi unit and quite the arsenal of tackle. How can I cover water effectively during this time. (jusr finding any fish in general) I have tried football jigs, but that is a presentation for when you find fish. The problem is I cant find them. I have bank fished over 5-6 times already this year with absolutely nothing. I dont know what the water temp is yet. The area is a long winding creek that comes off a lake. It is about 100-150ft wide and some spots were about 20ft deep. I know that most of the fish will be in the main lake, but there are bound to be some fish because it stretches so far. The ice out is very late this year and the only fish I have seen move up are pike. 

-What areas should I focus on. 

-What depth

-What presentation/cadence

 

There will be alot of dead milfoil, and there is a alot of trees and brush in the water near shore. if that helps. 

 

THANK YOU! 

(sorry for the lengthy post)

 

I would focus, on areas that has Sun light. Your depth.. I wouldn't go to deep. Since most, if not all of us got a good old cold front last night and into the morning. The lure to use, until you find them is a Spinner bait. Depending on the cold front. Hopefully it didn't mess them up to bad. A spinnerbait is probably the best lure to use. Use a Spinnerbait 1st, then Jerkbaits 2nd crankbaits 3rd. If the water warms up a bit. Go back to that Football Jig. That's what i'm using now. Having good results. Although, every body of water is different. You should be fine with those lures

I would probably try the 8-12 fow area.  Fish the sunny side rocky points or brush.  Jig the brush, jerkbait the points.

Thanks for the help guys. I might get out friday or saturday. supposed to be mid 40s to mid 50s. The two days of cold weather have been tough. I'll slow roll a willow-leafed spinner bait in a white/chart. and see if I cant catch a fish or two. Maybe throw a jerkbait or two.

Best moving baits for me in cold water have always been, and probably always will be a suspending jerk baits, lipless crankbait, and slow rolling a grub on a jig head.

Definitely agree with jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, and lipless cranks. If the water is fairly clear, try some shad raps or other tight wiggle cranks as well. And don't overlook a swimjig.