OK - you've got my attention!
First thing I would recommend is contacting the local fisheries biologist - he/she can answer a lot of these questions.
1.) Anytime - The males will show up at the staging and or spawning areas first and leave last - they are the best ones to eat - both for the resource and your pallet.
2.) Staging and/or spawning areas - as the fish leave their wintering areas they will head to where they spawn (usually hard sandy/gravely areas with enough current to oxygenate the eggs)
Dams are usually good areas because of the barrier that is created. Creek or river arms are good as well.
Don't overlook shallow areas.
3.) Jigs are a great choice for targeting these fish - due to the fact that they are concentrated in tight schools. I usually fish with the biggest jig I can get my hands on and go bigger when the water gets dirtier. Also Jigging spoons and blade baits work well. I usually "double jig" so I will have a bright color on one and a dark color on the other - and let the fish decide. Both artificial (Hutch jigs and PowerBait/Gulp) and live bait (depends on forage and what's available at the bait store) but 95% of the time I will fish with artificial and if I fish with live bait - I will tip an artificial jig with it.
Take a senior or a kid fishing soon!