I am asked that very question often and like what the others have said, it begins with what you can see. That is primarily why white baits have been so popular. This becomes even more important on those deep beds that you can't quite make out, but know the general location. You can concentrate on the white and often when it disappears which means it would be a good time to set the hook. The next most important thing is to use a bait you have confidence in. Since it is a general understanding that a spawning bass can be aggravated enough using a wide variety of lures, begin with what you have confidence in and can see. I primarily use white or smoke and white tube baits texas rigged. It can be fished in a variety of ways including swimming across the bedding area. It is agile enough to be flipped through branches and stuff too. I quite using jigs a long time ago because too many fish would throw the jig when they broke water. I friend of mine used to religiously use a white jig and complained of this very same problem. I told him to leave the white jigs at home and go to a texas rigged tube and he lands most of the fish he sticks. Another important issue when you are bed fishing is to use heavy line. The unless the fish have been stuck over and over again, they won't care about the line size. Go big, #15 or #20 test. You will wish you did when you stick that big pig and she runs you into some underwater timber. I keep a 7-6 flippin's stick on deck at all times with big line and my killer bait just for when I come across that big toad. If you just want to have some fun sticking males, #10 test and a 6 foot medium action rod will allow you to have some fun fightin them. Remember that not all two fish think a like and no two have the same temperment. You have to take the time to figure them out and be willing to throw something different at them on occasion. A little trick I use is when a fish is acting like he or she is going to smack it, it make the bait look like it is retreating as the fish chases it off. That gives them confidence. You can then expect on the next cast they will be good and anger and not waste time just making a bluff attack but smack it good. Try it. It's fun sometimes to toy with them. You will be surprised at what you will learn. Good luck this spring.