Early season Brown and Atlantics

[Knot Tellin]

Need some advice on what baits I should run for early browns and atlantics. Also where should I start, shallow?

[Far Beyond Driven]

Not sure about Atlantics. Last one I saw was in 1993....

For browns, find the warmest water you can, either a creek / river outlet, stained water, or a windward shore. Chop is good, clouds are your friend. Flat cam and a blue sky with clear water is about as bad as it gets.

We fish as shallow as we need to, which some days is 15', and one day when the east wind blew all the warm water out there was still a thin band of warm water tight to the beach. We trolled with the boat on top of the first sand bar in 3-4' of water and spoons 15' off the boards on the shore side. Took a two man limit of browns and a bonus laker on 9 hits. 7 of the hits were the shore side board, which could not have been in more than 2' of water.

Stick baits and spoons both work. Some people say get them way away from the boat, but in a 6-8 rod spread over 50% of my browns come on one color lead cores on the boards closest to the boat.

Natural colors in clean water, brighter colors in stained water / early or late in the day.