I want to win some money in some early season Bass tournaments down on the Mississippi near pools 5,6,7, etc.
Does anyone have first hand knowledge of Smallmouth or Largemouth patterns/behavior during March and April?
Where do fish winter? When do they transition? Where do the fish spawn? What techniques work? What type of structure is most utilized? When do backwater areas produce best? Is anyone catching bass while fishing down there this winter?
Welcome aboard Scout! Kind of a broad question you are asking there and a person could write the equivelant of 4 novels to answer it. If you are looking to make money bass fishing on those pools you are up against some very serious talent and you may get discouraged.
It is all about time and the water and bass knowledge of which you will find plenty on this forum.
I recommend surfing through the archives of IDA Mississippi River section, as well as the fishing report area and you will have a good start.
Under the fishing report section search for reports by a gentleman named riverfan as he is a wealth of river fishing knowledge and shares baits and presentations in his reports. Most people that hang out here are very good – keep watching!
Hey Scout..
that’s not really an easy question to answer…Weekend warriors and Seasoned tourney guys spend season after seasong trying to answer those same questions…
To be Brutally honest, and this is no slam on you, but if you’re asking these questions, i wouldn’t concentrate on winning money, and concetrate on getting down on those waters to try and find those answers.
There are so many factors that come into play when we talk spring bassin…..ie..temperature…Water levels, floods, water temps, weather, spawn,….the list goes on and on….
My honest go gosh best answer is to do a search on the web for Springtime Bass patterns (something like that) and start reading up to get a basis to go off of…then spend TOTW to try and to find them…
I know that’s what i’ll be doing 
I also agree w/Kizew, pay attention to our reports as they start coming in (come spring)…We are pretty good at sharing the information you are looking for (as we figure it out as well)
FinshingScout, here are a few suggestions…
As the others said, nothing replaces time on the water. So just get out there and perform some process of elimination.
Also, there are many clubs, weeknight tourneys, and bigger tourney that are Pro/ Am format (or draw tournaments) that you can enter on these pools.
If it were easy, I wouldn’t be working 40 hrs/wk still. 
– d-nort
Thanks to all of you for your replys. I will look around IDA for some clues. I have searched the internet but it is a struggle to get more than just skim information and it is even tougher to find midwestern bass river patterns. I have read lots of articles lately trying to pluck what I can but it is difficult sometimes. One article will discuss “deep holes” as being 8 feet or that fish will travel up to 50 miles to their wintering holes which contradicts the concept that a fish will only travel as far as necessary and may not travel more than 1/2 mile if a wintering hole, transition path, and spawning areas are nearby.
I am not looking for any honey holes. I am just looking to eliminate empty or poor water. I plan to be on the water a lot in late winter and early spring.
What do you need to be in the money? I figure a limit of 2.5 pound fish should do it.
Anyway you’ll know my quest for location and techniques was a bust if you see a guy throwing buzz baits, in the middle of Pepin, in late April.
3lb’rs and a kicker or two will put you in the race…
Scout I am about 90 miles from you but will be on pool 4 ALOT in April – usually I have an open seat – you are welcome to come along some time – keep in touch!
Sorry guys, it really is not a huge accomplishment to win a spring tourney if you just read the text books and give yourself a couple days to prefish. The winning weight will come off hard bottom or a hard surface. They will be in minor to no current for largemouth or minor to major current for smallmouth. Simple as that.
Tell you all what. I will write an article on how and where to catch the bigest smallies and largemouth on a river system given the conditions are “normal”
I honestly think if you would all stop psyching yourselves out you might actually listen to what the fish you are catching are saying.
jc
JC,
While your knowledge is attested to you being there and back, I don’t see the “psyching” out piece here….
You are 100% correct on letting the fish tell you what to do, but in order to get there, you have to have a starting point…and I think that’s what we are trying to offer here.
I’d love to read your article though, especially if it will help you and Blue pay for my boat..lol.. 
( i have a feeling i’ll get flack on that one)
jc,
If thats all there is to it and bass are a creature of instinct, then why arent the spring tournaments won in the same place every year?
The biggest variable always comes into play… The fishermen and pressure. If the areas you choose to fish have the characteristics of a spawning location any goofball can catch a winning bag of fish. This is where they live and they are going to be there. If the ecosystem you are fishing can sustain large fish you will often catch large fish. If the fish are not there I can not say you will catch them but in a healthy ecosystem with spawning capabilities, you will have the spawning fish and often they are the biggest the area will produce.
As for tourneys being won in the same area I would say that ecosystems changes but what the fish are doing do not.
As for psyching yourself out.. “Learning: to win separates the good from the best.
Jc
There are a # of patterns I like in the spring,one I like is throwing rattlin rouges into the wood,working in very little current,and fishing scout I like your attitude about sportfishing be sure to check out http://www.teamsupremetournaments.com North Star
Division pools 4-7.
How about you pay me half of what you were gonna pay in entry fees, and I’ll take you out back, kick you in the nuts, and we’ll call it even. 
Just kidding!
Welcome to the board
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