The ice over the 2 local ponds are about to melt in under a month. What kinds of baits, presentations, and type of color should I fish?

I've been hitting the first pond in my area to thaw the last few days.

We've caught fish on jigs and crankbaits. I've tried some suspending jerkbaits, but the water (although at its clearest for the year probably) is a little too stained.

I've had luck dragging the jig w/ a good sized trailer just off the short winter-tall grasslines in 8-12 ft of water. I've also caught one slow swimming the same jig.

My fishing buddy swears by a medium diving crank and has out-caught me in the last 2 trips. He is not even slowing down his retrieves, just doing a steady wind...

I like wide wobble cranks because I can retrieve them slower and still have some attention-getting action. This goes against the old adage of tight-wobble "Shad Rap" action for winter cranking...

Strangely enough, the "north bank" routine hasn't hit for us yet, nor has the super shallow heated water bite. All of our fish have come from breaks or bottom composition change zones at least 15-20 yards offshore. And this pond is only about 4 acres...

Good luck...I was hoping for a warming trend but it's supposed to snow this weekend...

The ice over the 2 local ponds are about to melt in under a month. What kinds of baits, presentations, and type of color should I fish?

Aaron The place where I caught shitfin is open now and has been all year. It dosen't freeze over.

A hair jig is absolutely deadly right after ice out, even for huge largemouths. The Bass Pro Shops Enticer smallie jig with a Zoom Tiny Chunk is dynamite on both green bass and smallies alike until the water hits 50. A Zoom baby brushog on an 1/8-3/16 owner bullethead will decimate all when the water is between 45-60

Swim a finesse jig in dark bottomed shallow areas

I have alot of luck this week and previous late winters slow crawling 3" baits such as black Road Runner, Brewer Grub and a Storm Wildeye in say perch or bluegill color. Throw out from bank in deepest water and just painfully slowly reel back in..got 5 today and 2/3 of this pond is still ice!

Black and Blue 1/2 oz jig with a BIG trailer.......Deep