Clear water

[MS662]

Hey yall I am getting ready to go fish some pretty clear water in a couple of weeks and was looking for some advice since I fish nothing but dirty water. I fished there last summer for a little bit but not much success unless it was dark out. The lake is a naturally cold lake that is visible 6-10ft in most places. Any advice on how to fish in this type of water would be greatly appreciated.

[JPascavage52]

Figure out the primary forage of the lake, and match it to a T. Natural colors are key in that situation, I've found that white/ salt and pepper colors can be in very clear water. 

Also, downsize with some finesse techniques. Ned rigs, tubes, drop shots, weightless worms, etc. 

[A-Jay]

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~

With little more to go on other than water clarity, it might be somewhat challenging to offer much beyond very Basic advice.

I'll say that although I've not fished your neck of the woods, 6-10 foot of visibility by itself isn't usually a negative situation for me.

I'd recommend fishing techniques, baits & presentations that you're confident & comfortable with and then perhaps make some minor adjustments to account for the water clarity.  If you're used to being right on top of the fish you catch out of shallow water cover, you may have to stay off them a ways more. Sometimes longer (but still accurate) casts with lighter line is the ticket.   Fish may bail out of shallow water cover sooner in the morning so an early start might help.  Downsizing your baits is often recommended.   It may help to think "subtle" when it comes to moving baits.  If available, using silent versions of the hard baits you like might prove successful.  Another example of thinking Subtle is instead of fishing a spinner bait or a Chatter bait in, around & through shallow cover, try a 1/4 or 3/8 oz swim jig with a grub or small paddle tail trailer.  

Finally, do not be afraid to commit to a finesse approach.  Some very respectable summer time bags have fallen victim to dedicated drop shot, shakey head and more recently, Ned Rig anglers.

Good Luck

A-Jay

[Darren.]

Welcome aboard!

I think A-Jay has spot-on advice for you.
If it were me, and this is simply my M.O.,
I'd opt for the soft plastics approach of
drop shotting, wacky rigging both weighted
and unweighted depending on depth, wind,
etc.

Those just happen to be my two favorite 
techniques  

[A-Jay]

7 minutes ago, Darren. said:

Welcome aboard!

I think A-Jay has spot-on advice for you.
If it were me, and this is simply my M.O.,
I'd opt for the soft plastics approach of
drop shotting, wacky rigging both weighted
and unweighted depending on depth, wind,
etc.

Those just happen to be my two favorite 
techniques  

Thanks for the support Darren

btw - you Sir, are a Wacky Rigging Addict ~

Go ahead, Admit it.

WRA (Wacky Rigger Anonymous)

A-Jay

 

[Darren.]

Just now, A-Jay said:

Thanks for the support Darren

btw - you Sir, are a Wacky Rigging Addict ~

Go ahead, Admit it.

A-Jay

 

Admitted, and proud of it!!

[MS662]

15 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~

With little more to go on other than water clarity, it might be somewhat challenging to offer much beyond very Basic advice.

I'll say that although I've not fished your neck of the woods, 6-10 foot of visibility by itself isn't usually a negative situation for me.

I'd recommend fishing techniques, baits & presentations that you're confident & comfortable with and then perhaps make some minor adjustments to account for the water clarity.  If you're used to being right on top of the fish you catch out of shallow water cover, you may have to stay off them a ways more. Sometimes longer (but still accurate) casts with lighter line is the ticket.   Fish may bail out of shallow water cover sooner in the morning so an early start might help.  Downsizing your baits is often recommended.   It may help to think "subtle" when it comes to moving baits.  If available, using silent versions of the hard baits you like might prove successful.  Another example of thinking Subtle is instead of fishing a spinner bait or a Chatter bait in, around & through shallow cover, try a 1/4 or 3/8 oz swim jig with a grub or small paddle tail trailer.  

Finally, do not be afraid to commit to a finesse approach.  Some very repeatable summer time bags have fallen victim to dedicated drop shot, shakey head and more recently, Ned Rig anglers.

Good Luck

A-Jay

Its kind of the exact opposite of how im use to fishing down here ha but I'll be sure to use these techniques out there. thanks for the help. Best of luck to ya.

["hamma"]

Some light line and long casts will help you out some. You won't need rattles, but a good pair of polarized shades are staples. You may want to be a try some flourocarbon leaders, and light wire hooks for.plastics

[frogflogger]

Finesse as mentioned above - light lines and long casts also as above - but don't be afraid to try topwaters and swimbaits - big ones on both if you have the tackle. Clear water for myself is usually about finesse or big baits - they may not eat a big bait but invariably they will have to look which gives you a look at their location.

[burrows]

Spinnerbaits and brown square bills.

[WRB]

MS from your response you don't own or use light finesse tackle. If you plan to your the tackle, lures, presentations in clear water fish at night.

Tom

[MS662]

34 minutes ago, WRB said:

MS from your response you don't own or use light finesse tackle. If you plan to your the tackle, lures, presentations in clear water fish at night.

Tom

My main tackle worked well up ther last year at when it was getting dark/night but I do own finesse tackle and lures just not use to using them very often.

[WRB]

What type of bass ?

Here is my recommendation; look under vedio's - finesse fishing- How to fish a Hula grub by Glenn.

If you do nothing else buy about 6 ball head jigs in 1/8 oz or 3/16 oz and a few packages of 4" double tail Yamaoto Hula grubs in cinnamon black/purple flake #221. This spider jig catches bass of all types everywhere in clear water.

Tom

[geo g]

I would just like to add that I would use a good quality Floro line for all my plastics.  This helps with spooky fish, plus you can down size any weight on the line and get a more life like movement from the bait.  Floro sinks naturally  and allows the bait to flutter and glide as it drops slowly through the water column in an stimulating manner.  This is perfect for deep clear water situations.

[MickD]

One of the best clear water tactics is to throw 5 inch Zoom Super Flukes on a 4/0 gamagatsu worm hook (lots of videos on rigging, if you are not sure) in white, white/clear with silver sparkle, baby bass.  Keep the standby tennessee shad on hand, and even bubble gum works at times in clear water.  Small twitches, pauses.  Often get hit on the fall.  They cast very well, too, so it's easy, fun, and productive.