Cold, Muddy Water Jig Trailers

[iceintheveins]

When the water is cold, under 55 and less than 18" of visibility, do you guys prefer a thumping, high action chunk like a rage or paca or more of a dead action chunk like a zoom super chunk? As a rule I use the less active chunks in colder water, but was wondering if the thump would attract more bass in the low visibility even in cold water.

[kickerfish1]

Cold muddy water is the worst to fish. You find yourself in a tough predicament because everything from experience and reading tells you cold water equals a dead action trailer. However everything about dirty water says vibration and action is what you want so that can fish key in on the bait. I don't catch many fish in conditions like this as it is just tough fishing but when your local lakes setup this way what is a guy to do. For me I may try a jig rod with both types of trailers on junebug or black/blue jig. Most of the time I can't buy a jig bite and end up going to something with more flash and vibration like a chatterbait or spinnerbait.

[iceintheveins]

Yeah two times they have wanted nothing to do with jigs for me. It's all been on crankbaits or lipless cranks.

[kickerfish1]

11 minutes ago, iceintheveins said:

Yeah two times they have wanted nothing to do with jigs for me. It's all been on crankbaits or lipless cranks.

 

The last time I had those very same conditions I blanked that day. Pretty sure I didn't get bit on anything. A few other times the fish seemed to prefer the reaction bait. Something with flash or in a brighter color. I remember an odd day several years ago where the fish were favoring a drop shot plastic with a lot of silver and gold flake and it outproduced everything else that day by a wide margin and accounted for all the big fish. Again the jig was untouched that day even though fish were relating to the bottom. As much as like jigs sometimes I just have to tell myself that the fish are into something else. Finding that something else is the tough part but it sounds like you have had success going with a plan B type of approach.

[WRB]

Black-blue jig with rattles, the trailer should have movement sitting still like a pork frog works good, some plastic trailers require faster movement to create water displacement.

Tom

[Catt]

Bass in off colored water are lateral line feeders; noise is essential.

 

Lunker Lures Triple Rattleback Jig

 

Trailer I ain't worried about movement while sitting still cause visibility is poor anyway & it ain't creating noise. All movement & noise is imparted by the angler.

 

The bass's strike zone is smaller in cold & muddy so ya gonna wanna flip/pitch tight to cover.