Muddy Water Challenge

[airborne_angler]

So today I ventured out to look at a pond I used to fish as a youth.I caught Yellow Bullhead Catfish, Bluegill and an occasional Largemouth Bass. This was way before I really got into Bass Fishing.

I was last at this body of water probably 8 years ago and I wasn't really into the whole Bass fishing thing.That last outing I accidentally hooked up with a Bass while I was tossing a Crappie jig.

I also threw a Berkley Gulp Sinking Minnow. Didn't know then how to fish it, so I just let it soak. Had something pecking at it constantly.

I'm much more educated about Bass fishing now, but I've never fished muddy water. Theres plenty of timber from the Beaver population and I'm sure there gotta be some Bass in there still.

Based on what's in the pics, how would some of you seasoned fisherman attack this water...I'm unsure of the depth or bottom composition, and no boats...strictly fishing from the bank...

[WiscoBassman]

It looks like there are some good pieces of structure in the pond, like the stumps. I would throw out some really bright crankbaits and maybe a spinnerbait. I'd start off shallow and work my way down with the depth of the crankbaits. Also make sure the crankbaits have rattles.

[flyfisher]

Honestly I would look elsewhere. That looks like a mud pit to me but if I had to fish it I would use loud baits or something with lots of flash. Given the muddy nature top water might also work all the time so I would chuck a spook or a popper of some sort.

[Zseen]

black or black and blue jig with rattles. Being from the delta in Arkansas I get to fish water like this often. I have caught some big mommas from muddy water.

 

BTW make that jig big, use a rage craw as a trailer to get them to notice it. When fishing muddy water I tend to throw bigger baits to displace more water.  

[airborne_angler]

Yea to me it looks REALLY "BASSY"(if thats even a word) Lots of timber in the water,stumps, Beaver Dams...I'm drooling just thinking about it.There were some young adults there that say they caught some Catfish...that's promising...don't know that it matters but this pond is just beyond eyeshot of of a shallow, narrow river that flows North out of Mexico.

[BigBassBarry]

black or black and blue jig with rattles. Being from the delta in Arkansas I get to fish water like this often. I have caught some big mommas from muddy water.

 

BTW make that jig big, use a rage craw as a trailer to get them to notice it. When fishing muddy water I tend to throw bigger baits to displace more water.  

This Black with Rattles, I would through a Black Plastic of some sort texas rig with a bead between the weight and hook.  the bead will produce some rattle.

[slonezp]

If it's got bluegills, throw bluegill immitators with a little flash. Maybe firetiger, or a darkbody orange belly crank. BnB for jigs. Northstar's bull gill swimjig with a green pumpkin or black paddletail trailer. Orange craw ipless cranks.

[kanasbassfisher08]

im not saying anyones wrong they are all right try bright white or chart spinners, chart black back cranks, both rattle and no rattles, same with jigs black blue just make it dark color rattles and not or event try a beaver or creature bait dark and if it looks bassy throw at mutliple angles and times might be hard for them to find it. ive got tons from this process and maybe it might be a honey hole and u just dont know it. good luck and let us know what happens! oh and try colorado blades more flash and more thump

[Goose21]

I would crack open a beer and bag some rays. If anything toss a big black worm and slowly slither it through all of the wood.

[airborne_angler]

There's another pond locally that was this color a few summers ago. I threw a Rapala Xrap,worked it very quickly, sharp quick jerks. Had a few followers and landed a few that went 3#.I might try this on this muddy body of water.

[mnbassman23]

That place screams Black and Blue jig, with rattles. 

[Shane J]

Black and Blue jig with Rage Lobster in Blue Sapphire color. 

[CPBassFishing]

If it's always like that I really don't think it's worth fishing. If it is usually stained, try these methods:

Flip and pitch a black and blue jig to the new flooded structure, as well as the places bass hold when the water is at normal level, or bang a spinnerbait or chatterbait across a stump field.

[wademaster1]

Fish it like you would anything else....hit that structure hard with cranks....folks are catching bass on everything under the sun right now....you can't go wrong

[Bladesmith,]

I would be slow rolling a single bladed (larger Colorado or Indiana blade) yellow and black or chartreuse spinner bait right in the middle of all that cover.  

[Nave]

Try throwing a Z-Man Chatter Bait!

[bassman31783]

Everyone is pretty much right on point.  Either use a noisy bait (anything with rattles) or

something that displaces a good amount of water (big jig & trailer, colorado spinnerbait,

even a swimbait).  One thing that usually holds true in muddy water is that it positions

the fish close to cover (timber & rocks).  So be sure your lure is banging into whatever

cover is available.

[airborne_angler]

So should I even attempt to fish open water? With the water being as muddy as it is does line matter? Think I could get away with using braid and not worry about the fish being line shy?

[Shane J]

Yeah, braid's fine in that water, plus it'll do you better in the wood, and that's what they are sitting on.

[Bluebasser86]

Dirty water tends to lock fish on cover and usually in shallower water. Dark jigs, spinnerbaits, and chatterbaits are about all I'd bother throwing in that pond. That water isn't that muddy though, one of the lakes I fish often that would be clear water for it and I catch fish out of it.