Hello everyone. I went out today on a local lake and struggled to find fish consistently. I went out with a buddy for probably 3 hours and only got 7, which is not very good for the lake. We tried fishing tubes on a dropoff and did not get any. We then proceeded to crank the shorelines with squarebills. The only fish we got were on squarebills in around 3-4 feet. They were mostly male. That said, could I get some help on what stage the fish are in, things to try, and places to go? The water temp is 52. There are NO fish on beds. We are just coming off of a huge cold front. Thank you for any advice you can give

Would help to know exactly where you are and where you are fishing in order to help ***** the local conditions.  For reference, I was out on the Potomac river for 12 hours on Saturday and boated 1 lonely fish so that ought to make you feel better.  

Coming off a huge cold front will usually shut things down for awhile. I went to 3 different places this weekend. I caught a total of 6, the biggest was a 3 pounder, the smallest were microscopic, and that was all but 2! Sounds like everyone had a rough weekend. 

Its a process of elimination . You eliminated tubes on drop-offs and had some luck casting squarebills . Could you  have done better making other changes ?  Who knows .

12 hours ago, NEBasser101 said:

 The water temp is 52. There are NO fish on beds. We are just coming off of a huge cold front. 

I think you hit the key right there.  Temps cold, zero on beds yet.  Following a cold front.

 

Since you generally have early, "normal", and late spawners and NONE are on the beds yet - work your way back to winter hangouts.  If even the early gals are not laid up, then the normal and late groups will be even further back in trenches.   Add in the lock down power of a cold front, and I'd be happy with 7 in 3h.  

 

I would have either fished the warmest water I could find for those active shallow fish that seem to stay there predominately (which it sounds like you were catching), or tried cutting back to winter patterns in the deep.  My guess, honestly, is that even if you were on target with locations (like staging on the drop offs) the cold front whammied things and getting a good bite out of the main population was going to be tough.