What Do You Do With Clear Water Like This. Im Clueless

[CYP]

I am clueless with clear water.  I have never really run into it until today.  I did some searches on lure color etc but nothing I tossed out there worked.  I got zero bites.  Any advice is very appreciated.  The pic is where I was.  Its deep and comes up quickly its an old sand plant.  

 

 

[livetofish28]

Throw a super realistic swimbait like a huddleston or hollow belly i would definitely throw the hudd weedless shad there or work a shaky head along the bottom

 

 

        tight lines

 

            Andrew  

[CYP]

Throw a super realistic swimbait like a huddleston or hollow belly i would definitely throw the hudd weedless shad there or work a shaky head along the bottom

 

 

        tight lines

 

            Andrew  

Thank you sir. I tried a shadilicious but no luck, those huddlestons look much better. Looks like the bait monkey may steer me in that direction shortly.

[ColdSVT]

Fish water like that often up here in the north.

I like jerkbaits, beavers, finesse jigs and spinner baits

The key is stealth, narural colors, and to downsize a little

[MichaelJ7]

I fish water like that all the time. For years all I had a choice to fish was really stained or completely muddy water. Then after acquiring a lake lot on a big lake development here in SE Missouri I was blindsided like you. However now, I love it. It's all about presentation. If you go out as the water warms up and throw a t-rigged senko style bait in a natural color.... Be ready to hold on. My personal favorite is watermelon pearl laminate. Also stick to jigs. But not black and blue. Go with watermelon red or pumpkin. Keep em small too. Either 1/4oz or go with a 3/8 finesse jig (I think war eagle makes a great one) this will atleast help you locate the fish. If your dealing with wind always go to a spinnerbait. Look for the fish holding to lay downs or drop offs. They love them for cover!

[Jar11591]

I love fishing clear water. Green pumpkin and watermelon soft plastics all day.

[WRB]

Is this sandy beach typical of the shoreline perimeter?

Fishing from shore eliminates a lot of lures and presentation you can effective use. Bass tend to stay on the outside break line where the water is deeper during daylight.

During the day the bass will be looking for prey to push up into shallow water, you need to locate areas where the bass can do this or you see them doing that. Using soft plastics in natural translucent colors that are similar to the prey should work. Finesse C-rig or slip shot rig works good with 6-8# line and finesse worms or reapers. Senko's should work and nail weight worms. Minnow lures like broken back Rapala often works in smaller lakes and ponds. A glide bait like S Waver may be good.

Night is your best choice for larger bass, then larger T-rigged worms and creature, buzz baits, spooks or whatever should work.

Tom

[Catt]

What I don't see in that picture is cover, so I have to ask what types of cover is present?

The types of cover is key to which techniques & where I would be fishing!

[Hattrick7]

From there I would throw a dropshot with a roboworm in morning dawn or some other lighter color with lighter fluoro line. I think that should at least get you bit if there's bass around.

I would also throw a t rig with like 1/8 weight with a lighter color stick worm or the green pit boss just to see what kinda profile they'll hit. Maybe both? Also a spinner and crankbait and I'd make sure it's swimming towards the bottom. Hard baits in lighter colors.

[Raul]

The ponds I fish have water clearer than that, never had the necessity of fishing hyper realistic baits, it´s much more important matter how you approach and attack the super high visibility, the fish can see you ! so anything you do has to conceal your presence, lower your height, do not cast your shadow, make long casts, those are much more important tan trying to imitate anything with your baits, actually some of my favorite baits for fishing those places have 100% non "realistic" colors and patterns ( hot fluorescent orange, fluorescent chartreuse, firetiger ) and heavily metal flaked plastics. I´m sorry if it bothers other people but I´m do not believe in the hyper finnesse or hyper realistic approach, in my experience it´s not needed nor necessary.

[Bass NC]

All great tips! I fish clear water a lot as well and I stick to jigs and t-rigged plastics in natural colors like browns, watermelon, ect.

Good luck and right lines

[CYP]

What I don't see in that picture is cover, so I have to ask what types of cover is present?

The types of cover is key to which techniques & where I would be fishing!

[CYP]

From the little time I had to invest and from the shore I didn't see much but the nj state record was caught here and was also caught from the shore so I'm sure there has to be cover somewhere it may just be too early in the year for it.

[WRB]

From the little time I had to invest and from the shore I didn't see much but the nj state record was caught here and was also caught from the shore so I'm sure there has to be cover somewhere it may just be too early in the year for it.

How big is this lake and what is the forage base? Is your intent to catch trophy size bass?

Tom

[CYP]

How big is this lake and what is the forage base? Is your intent to catch trophy size bass?

Tom

It's actually a series of ponds connected to the Maurice river. I have no idea on the size but I do know none are huge. I have no idea about the forage I'm looking it up to see if I can find anything on it. As far as trophy I could care less just like to fish.

[CYP]

Just found a bunch of info on this particular place but still looking for all the clear water advice I can get

[WRB]

If you just what to catch bass in pressured clear water small lakes and ponds than my first post is valid.

If you don't like finesse presentations, the would go with a jerk bait, both hard and soft types, the S Waver and T-rigged worms or creature. Keep your shadow off the water and fan cast the area you fish. Low light hours and night will be more productive.

Tom

[CYP]

If you just what to catch bass in pressured clear water small lakes and ponds than my first post is valid.

If you don't like finesse presentations, the would go with a jerk bait, both hard and soft types, the S Waver and T-rigged worms or creature. Keep your shadow off the water and fan cast the area you fish. Low light hours and night will be more productive.

Tom

Thanks I'll try it out. Seems there are also northern pike in there but I find that a little hard to believe. I think I'll be there a lot over the summer

[Jacob34]

I'm still a novice when it come to bass fishing, but I'm more accustomed to fish clear water lakes compared to what angler's in the south fish.  I'll echo natural color soft plastics and jigs work very well for me a majority of the time as do cranks and jerk baits.  Very rarely do I throw something "flashy" when fishing for large or small mouth bass. I've also noticed I tend to throw smaller offerings compared to others that I know that fish dirtier waters.  I think fishing clear water takes a a lot better presentation and tactics than fishing dirty water as well, but that is just my opinion.

 

   A little off topic, but I remember when I had a guided trip on Lake Fork a few years ago.  I was totally out of my element fishing there. I've never seen such dirty water in my life. It was like chocolate milk.  

[J Francho]

This isn't always the case, bit in clear water, I fish deeper, cast farther, and use "quieter" baits, both in sound and visibility.

[Catt]

Without knowing available cover & food source y'all are just guessing as to what to throw where.

My suggestion is to become better acquainted with the body of water.

Other wise listen to everyone else & throw what ever, where ever, when ever!

[geo g]

Long casts and very stealth baits, trick worm, 4" senko, centipedes, flukes and some small top water.  Stealth is a key, stay off the trolling motor as much as possible and turn it on slow.

[WRB]

Without knowing available cover & food source y'all are just guessing as to what to throw where.

My suggestion is to become better acquainted with the body of water.

Other wise listen to everyone else & throw what ever, where ever, when ever!

You are right.

Tom

[CYP]

For this particular place what I am able to gather is that killies (shiners) are the primary baitfish

[WRB]

For this particular place what I am able to gather is that killies (shiners) are the primary baitfish

Bluegill, crappie or any crawdads? Young of the year fish like catfish and carp also are baitfish during the summer period. Select lures that look somewhat like the shiners as a starting point, you should do OK.

Tom