well up north here its still cold the water is now reaching the 50's finally. what kinda things should i try if i go out this weekend

I started my season two weeks ago, and I've been doing great on spinnerbaits (silver colorado, nothing one willow blades) and Jigs. Fat crankbaits have been working good in the shallows. Suprisingly, not one single hit on soft plastics or seknos.

They have been hitting hard, and are chasing lures out of cover at slow/medium speeds. Thats all the info I got.

I'm catching all of my fish with small t-rigged plastics fished slow. water temp. 47-50

My most productive lure on NJ lakes in early cold water is a suspending jerkbait. Around docks, edges of weed lines, rocks, breaklines, open water it seems to work everywhere. Crank it down and then work it slow (I believe the key to its success is long pauses between jerks). Vary the number of jerks between pauses, and be sure to let it pause from 3 to 10 seconds between jerks (the bass will let you know how long to let it pause). They will usually hit on the pause, or right after you begin to work it after the pause. Oh yeah, don't even think of using the Clown color

I agree with Zel. I usually have my best success in really cold spring water with jerkbaits like the Rapala Husky Jerk. Sometimes I'll use them as a search bait, then when I've found a fish, I'll switch to a jig (or a jighead & worm) and work an area thoroughly and slowly. Then it's back to searching with the HJ.

Usually I catch mine on a Husky Jerk or X-Rap, but this spring I'm getting them on a Rattlin Rap. It's the first time I've had luck this early on a lipless crankbait.

Falcon

I cought a 17" 2lber yesterday on a chatterbait and another smaller one today.  I havent had any luck with worms or jigs which surprised me since the water is still so cold.  Good luck.

Alex

i fished lake st clair today, pulled 2 largemouths jigging a chartruse power minnow around my marina.  i fished for almost 4 hours though.

I am struggling myself, only been out a few times this year and not a bass yet.  I have caught a half dozen pickerel on a super fluke rigged weightless.  I'm heading out today and im thinking live shiners on one pole and ill probably go through every soft plastic and jig in my box on the others, maybe some suspending jerkbaits as well.

I live in Wisconsin...that being said we just had ice out a week ago....lakes are closed until mid may, but river fishing is open year round...I went out yesterday in thunderstorms and 50 deg weather to finally get my fishing fix....my god was i itching to go ....I caught a 4lb bass in the fist 10 min on a 1/2 oz jig with a paca chunck trailer...draging it VERY slowly on the bottom ....my buddy caught a 3lb small mouth with a jig and sweet bever trailer....then we switched up to shaky heads and caught a few more little guys....nothing on rattle traps or cranks....water temp was 47...All i can say is FISH SLOW......didnt get a chance to try any jerkbaits, but i am sure they would work also fished very slow.....

As the water starts to warm around here - central Indiana - the first thing they want are jigs.