Early season tactics

I started fly-fishing last summer and really started to enjoy it. However,
nearly all of my fishing was done on the surface with drys, or in very clear
spring creeks (I live in WI) with wooly buggers, etc. In my first
early-season trip last weekend, I didn't see or catch a single fish. While
I don't mind not catching anything, I really felt like I was just flailing
about without direction. Could anyone offer some advice, or references, on
good early-season tactics? I don't have anyone locally to learn from (hence
the post here), but I feel it is a matter of overcoming a few obstacles:
higher, cloudier water (fast water) and knowing how far upstream the fish
have moved. How do I solve these problems?

Thanks.