In RI all the ponds are beginning to thaw and i'm looking for the best techniques to use. I plan on throwing small jigs and spoons, but i've heard a lot about fishing lipless crankbaits and spinnerbaits. I dont know much about fishing these baits in cold weather and was looking for some advice. yo-yoing a lipless crankbait is a technique i hear a lot about and i was wondering if anyone cold explain this to me any better along with any other techniques. Thanks

I'm no tourney pro, but I always did the "yo-yo" routine as a simple lift/drop with a rattle-trap. I raise it just fast enough to feel the rattle, then slowly drop the rod to let it flutter back to the bottom. It's almost like slow-popping a jig when I do it. I also let my lipless drop all the way to the bottom before I start the retrieve. And I slowly take in the slack as I'm lowering the rod back so I can feel a bite. In the few to small amount of fish I've caught this way, I think the bite has always been sort of a "jump" in the line...

I do the same thing during the classic "late" pre-spawn and mid-spring bite when I do the yo-yo off sprouting submergent weeds. I just speed up the retrieve. Quick raises, quick drops, quick line-pick up...I guess some people also call it ripping.

As far as spinnerbaits, which are one of my favorite methods, the cold water period is one of the only times (aside from dirty water) that I employ the use of a colorado blade spinnerbait. I "crankbait" fish a single-colorado spinnerbait so I can just barely feel the blade "chuck-chuck-chugging" - even in clear water. The single colorado lets you do the slowest possible retrieve and still make the blade spin. And, I think (although it looks clunky and obtrusive) that the fish are super-hungry and (in their memory abilities) unpressured as of this point in the year...

I suppose you could also consider a yo-yo retrieve on a spinnerbait, too...We think too much about classifying techniques, as I usually end up trying all different types of retrieves or tactics with any given lure that I am using. "Pull" the spinnerbait up off the bottom, then let it "helicopter" back down, etc...The fish will pick something they like.