Muddy Water Florida

[TheSwampThing]

Hello everyone.

 

I've been fishing Florida (mostly Central through North Central) for a few years now and I've found that 90% of the water is somewhere between stained and muddy. I always see articles about fishing Florida clear water, but I'm not sure where the clear water is in Florida other than the springs area?? Do any of you guys fish clear water in FL?

[N Florida Mike]

Many of the ponds and lakes in Ocala national forest are clear, also the keystone heights area lakes.The rest are Tannic stained but not what I would call muddy.The southern end of the Ocklawaha river,now thats muddy.

[mplspug]

Quote

Tannic stained but not what I would call muddy.

This is true.  I haven't come across any muddy water myself.  The retention pond I fish gets pretty murky, but it isn't mud, its decaying plants, algae and microorganisms.  

I am surprised I don't see more green water and algae. I am from MN and a lot of lakes turn green in the summer as a result of agriculture runoff.  Maybe it doesn't happen down here is that with the water table so close to the surface, most lakes are spring fed to some extent?

[geo g]

Finding clear water.  If your fishing our shallow bowl lakes in Florida, and you want clear water, check the weather patterns a week before your going to fish.  If the wind is blowing out of the west, the clearer water will usually be on the west side.  If its blowing from the north, the north side should be cleaner.  Wind will muddy our waters quickly because many lakes have a muck bottom.  Once the muck is stirred up, it will travel with wind blown current in the direction of the current.  

Another possibility, look for sheltered areas like openings in the thick grass, or sand base bottom areas.  Sometimes thick vegetation or sheltered streams and inlets will provide clear water on a muddy lake.  The thick vegetation filters out the muddy water.  Wind and wind blown current is the biggest cause especially on places like Okeechobee or Istapoga, big shallow bodies of water, with big muck bottom areas..

Another thing is, it takes days of calm weather before the water starts to clear once stirred up.  Again check your weather patterns closely.  It is one of the most important fishing preps you can do in planning a trip.

 

If your fishing from the bank, pick a side according to the weather pattern.  This is similar to planning for a boat trip.  Don't fight the weather, use it as your friend.

[N Florida Mike]

3 hours ago, mplspug said:

This is true.  I haven't come across any muddy water myself.  The retention pond I fish gets pretty murky, but it isn't mud, its decaying plants, algae and microorganisms.  

I am surprised I don't see more green water and algae. I am from MN and a lot of lakes turn green in the summer as a result of agriculture runoff.  Maybe it doesn't happen down here is that with the water table so close to the surface, most lakes are spring fed to some extent?

There are some like that here.I can think of 2 natural lakes that I used to fish that were greenish.Both were absolutely full of fish.Never knew why they were that way.As far as I know,there werent any big farms or mining cos.in the areas.Mostly just swamp around them.Both were relatively close to Gainesville Fl.

As for the wind stirring up the muck,Ive never thought much about that,or noticed it.And I like fishing the bank or weedbed that wind is going into because it seems to push small baitfish up against the cover and the bass will be waiting.

Not saying its not true I just havent noticed that I reckon.

[Hez]

14 hours ago, TheSwampThing said:

Do any of you guys fish clear water in FL?

In Central Florida - for clear water...go to:

 

Butler Chain - some of the most clearest and pristine waters around.  You can see 15-20 ft sometimes

 

Johns Lake (Clermont) - This is not as clear as the Butler Chain, but definitely falls in the same category.  

[geo g]

5 hours ago, mplspug said:

This is true.  I haven't come across any muddy water myself.  The retention pond I fish gets pretty murky, but it isn't mud, its decaying plants, algae and microorganisms.  

I am surprised I don't see more green water and algae. I am from MN and a lot of lakes turn green in the summer as a result of agriculture runoff.  Maybe it doesn't happen down here is that with the water table so close to the surface, most lakes are spring fed to some extent?

 

This year Okeechobee had one of the worst Algae blooms in its history.  Many fish killed, and the estuaries that they feed east and west were also effected.  It was in most of the newspapers in the area.  Its fertilizer and waste caused from Dairy and Sugar around the lake.

[lonnie g]

was on ocean pond  down by Lakeland I think , few years back it was clear

[soflabasser]

On 1/26/2017 at 10:29 PM, TheSwampThing said:

Hello everyone.

 

I've been fishing Florida (mostly Central through North Central) for a few years now and I've found that 90% of the water is somewhere between stained and muddy. I always see articles about fishing Florida clear water, but I'm not sure where the clear water is in Florida other than the springs area?? Do any of you guys fish clear water in FL?

