One thing that the pros do a lot better than the average fisherman is pay attention to the weather and how it’s trending – and then form a game plan. Spring weather can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

If the spawn has cranked up and the weather’s been consistently warm for several days, you can reasonably expect that the fishing is going to be great. So you decide whether to go after numbers or size. If you’re fishing in a tournament, you probably want to go after the biggest bass you can find in the places where you think they’ll be. When there’s a catchfest going on, it’s the guys who weigh in the biggest bass who’ll do the most good. The old saying that big baits catch big bass is especially true in the spring … if the weather conditions are right. Then I like to rig a Gambler Mega Daddy crawfish with a Gambler screw-in weight and pitch it into reeds or holes in the weed mats or use a Gambler Big Easy swimbait that I swim around and over spawning cover.

Conversely, if a cold front comes through, the fishing is going to be impacted. Bass aren’t going to race each other to your baits. The big females might leave the beds and hang out in the nearest thick cover for a while. For sure, they won’t be as aggressive. When it’s like that, you probably will have to downsize and fish slower. This time of year, pay particular attention to the weather. It should regulate your fishing approach.

–Castrol pro Mike Surman of Boca Raton, Fla.