I'm in northern Ohio and we have another month or 2 until it gets in the 60s and 70s for good. I have the urge to go bass and cat fishing real bad. What do you guys use around the beginning of April for large-small mouth and catfish? I have lake Erie and the rivers that attach to it close and a lot of large farm lakes and ponds.

 

I currently have several square bill or shallow runner crank baits like shad rap, etc and several packs of power bait minnows and worms.

Its really weird for me but I have trouble catching deep bass in early spring .  My best luck has been fishing shallow on sunny banks in the afternoons .  A lot of different baits have caught fish  but they have to be fished real slow . I like deep diving crankbaits tossed against steep banks . I 'll position the boat in about ten foot of water cast right up too the bank , set the rod  tip low and crawl it back . Thats been my best big  fish tactic early .

This time of year I am mostly throwing jerkbaits, jigs, lipless cranks, and spinnerbaits. Senkos too, but I have those on year round. 

When I lived in the northeast (most of my life), the bass held deep in winter, usually on the sharpest drops.

But early spring was a different deal, when my best luck was in shallow water and during warm-fronts,

particularly during sunny afternoons.

I threw the usual fare: jerkbaits, jig-&-craw & lipless plugs (Heddon Sonic back then).

 

Roger

The bass around my area have been in 3 to 5 feet of water, and have been going after moving baits.  I've been using shallow running crankbaits, lipless baits, and small swimbaits.  I haven't tried bladed jigs or spinnerbaits yet.

My starting arsenal will always include blade baits (Silver Buddies), hard jerkbaits and Senkos. But I mainly target smallies. Haven't fished for catfish in several decades now, so I can't help you there!

Early spring here in Kentucky I throw a lipless crankbait.  Once the water gets to about 60 degrees though you can start throwing just about anything.  For Catfish I always like chicken livers.