 

Welcome to the forum. Lots of bodies of water with clear water down here, especially in South Florida. Most of the lakes I fish have +10 foot visibility, with many of them with +20 visibility when the conditions are right. There's even canals down here where you can see clearly see the bottom in 15-20 feet of water. 

[mplspug]

On 1/27/2017 at 3:02 PM, geo g said:

 

This year Okeechobee had one of the worst Algae blooms in its history.  Many fish killed, and the estuaries that they feed east and west were also effected.  It was in most of the newspapers in the area.  Its fertilizer and waste caused from Dairy and Sugar around the lake.

Okeechobee is south Florida. It wasn't just a local story, it received national coverage. And it's not just agriculture, nutrients are fed in from the urban areas in central Florida from Orlando south.  Much like MN, lake and river front owners fertilizing their lawns are also to blame.  

[cport0519]

On 1/27/2017 at 0:43 PM, N Florida Mike said:

There are some like that here.I can think of 2 natural lakes that I used to fish that were greenish.Both were absolutely full of fish.Never knew why they were that way.As far as I know,there werent any big farms or mining cos.in the areas.Mostly just swamp around them.Both were relatively close to Gainesville Fl.

As for the wind stirring up the muck,Ive never thought much about that,or noticed it.And I like fishing the bank or weedbed that wind is going into because it seems to push small baitfish up against the cover and the bass will be waiting.

Not saying its not true I just havent noticed that I reckon.

 

Hey Mike, would one of those lakes happen to be Orange Lake?

[N Florida Mike]

No,although Ive fished Orange. Orange has dark water. I guess you could say somewhat muddy.It used to be a great lake.It got real fished out in the 80s but I heard its making a comeback.I finished 2nd in a tournament fishing Lochloosa.Back then, it was fairly clear of weeds compared to Orange,which was almost completely covered with hydrilla.In its hey day,Id give the edge to Orange but Lochloosa was so picturesque with all those cypress trees.

The green lakes I was referring to are Newnans and Wauberg. I actually did better fishing Wauberg especially for specks and its not nearly as big or well known as Newnans .Both have some HUGE gators.

 

[RoLo]

As 'N Florida Mike' pointed out, many lakes & ponds in the Ocala Nat'l Forest are gin-clear.

To that you may add the Silver River (the open stretch), Lake Winterset in the Winter Haven Chain,

Lake Easy, Lake Patrick and the phosphate pits in Bartow/Mulberry.

 

All that said, crystal-clear waters generally put the angler at a disadvantage, because the flaws

in his delivery are obvious, and due to their enhanced vision, the bass's hunger is usually satisfied.

Speaking only for myself, I prefer water bodies with 1 to 4 ft visibility. 

 

Roger

[soflabasser]

Its true that it is much more difficult to catch bass out of extremely clear water, but fishing in these places makes you a better bass fisherman in the long run. These clear water bass can see the flaws in your presentation easily, so you have to give a much better presentation that if you where fishing low visibility water.

 

Some of the lures I have success in muddy water are the following;

 

hollow body frog

prop bait

buzzbait

spinnerbait

lipless crank bait

swimbait

trick worm

senko

 

 

 

[N Florida Mike]

There is one lake I fish in the O . Nat. Forest ( the old timers call it the Scrub )

that is very clear and I fish it with 10 pound mono,flukes,and culprit worms.Watermelon colors with the fluke and red shad,motor oil ,or tequila sunrise on the culprits.The fish there are not hard to catch.Of course,the less hardware the better.The flukes are heavy enough to allow no weight and I only use a small split shot or bullet weight with the culprit.

That lake is also full of butter cats. I  run a trot line and its all you can eat !!

[cport0519]

11 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

No,although Ive fished Orange. Orange has dark water. I guess you could say somewhat muddy.It used to be a great lake.It got real fished out in the 80s but I heard its making a comeback.I finished 2nd in a tournament fishing Lochloosa.Back then, it was fairly clear of weeds compared to Orange,which was almost completely covered with hydrilla.In its hey day,Id give the edge to Orange but Lochloosa was so picturesque with all those cypress trees.

The green lakes I was referring to are Newnans and Wauberg. I actually did better fishing Wauberg especially for specks and its not nearly as big or well known as Newnans .Both have some HUGE gators.

 

 

I agree that Lochloosa is far more pleasing to the eye. I am currently living at the Grand Lake RV resort right on Orange Lake, due to a fire at our previous dwelling. I would like to learn from some of your experiences on both Orange and Wauberg, as Wauberg is close enough to work that I can wet a line at lunch. I will post this as a tip request topic so this thread stays on topic. Thanks.

[N Florida Mike]

Do you have a boat? If not you will be very limited in what you can do.

