Although the snow has just started to fall, im thinking about spring fishing already.  This past year I had a tough time catching bass in March.  I live in Pennsylvania and March is not to early to fish.  Once April came around I started to catch bass but my question is on early spring fishing.  Before they move up to the shallows what are some good ways to catch them.  I mainly fish ponds during the early spring and I had a hard time getting any bites on a slow prestentation with a soft plastic.  How slow do you guys fish before they come up to spawn or a few weeks after the ice go out?  I was only able to pick up a few bass on a square billed crankbait and need some tips for soft plastics because thats my strong suit.  Thanks for the help

Just because the water temp is cold doesn't mean you have to fish slow. I like really ripping a Smithwick Rogue or banging a lipless crank off rocks on points that have a gradual taper than a nice steep drop in water less than 50*.

For a slow plastic presentation try a 4" lizard or other small plastic on a super-light c-rig. I mean as light as you can go, I like 1/32 and 1/16 oz. Shallow water wood, stump fields, and parallel docks.

On shallow high-pressured bodies of water when the water is below 60* I will put my boat right up against cement/rock retaining walls that hold back people's waterfront property and burn a Mepps Agila or Comet Minnow along them. They will get right up against these walls b/c they provide warmth and shade. I go with the in-line spinners or small series 1 Strike King cranks so it makes a small splash and it is uncommon up here. Most guys will be chunking a big spinnerbait towards shore and retrieve it back into open water. My way, you are in the strike zone longer, giving them a different looking bait that they never see, and you're not spooking them.

Rat-L-Traps can be awesome from late winter through the entire spring