Early spring, pre spawn, seems to be the most difficult time for fishing, speaking for myself anyway. Here in the midwest, first of the year tournaments usually start about mid march, with water temps around 46 - 50 degrees. Each year the scenerio plays out the same, me and my partner run and gun with rattle traps and crankbaits (baits we typically only fish in spring), sometimes doing well but more times not.  Each year I tell myself I'm going to hit main lake points, throw a jig, and fish it slow.  By doing this surely I can get 5 bites!  But I always resort to the run and gun.What are some early season patterns that of done well for you readers?

I'm no pro but; my Father and I fish local tournaments and spring fishing is one of our best times of the year for placing in the money or winning. We usually target the largemouth because we have them pretty well figured out.

We look for the warmest water on the lake (usually between 50-55 degrees, high forties works too), this is where pre-fishing helps. These warmer waters are usually found in smaller back coves or banks that have a flat leading into them. We have a good spring run off which brings the water levels up and it floods up into the shoreline submerging the brush along the banks. If you look at my avatar picture that is the brush that works for me.

We look for banks that have the flooded brush, and target the banks that are about 2-4 feet of water at the edge of the brush. I like getting in fairly close and flip a 3/8 oz. flipping jig with a meaty looking trailer into the edges and into the pockets of the brush, most of my strikes come on the initial fall. When I say into the edges and the pockets I mean right in them. If the lure falls just a few inches short I will not get a bite. It has to land in it, and drop vertically straight down!!

However, sometimes they don't strike so I let the jig just sit there "dead stick" for a good ten seconds or more, if no bite I wiggle it very slightly, if nothing I move on. I hardly ever get a strike on the retrieve, so I fish it where it lands. If I don't get bit I bring it in and flip about 6 to 8 inches further down from my previous flip, this doesn't seem far but you would be amazed at how many bass will hold together in this structure. I believe you have to hit them on the nose sometimes too!

As far as smallies go we do pretty well throwing 6-8 foot crankbaits, suspending jerk baits, slow rolling spinnerbaits, and dragging tubs in about 8 foot of water along rocky flats and shorelines.

However, this is Maine which is probably not like fishing in your neck of the woods so I hope it helps.

Target vegetation and rocky areas, they heat up faster and hold heat longer then any other area, not to mention there good structure. Oh and bridge pillars too.

Suspended jerkbaits. 

Jerkbaits on flats where the sun is aaa shining!!  ;D

Some good info here if you want to check it out.

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/prespawn_fishing.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/fishing_the_pre-spawn.html

Don't forget the shakey head.  Or what I do is throw a buzzbait and reel it in as slow as it can, if you get short strikes, remember those places and follow it with a T-rigged worm or my personal favoirte a shakey head.

I dont know where in the Midwest you're located, but really early spring up here it's tough to go wrong with a lipless crank just ticking the early veg. growth. Silver buddies are like a cult..and people catch fish with them like nothing else in coldwater (I'm not one of them yet, but will spend more time with a blade this ice-off). Flipping wood with a 3/8oz jig can be productive.

Buzzbaits will get shallow bites surprisingly early as well.

Basically, if you cover semi-shallow water/ flats with early growth chunking a lipless crank like a madman, you'll probably locate some fish. Work that particular stretch thoroughly because you'll most likely find more than a few hanging out there.

JP