In heavily stained water do you ever throw crank baits, and if so do you prefer straight chartreuse or chartreuse black back?

[Ohioguy25]

I know they say brighter colors are more visible on hard plastic in stain, dark on soft but unsure of how it translates here.

 

Traditionally I’ve thrown Jackhammers and Spinnerbaits but even the most steady retrieve rises slowly, wondering if a crank might not be a superior search bait in mud.

[fishballer06]

Stained? Like chocolate milk colored? Give me the darkest colors possible. Dark colors show up no matter what color the water is. 

[WRB]

High contrast cranks in off color water or low light. Crank baits create a lot of underwater vibrations the feel before seeing it.

Tom

[bp_fowler]

I’m fairly new to cranking but what success I have had in muddy or dirty water has been with chartreuse black/blue back.  

[Dan N]

I’d think a crankbait would be a solid option. I rarely fish really dirty water, but would think chartreuse or orange , bright fire tiger would be a good choice.

[Ohioguy25]

15 minutes ago, WRB said:

High contrast cranks in off color water or low light. Crank baits create a lot of underwater vibrations the feel before seeing it.

Tom

What exactly do you mean high contrast?

[WRB]

High contrast colors would be your black back chartreuse.

Tom

[MIbassyaker]

Chartreuse with a black back gives the crankbait a color pattern that mimics countershading  --dark on back, lighter on belly-- which is extremely common throughout the animal kingdom, including most of the baitfish and other critters bass eat. 

 

Does that make it better? I dunno.🤷‍♂️

[Catt]

Shallow or deep?

Lipless, square bill, or what?

Grass or wood or rock?

[Bird]

Most of the water I fish is gin clear but occasionally travel to a new lake that is heavily stained.

Tandem blade spinnerbait with some black and chartreuse is where I start.

[Jeff Zurawski]

Old Bomber 4a in Moss Back Craw, which is chartreuse w/ black back, has been very good to me in dirty water around here.  Red colored cranks usually work good too. 

 

[scaleface]

In extremely muddy water , I rarely throw a crankbait. I can remember one time catching a couple with a rattle trap but dont remember the color. In stained water 1 foot of visibility chartreuse black back is a good color for a square bill.

[Columbia Craw]

I don’t fish muddy water deeper than four feet.  Although cranking is not my first choice, if rock is involved, a larger 2.0 size bait that has noise and a wide wobble can work. Water displacement is important so fish can sense it in their lateral line.  These color patterns are about it for me. 

[ATA]

Oh Bro use Norman DD22 in dark blue color and if there is a bass you going to catch it

[FishTank]

In my head I want to say bright colors like chartreuse black back but I have caught them on reflective colors like a silver shad as well. Sometimes it seems to be more about either the wobble, the presentation (start and stop for me),  the depth, or how well you are bouncing it off of cover than the actual color. 

[Mbirdsley]

i fished stained water quite a bit.  It’s a huge river system that is always has a lot of sentiment due to field run off year round. So black cranks will always work regardless of sky being cloudy or sunny.

 

 there are shad in the system and sexy shad will work almost all the time in sunny conditions.  Silver will also work as most minnows are silvery color.  Silver, chrome, silver and black  sunny days work very well.  On cloudy days black obviously works very well and so does chartreuse and blue back.  

 

those are the 4 main colors i throw on the Saginaw river system and i catch my share of fish. 

[BayouSlide]

Nearly all I fish is stained or muddy water and I throw crankbaits a lot. Never any luck with chartreuse. White and silver are my go to, heavier rattle types in muddy water.

[Ohioguy25]

15 hours ago, scaleface said:

In extremely muddy water , I rarely throw a crankbait. I can remember one time catching a couple with a rattle trap but dont remember the color. In stained water 1 foot of visibility chartreuse black back is a good color for a square bill.

What do you consider extremely muddy? I’m not talking chocolate milk, more like 6” visibility or less. 

[scaleface]

15 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

What do you consider extremely muddy? I’m not talking chocolate milk, more like 6” visibility or less. 

  One to just a few . 

[WRB]

Contrasting colors start with black and white. Solid white or solid black both work but no contrast the same with any one solid color. We want the lure to stand out in low visibility conditions, don’t know what the bass see, it’s all trail and error.

Tom

[Bankbeater]

In stained or muddy water I like orange craw, fire tiger, or black.  If the sun is out then chrome to throw some flash in the water.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

If its water that is often stained or low viz, I don't think it makes as much a difference, those fish have adapted to it.  Fish in a body of water that is usually clear 3' or more viz, muddy water (12" or less) seems to impact them much more.

As far cranks go in stained water, I want lower than normal viz or at least clouds and wind, particularly in shallow water.  Cleaner water can be a struggle without wind, clouds or both in your favor.