Spring time smallmouth up here in Maine are my favorite. Whe the weather starts to warm up and water temps start climbing into the 50's those big smallmouth start cruising towards the shallows looking to fatten up before the Spawn starts. This is probably you best chance of the year to catch a true trophy smallmouth. Three to Four pounders are common and there is always the possibility of landing a five or six pounder as well.
Bait choices for this time period are simple. Jerkbaits are a great choice in the colder water periods,(low 50's). When fishing these baits in cold water make sure you use long pauses between twitches. A lot of time the bites will happen during the pause. Sometimes a pause of up to 10 seconds or more is needed. Experiment with your retrieves and pauses unjtil you figure out how they want it. Believe me the bass will let you know when you've done it right!
Jigs are also a great choice in early spring as water temps are cold fish tend to be lethargic and will eat a slow moving bait dragged along the bottom. Jigs will also catch big fish! Pay close attention to everything you feel as you hop or drag your jig. if you feel anything "different" set the hook. Sometimes a jig bite will feel mushy, just a little tension, or they may feel like you just lost the feel of your bait altogether. In either case set the hook hard as those are quite often going to be your bigger fish.
Tubes or senko type baits are also good to have ready this time of year. They make a good follow up bait. A lot of times you can catch a fish that followed a jerkbait to the boat and didn't hit with a tube or senko. Quickly put down the jerkbait and throw the tube or senko where you saw the fish swim off to. Quite often they will pick it up and give you a second chance to catch that big fish you just saw swim away.
As the water temps go a little higher (closer to 55 degrees) spinnerbaits start to shine as well. You'll be able to start fishing faster and covering more water as the fish become more aggressive in the warmer water. I prefer to fish a spinnerbait fast keeping the bait high in the water column, just barely below the surface, so you can see it through the whole retrieve. They tend to hit these baits very hard so be ready, and have a good grip on that rod.
I strongly recomend you have a camera with you on these pre-spawn fishing trips, because when you do catch those tropy fish you'll want pictures for sure. Please try to be quick with the photo process and release these great fish back unharmed. Remember these big fish are the ones who are breeding future trophies for your kids and grandkids to catch later.
