Flooded Water Lure Selection

[xfishhunterx]

We have had a ton of rain the last 2 weeks with more forecasted next week so most of our local spots are dealing with significant flooding. What type of lure would you recommend for VERY muddy flooded waters?

[TnRiver46]

Black and blue jig with flappy trailer or chatterbait 

[xfishhunterx]

Thanks. Fished a lot of years but always avoided flood waters. 

[Throwafrog]

Spinnerbait, you probably want to cover some water. And I've had luck very shallow after the water comes up ontop of the bank

[jimmyjoe]

   I agree with @Throwafrog.  When floodwaters take over new territory, it seems the best attractant is water displacement. Rattles have never done it for me. Neither has flash or color (alone).  Big thumpin' spinnerbait blades and/or big spoons seem to have been the best lures.     jj

[Smells like fish]

A basses lateral line can do amazing things. Any lure can catch fish even in chocolate milk. Spinnerbaits do up the ante though.

[Bluebasser86]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

Black and blue jig with flappy trailer or chatterbait 

This and I'd also try flipping plastics, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, and a frog. A lot of variables to weigh, but assuming I was going to go out tomorrow in current time of year and water temps, those are the baits I'd fish.

[Fishes in trees]

First choice might be a thumping spinnerbait/chatterbait - black & blue, maybe a chartreuse/clown/ something like that. I wouldn't discount a big square bill - white/ shad colored/ maybe fire tiger.

 

I remember a tournament on Truman Lake in the 90's, might have been a BFL, not sure, where the lake was real high, but the corps hadn't closed the ramps yet and the Marinas were still open and the top 6 or 7 spots were taken by guys fishing the flooded state parks.  Picnic Tables that had collected a bunch of brush as the water rose accounted for those stringers.  Spinner baits & square bills accounted for most of the fish but the big fish came on a black & blue jig, flipped to the top of a picnic table, then dropped 4 feet.    As I recall the tournament was out of Bucksaw and one big stringer came out of the state park near Bucksaw and several big stringers came from the state park close to Long Branch.

 

I wouldn't be afraid to throw a lipless crank either.  Any way you figure, it will be a tough tournament, but that's where I'd try to start.  Have good maps. 

 

You're from Springfield, so I presume you're talking about Table Rock.   Do you think that the fish have spawned yet.   In my neighborhood, I haven't seen consistent water temps over 60 degrees necessary for spawning yet.   Another thing to consider.   The flooded Truman tournament I referred to happened in mid-June.

[xfishhunterx]

1 hour ago, Fishes in trees said:

First choice might be a thumping spinnerbait/chatterbait - black & blue, maybe a chartreuse/clown/ something like that. I wouldn't discount a big square bill - white/ shad colored/ maybe fire tiger.

 

I remember a tournament on Truman Lake in the 90's, might have been a BFL, not sure, where the lake was real high, but the corps hadn't closed the ramps yet and the Marinas were still open and the top 6 or 7 spots were taken by guys fishing the flooded state parks.  Picnic Tables that had collected a bunch of brush as the water rose accounted for those stringers.  Spinner baits & square bills accounted for most of the fish but the big fish came on a black & blue jig, flipped to the top of a picnic table, then dropped 4 feet.    As I recall the tournament was out of Bucksaw and one big stringer came out of the state park near Bucksaw and several big stringers came from the state park close to Long Branch.

 

I wouldn't be afraid to throw a lipless crank either.  Any way you figure, it will be a tough tournament, but that's where I'd try to start.  Have good maps. 

 

You're from Springfield, so I presume you're talking about Table Rock.   Do you think that the fish have spawned yet.   In my neighborhood, I haven't seen consistent water temps over 60 degrees necessary for spawning yet.   Another thing to consider.   The flooded Truman tournament I referred to happened in 

 I think we are close but the temps are still just a little below where they should be as far as I have seen. I don't watch them religiously but I do check once a week or so. 

[crypt]

frog,buzzbait works for me.............

[scaleface]

Theres going to be a lot of flooded wood and vegetation   in most waters . Use lures that navigate through wood and vegetation well . Spinnerbaits , jigs , Texas rigs ,and buzzbaits come to mind .

[Dens228]

The first two answers are what worked for me yesterday.  We've had so much rain that the waters are much higher than I've ever seen.  The place I fish the most had probably 6-8 feet of visibility of few days ago and about 6 inches of vis yesterday.  I started with a shad colored spinnerbait/Keitech trailer with a silver and a gold willow blade and did quite well fishing tight to any type of cover.  When they stopped hitting that I switched to a brown/purple jig with a Sweet Beaver trailer and pitched it up tight to shore, as in at the water line, some places is was less than a foot of water, some places it was 5 feet of water....and started getting bites again.  

It was also overcast but not thick overcast.  

[Shimano_1]

Black and blue jig, spinnerbait,  chartreuse black squarebills and a blue fleck power worm.