New to clear water... suggestions?

[mbtharp1]

Found out that I have a few rock quarry ponds near me here in central Illinois. Went out in my kayak the other morning and tore them up on a walking bait! Got a few on the drop shot as well. Still, I know these presentations won't always work. Do you guys have any lure/technique suggestions for fishing this type of lake in the summer months? The water has about 8 feet of visibility, and there's a lot of grass and weed growth around the edges. Kind of makes it difficult to fish. The banks are steep, and the lake is really deep in the middle. Any help would be appreciated!

[Schuyler co]

In addition to what you're throwing, I'd mix in a jerk bait as well

[papajoe222]

I've fished a  ton of quarries and strip pits here in Illinois and found that if the fish aren't up shallow and active, they're likely suspended. The problem was always figuring out depth at which they were suspending and water clarity always figured into where.  The easiest way to determine light penetration for me was to drop a line with something white tied to it (I used my white coffee mug as it was handy) overboard until I couldn't see it.  I could normally find the suspending fish within a foot or two of that depth.

I would target them one of two ways. The first was with a small bodied crank, either a suspending model or one I'd added weight to. Crank it down to running depth and pause it frequently.  The second was using a hair jig coupled with a 4in. plastic worm suspended under a slip float. Cast it out and let it sink until the float sits upright, slowly reel a little and let it settle again.  You can make quick adjustments to depth with that float and you could use a wacky worm or any number of soft plastics under it

[Mark888]

Try soft plastics with some nature colours, i would recommend trying a paddle tailed swim bait and fishing it right over the grass. A weightless senko texas rigged, and a drop shot would also be my go-tos around grass. Chatter baits also come through grass well. Good luck! 

[yosef]

In New Hampshire veRy clear water I have good luck with crank baits typically 

[aceman387]

I fish mainly gin clear strip pits with visibility close to 20 feet on flat calm days.My favorite technique by far is the drop shot.I just started using the Z- man TRD 's with great success .(green pumpkin,Easy money is the other color I believe )

[scaleface]

 If a white object or the bottom can be seen at a certain depth then light will travel at least double that depth because it has to go through the water and back to be seen .

[BassThumb]

In super clear, grassy lakes, I like watermelon and green pumpkin finesse plastics like tubes, TRDs, grubs, and soft jerkbaits. 

[gobig]

Try fishing out west if you think 8ft is clear water. Best quote I have ever heard about clear water went something like... The water in this lake is clear to the fisherman. But to the bass in this lake, Its all they have ever known. 

[Bankbeater]

Try a t-rig around the grass.  Look for a spot that is near a drop off into the deep water.