How would you....

[fishinfool]

Approach this type of lake this time of year. Here are the demographics...

1) water is stained with about 24inches of visibility

2) avg depth is 8-10 feet, max depth 20' in one spot on lake :-?

3) water temp was 55 avg last weekend, i'm thinking it will increase by this weekend

4) good amount of laydowns around the bank, this is where i usually hit first b/c i'm a huge bank fisherman plus i love throwing jigs and t-rig worms around the brush  8-)

5) the lake has been dredged for the past two years, no barges on the lake in about 14 months but it left a huge area of 2' water with lily pads chopped off at the water surface...i tried a spinnerbait here last weekend with no bites(kinda surprised)

ok so with these 5 factors what would YOU do? i'm looking to get a few different approaches....i usually go with my instinct and confidence but i'm trying to broaden my abilities so any input will get put to the test on saturday...if you want to know anything else specific about the lake let me know, these were just a few things off the top of my head...THANKS IN ADVICE GUYS & GALS   ;D

[Panamoka_Bassin]

The spinner bait still sounds like the right bait for those conditions, maybe you just need to change the colors or the blades...also, a jig and pig sort of set up might get you some bites in the cooler water.  Chances are the water at the bottom isn't that warm yet, so maybe a suspended bait might be the answer.  If the air temp is warm, you might try working a surface bait just in case the bass have come up to the warmer water.  I would target the north side as much as possible, as this is where the warmest water will tend to be.  55 degrees is nice, but its still a bit cool, so you may have to be a bit slower than you'd think with your retreive.

If all else fails, throw a frog or a mouse across the top of the pads, or even drop a tube into them (just make sure you've got some strong line to pull it through).

[Matt Fly]

Size of lake.

Any creeks, rivers.

Geographical location.

dominant bait fish, ie.....shad, minnows or?

Where are the spawning grounds located?  shallow areas.

Give us more of the puzzle, and someone will give you some good pointers.

hookem

matt

[fishinfool]

Size of lake. +-300 acres

Any creeks, rivers. negative

Geographical location. in the hills of upstate south carolina

dominant bait fish, ie.....shad, minnows or? not sure...

Where are the spawning grounds located? not sure yet, the water has been so muddy in the past i can't see anything

[Rattlinrogue]

I'i flog the water with a chartreuse or golden shiner spinnerbait.I'd also pitch a 4" tube or creature bait.

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

I'd go with noisy baits like spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, or splashy like a popper in mornings, prop bait or chugger mid day, and walk the dog with a Zara Spook alternated with a Zara Puppy afternoons once warmed up the most, then back to chuggers in evenings in water that low in clarity. Crawfish ought to begin getting active soon around 60, that colored water likely to warm much faster than clear water. Look for signs of them burrowing around the edges, or piles of carcases from raccoons feeding on them at night. If you think they are present try the pig & craw on a football jig head with rattle attached and fluorocarbon line for extra sensitivity. When water is cool they move slow as snails, so barely nudge the pig & craw, leaving it in place a minute at a time, then jerk it to make it rattle, moving a foot or two at most. While sitting in place I like to occasionally pluck the semi tight line to make the jig rock slightly and put out a subtle vibration to draw a bass in. I also prefer to use soft plastic craw imitators that float hanging upwards so as to appear as either a crawfish feeding or standing with claws menacing. Jim

[Cajun1977]

hey ouchitabassangler     see you jumped ship from the nafc  boards also