best lures right after ice out

Spinner for me too, just 2-3 inches long. Have caught many pike inc some 30-35 inches on these small silver or gold plain colorado blade spinners. My fave is Blue Fox Vibrax. I also once caught a 42 inch musky on a 2 inch Panther Martin while trout fishing. This was in early May, but it had snowed just a couple days before. Landed the fish with 6 lb test on a small river (lip hooked), my most epic battle with a fish ever!

small mepps spinner gold blades,no hair

SUSPENDER HANDS DOWN FOR EARLY FISHING, OTHERWISE A DEAD SMELT OR SUCKER. I SUSPEND UNDER BOBBER EVEN IF FISHING NEAR BOTTOM SO I CAN DRIFT SLOWLY OR MOVE SLOWLY

Dead bait on the bottom or a bobber, but do better with it on the bottom most days. Lures are not the best in eary season up in my neck of north woods untill the water temps reach into the mid 40's,

Pike spawn at ice out, but check out the post for the top five lures for pike, you'll find good advice there. Cloud cover is always a positive when fishing any species. When the sun is out and clear sky the fish will stay under cover to not be seen. When you have cloud cover and even a slight drizzle and breeze the fish will come out and move around because they are harder spot by larger fish and their prey as well.