Steve,

I don't rely on bed fishing. If you find a bed and the fish are there, it's the old "shooting fish in a barrel" scenario. But if you can't find the beds or they're empty, you're out of luck. Bed fishing is just too inconsistent for me, so I don't seek it out.

I look for deeper water near spawning areas. Deep water is relative, but that means 6'-12' deep in the waters I fish. I primarily float fish with bait, but I also fly fish with sinking flies. I do this year round with excellent results.