As the creek arms warm towards that magic 65-degree temperature, the bass push farther up the points. Savvy anglers do the same. Mercuri's end-of-March tactics normally have him starting on the shallow end of the points and moving up the creek itself.

Shoreline wood is a prime target for Texas-rigged worms, spinnerbaits or jerkbaits. Covering lots of water is a key.

"Most of these creeks and coves are not very big, Mercuri noted, "and the bass can move pretty quickly in them. You may catch them halfway up the creek one week, and all the way at the back the next. I want to move pretty quickly and figure out just where they are."

Once that's determined, the cover options become more defined. Channel bends, swings, and points are prime spots, and savvy anglers probe the shoreline wood carefully.

Bass that are actually spawning are most often found on any shallow flat containing coontail or lily pads lying adjacent to the main or secondary channel. The water is normally too dark to let you actually spot fish on a bed, although the bright spots are often visible. Casting to them with soft-plastics is effective, but don't overlook spinnerbaits and buzzbaits in the vegetation itself.

If docks or bulkheads are present, try those as well. Bass on Talquin tend to bed right next to them.

Normally, the spawn winds down by the end of April. But some largemouths hang around the spawning creeks for several weeks before they begin migrating back to the main lake.

The spawn doesn't last long on this lake, but the action can be frantic this month.

Find more about Florida fishing and hunting at FloridaGameandFish.com