On any given day, bass seem to display a preference for either the Rat-L-Trap or a spinnerbait. Two anglers fishing different lures until the pattern du jour is revealed will reduce the time it takes to tap the action.

The bite will slow down as active biters get educated. Rather than moving down the lake to find another honeyhole, try changing lure color or configuration and keep fishing the same area.

Using different blade sizes or switching from a tandem to a single blade may trigger a few more fish that watched their kin dance away moments before. Sometimes this change will tempt bass that followed the Rat-L-Trap back to the boat and either struck short or turned away.

Having an assortment of lipless vibrating cranks is also a good idea. The vibration given off by Rat-L-Traps, Cordell Spots and Rattlin' Raps is different for each lure because of slightly different bait profiles and both the number and size of rattles.

Retrieval speed and inflection also are important considerations once you've located a mess of bass.

When fishing a spinnerbait, I've had the best success with the pulsing vibration that results from the slow-rolling technique. Sometimes switching to a steady retrieve or even "bulging" the bait just below the surface is what triggers a strike.

Lipless vibrating crankbaits also lend themselves to interpretive retrieving. While the pause-and-pull method can be profoundly effective during warmwater periods, I've found a steady retrieve most productive when fishing during this coldwater bite.

Remember: This is a strike-oriented presentation. If you're over fish that aren't responding in that 43- to 48-degree water, speed up the retrieve. By the time the bass figures out that the easy meal has a pair of treble hooks, it will be too late.

Therein lies the beauty of catching bass in this ice-out window. As noted, fish tend to congregate along fairly short runs of shoreline or significant shallow water cover. You can explore a considerable amount of water in a short amount of time with these search-type lures. Once the first bass takes the bait, slow down and cover the area completely.

Even the best electronics on the market have little value in finding fish to target in this presentation, beyond merely noting depth and the profoundly important water temperature.

After ice-out, bass will seek the warmest water available until their metabolism ratchets up. This typically means they will seek out less than 6 feet of water or hold close to a heat-absorbing structure like an old stump tight against the shoreline.