What clues do I look for to find fish in springitme in my local lake?
The northwest corner of the lake warms quickest, so the fish will tend to seek warm water. Also, fish the back ends of the coves and along the shorelines. I was out last week and checked water temperatures. The mouth of the cove was 50 degrees and the back of the cove was 50 degrees. I fished the back of the cove and caught over twenty fish (crappie & bass) in less than two hours.

I like to fish large bait and large lures. Why can't I catch fish in the spring?
One of the keys to successful fishing is to fish the size of the forage the fish are eating. In the spring, fish are usually eating small fish and worms. Match your lure or bait to the size of the forage and you'll catch fish.

I'm just starting to fish. Should I buy "one of everything" or just buy a few lures at a time?
Buy a few lures and learn to fish them. A good mix of lures for a beginner would be a rubber worm (purple), a Daredevle spoon (red and white or black and white) and a plug type lure such as a Rapala.