Clear Water Is A Challenge

[MIbassyaker]

I always find it difficult to pinpoint what people mean by "clear" water.  Most of the places I fish have visibility to about 10ft, sometimes more, sometimes less. The murkiest water i fish has about 1 foot of visibility: Muddy river, or algae-stained natural lake in late summer. The clearest is probably 20' or so, but hard to tell without systematically measuring it, which I haven't done.

 

As far as I can tell, the biggest effect of clarity for anglers is that when bass can see farther, the visual things that might spook them -- looming objects, shadows, fast movements -- will do so from farther away; thus, anglers should pay special attention to things like sun and boat/craft position.  Avoid casting a shadow where you want to target.  Theoretically, visibility first determines whether a bass notices, and is willing to investigate your bait.  A big looming shadow may shut down investigation.  Any bass you can see, can also see you, and you are more conspicuous than they are, especially when you move -- bass have excellent visual perception of movement; it's probably one of their main hunting skills.

 

 Other factors like bait size, profile, and color (probably in that order) come into play after a bass has committed to investigation, and help determine whether they strike.  Water clarity just makes these factors a little more important than they are in murkier water.  Most natural prey species for bass are around 4 inches long and have a long, thin shape -- think baitfish or crayfish.  So downsizing to, say,  a 4" worm rather than a 7"+ worm may occasionally help in clear water.  Also, the faster something moves, the less its shape matters, and the more typical the shape, the less it's movement matters.  Simply deadsticking a worm, for instance, is famously productive. 

[thediscochef]

 

3 hours ago, thediscochef said:

I usually try to find a tree near the water to hide behind

Thinking about this a lot, two of my better days this year were like this. Heavily camped areas, coves next to popular campsites. Found a tree to stand behind and cast around, pulled in 10-12# bags in an hour or two of fishing both times. One time had a 4# hit about three feet on the other side of the tree I was behind. If I stepped out, the bite died.

[Koz]

You don’t want to spook the fish, right? The solution to your problem is rather easy.

 

[MassBass]

An angle no one has mentioned, try firetiger, clown, or other chart. Pattern crankbaits and jerkbaits. This goes against conventional wisdom of drab or natural colors. The reason it works, is the fish can see the bait from far off, and will swim far or high in the water column to check it out more closely, and bite it. Clear water bass are very visual, especially lakes where clarity is always consistent. Smallmouth are more curious and aggressive so this is better for them.

[papajoe222]

Two things most anglers disregard when fishing gin clear water.  The first is shade, specifically shade that is cast by something under water. Drop offs, weed edges, big boulders, just to name a few. Fish that shaded area first. You do that with shade that's visible above water like that of a dock or a shoreline tree.  The second is speed. I can't stress this factor enough. The common train of thought when targeting gin clear water is to downsize and slow way down. You can and will catch fish using that tactic, but don't rule out speed, in fact I start with that until the fish tell me they won't hit a fast moving presentation.  I've caught countless numbers of bass from the clear water strip pits of northern Illinois, burning a Rat-L-Trap parallel to the steep drop of those pits.  If you can, work a jerkbait, or walking topwater as fast as you're able to. 

[WRB]

Bass angers have there own definition of water clarity, no definite definition.

If interested use use a sechi dish to determine depth of light.

Your sonar unit is your best tool, depth of baitfish! 

If you can “see” the bottom that’s tells you the water clarity where you fish.

Gin clear water is swimming pool clear not common in bass lakes. 

I am surprised how well bass blend into there environment and catch them at depths the bottom is clearly visible and don’t see them until they strike.

Color breaks, bottom colors changes, shade, waves, wind mud lines all are things to look for. Changes in the soil, rocks, brush, trees are all key elements locating bass. Catching is another issue all together.

Tom

[SpinLight]

I fish an upland reservoir for spots most of the time when I am bass fishing. Most good approaches have been said already. Stealthy approach, long cast, etc. I throw 3/32 or 1/8 oz. shakyhead with3.5 to  4.5 green pumpkin or morning dawn purple worm, and small Keitech swim baits. And light line. I use 4, 5 and 6 lb. high-vis mono. Other line is hard for me to see. I like the way mono handles and can wait a little longer for it to sink. Always catch several fish, and sometimes a lot of fish!