This week started out just right.

Air temperatures hit 80 degrees Friday.

The surface water temperature of the area lakes hit the magical degree of 60.

The bass and sac-a-lait spawn kicked off.

The Mississippi River has dropped to a favorable stage for bass and perch fishing.

My e-mail box was filling up with pictures of 8-, 9- and 10-pound bass caught from all over the South.

The shallow water that was loaded with male bass is now stacked with big females along with the males.

Conditions were shaping up for a great weekend, but Mother Nature came along and said, “No.”

A cold front passed Friday night hammering air temperatures down and air pressure up just in time to spoil a perfect weekend of fishing for some.

March cold fronts will send spawning bass and perch back to deep water, or if no deep water is nearby, they will just hunker down and won’t move or eat.

To catch fish just behind a March cold front is not impossible, but it will be a bit more difficult. You can weed out a lot of lure types when bass fishing behind a front.

Bass won’t chase down a meal, but they will take a jig and soft plastics fished on the bottom like the latest and greatest lure that’s taking off in this area, the Biffle Bug.

I’m a diehard bottom bouncing jig fisherman, but some days the jig bite is just not there.

I went through a ton of soft plastics over the years trying to find something to fill that void — some lure that will catch the fish when the jig bite fell off.

The Biffle Bug fished on a Larew Hardhead filled that void for me. The Biffle Bug is a beaver style lure with a twist. It features a hollow, wide body and thin, concave tail that offers more of a gliding action on the fall than some beaver style lures.

It’s tougher too. Most beaver style lures are good for one fish or one bite and they tear. That gets expensive at $5 a bag. The Biffle Bug is tougher, yet still soft.

It is a great lure to fish on a weekend like we just had with this passing cold front.

We have a new series of bass tournaments coming to our area lakes.

On March 17, The Top Rods circuit will cast off on Lake Bruin out of the State Park Landing. This event is getting a lot of great feedback, so we expect a very good turnout.

Unlike most area bass tournaments that offer high payouts, this is not a team tournament. The Top Rod series features a singles-only format.

Only one person will be allowed in each boat. It’s you against the fish and against some of the best tournament bass fishermen and ladies from miles around.

Another big plus is this is a non-profit event. One-hundred percent of all fees collected will be paid out to the top five anglers with heaviest five-bass limit weight, and we will award one place for the single largest bass.

Eddie’s Marine of Vidalia will conduct the weigh-ins.

Years ago many well-known nationwide bass circuits passed through our area.

The Angler’s Choice circuit, the Red Man Trail and several other circuits came here.

They no longer come here, so Top Rods was created to give the bass tournament fishermen in the Miss-Lou a chance to cast for some real cash.

Based on 50 entries the winner will take home $2,250, second-place will get $1,250, third-place will get $750, fourth-place will get $500 and fifth-place will take home $250.

The contestant with the single largest bass will net $500.

The entry fee is $110.

As the numbers increase the payout will increase.

On April 14 we will host the second Top Rod event on Lake St. John.

In May, we will probably go to Lake Concordia. That has yet to be determined. I have the entry forms at Eddie’s Marine in Vidalia. Just stay tuned for more information.