Wuaberg is easier for bank fishing.There is a park off 441 after micanopy ( coming from Orange lake) that did have some good bank access.If you continue on 441 you will come to the college( UF ) side of the lake where there is also bank access and boats and kayaks to rent.I dont know how the access for non college folks are though.I mainly fished wauberg with manns jelly worms.There were some giant bass that would bed on the college side in the spring.The speck fishing was excellent there in the pads.I havent fished there now for years so it may have changed.

As for orange, we fished big black worms.Producto tournament worms and Manns.Rattletraps work well too,and most of the big bass were caught with shiners.Find a bait store and hang out.Someone at cross creek would know Im sure!

[cport0519]

2 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

Do you have a boat? If not you will be very limited in what you can do.

Wuaberg is easier for bank fishing.There is a park off 441 after micanopy ( coming from Orange lake) that did have some good bank access.If you continue on 441 you will come to the college( UF ) side of the lake where there is also bank access and boats and kayaks to rent.I dont know how the access for non college folks are though.I mainly fished wauberg with manns jelly worms.There were some giant bass that would bed on the college side in the spring.The speck fishing was excellent there in the pads.I havent fished there now for years so it may have changed.

As for orange, we fished big black worms.Producto tournament worms and Manns.Rattletraps work well too,and most of the big bass were caught with shiners.Find a bait store and hang out.Someone at cross creek would know Im sure!

 

Thanks Mike! College side is off limits to non-UF folk, unless you are a guest. I have accessed the park once, but the conditions weren't that great, so no success. I'll get back out there soon and toss some T-rigs at em from shore, although with this cold weather maybe a more finesse presentation is in order, maybe shaky head or drop shot.

I have a pontoon boat that I am currently trying to rebuild the trim tilt solenoid on, after that, the RV park has moorage for 50 a month, and I will be on the water at Orange.  Thanks for your responses Mike.

[ThePolkFolk]

13 hours ago, RoLo said:

Lake Winterset in the Winter Haven Chain,

 

I always wondered why Winterset was so clear when it is surrounded by pretty stained waters. Have you fished Winterset much?

[RoLo]

39 minutes ago, ThePolkFolk said:

I always wondered why Winterset was so clear when it is surrounded by pretty stained waters. Have you fished Winterset much?

 

Yes, I fish Winterset a great deal.

IMO, Winterset holds the highest trophy potential in the Entire Winter Haven Chain (north & south chains)

During a tournament in August 2007, Lake Winterset yielded a 34-lb, 4-oz winning stringer

(Lake Record: 15-lb & change). But like every trophy water, the populaion density is low.

We can't have it both ways, it's either quality or quantity. 

You're right, Eloise, Roy, Lulu & Shipp are all dingy, but Lake Summit is nearly as clear as Lake Winterset.

 

Roger

 

 

[ThePolkFolk]

15 minutes ago, RoLo said:

34-lb, 4-oz winning stringer

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing your knowledge Roger, I did not know that about Winterset!

[N Florida Mike]

4 hours ago, cport0519 said:

Thanks Mike! College side is off limits to non-UF folk, unless you are a guest. I have accessed the park once, but the conditions weren't that great, so no success. I'll get back out there soon and toss some T-rigs at em from shore, although with this cold weather maybe a more finesse presentation is in order, maybe shaky head or drop shot.

I have a pontoon boat that I am currently trying to rebuild the trim tilt solenoid on, after that, the RV park has moorage for 50 a month, and I will be on the water at Orange.  Thanks for your responses Mike.

let me know how you do.Id love to fish them again someday.

[DINK WHISPERER]

I'm in Lake Placid and i fish a lot of small ponds around my house that are crystal clear. Also lake Grassy and June are pretty clear. As stated before, it's much more difficult to catch bass in clear water. My only success has come on realistic looking crank baits and swimbaits. And always fluorocarbon spooled up. 

[RoLo]

You Dink, whereya bin??

18 minutes ago, DINK WHISPERER said:

I'm in Lake Placid and i fish a lot of small ponds around my house that are crystal clear. Also lake Grassy and June are pretty clear. As stated before, it's much more difficult to catch bass in clear water. My only success has come on realistic looking crank baits and swimbaits. And always fluorocarbon spooled up. 

 

Yo Dink...where ya bin?

 

[SFL BassHunter]

Most of the places I fish are clear water down here in South Florida. Several local ponds and lakes are crystal clear because they are limestone bottoms that filter the water.

Most of our urban canals are fairly clear.

Everglades can differ but it is usually lightly stained to stained depending where you are.

Loxahatchee is clear

On Lake Okeechobee you can find clear water in certain areas that I have fished.