It's supposed to hit 70 today and a, going out for the first time this year later tis afternoon. Water temp is still around 45. I've heard all the stories to catch a cold water bass, but they all contrdict one another. Up size becuase their metabolism is slow and they are more likely to take one big meal, and to down size when they are fenicky. What to do? Just wanted some input from you guys.

BTW - I am not expecting to catch much, I just have to get on the water!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D

I stay with a big presentation all the time, I NEVER downsize.  I have had good luck with the Fat Ika in some little ponds that are probably around forty degrees.  

After ice out the day that I see sunfish in the shallows is the day I start slow rolling a 1/4 oz diamond shad. Sometimes like last year I hit fish shallow even when half the pond still had ice.

For cold water the old, make that really old, statment of Bigger, Deeper, Slower is as true today as 60 years ago.

I was catching some bass on a 5 1/2 inch suspending Smithwick Rogue. With this warmer Kansas weather the fish I caught were within 5 feet of the bank soaking up the sun.

One of the main reasons behind the bigger baits in the early part of the season is the size of the forage. Crawdads haven't had a hatch yet and neither have the shad. The shad that survived the cold winters are going to be pretty descent sized.

I second what D.Taylor said.