Stained/Cloudy Water Techniques

[Rand]

We have been getting quite a bit of rain in Indiana thru April and now May. What are your best lures/techniques when the water gets dirty? Water temps are mid 60s to upper 60s.

Thanks

Rand

[Jig Thrower]

i been using shallow cranks and senkos...pretty much anything that normally works just with dark colors at least for me that works

[bigtimfish]

manns chart colored baby 8 minus. wave tiki and bamboo sticks junebug w/chart tail.

[Raul]

Most of the questions many people ask can be answered by them if they only took a little time and meditate about the problem. With that and a little basic bass anatomy knowledge you can answer to your own question.

I can tell you with what, but that 's not the point, I 'm more interested in teaching you why. Give a man a fish and you 'll feed him for a day, teach a man how to fish .... and frustrate him for the rest of his life.

Bass are primarily sight hunters, but that doesn 't mean that it 's the only way they can catch their prey.

Bass can hear

Bass can smell

Bass like many other fish have an organ we don 't have and that organ allows them to "touch" at distance.

So bass even though they are sight hunters don 't need to see in order to hunt, when facing a low visibility environment bass use their other senses to hunt.

Bass can hear ok ? use sound

Bass can smell ok ? use scent

Bass can touch at distance ? use vibration

Incorporate those elements in your baits and you have the baits you 'll need.  

With what:

Spinnerbaits

In-line spinners

Lipless cranks

Jigs with rattles dressed with curlytail trailers

Lipped cranks with fat bodies

Lipped cranks with fat bodies and rattles

Wacky rigged worms

Shakey head rigged worms

Texas rigged worms and if you want to add a glass bead between the sinker and the worm

All those generate sound and/or strong vibration, you can add scent if you want.

[Mobydick]

There are a few things that I will use during these conditions, they are spinnerbaits, tubes, creatures, and jigs. I will base my colors of spinnerbaits on the sky conditions, if it's sunny I will use a gold blade, if it is cloudy, painted blades. I almost always will use colorado blades, but I have had luck on willows. I prefer 1/2 ounce spinnerbaits with the wires opened up for a slower retrieve. Trailer hook is a must, and I almost always will use a trailer, usually a grub rigged with the tail curled down so it dont interfere with my trailer hook. I use scent also.

Tubes are also a good choice. I will use a 4 1/2 or 5 inch tube with a rattle. I prefer to texas rig them with a bead and usually 3/8 or 1/2 ounce bullet weight. I prefer to use black neon, black/blue tail, black, green pumkin, green pumkin chartail, and white. I use scent on these also.

Creatures are one of my favorites. I like to pitch them at cover. I usually use a Zoom Brush Hog. I like to texas rig these with 1/2 or 5/8 ounce bullet, pegged. I use the same colors as I do with the tubes. Scent also.

Jigs are also a killer. I like to pitch these as well. I prefer a 1/2 ounce jig in either black or green pumkin with a trailer to match. Scent on these also.

Ian

[HAMMER23]

I live on the lower Sabine river on the TX/LA border, we have good rainfall every year and the water is always stained. Over the years I have had good days on just about every bait in my box, I have had bad days on the same too, but the one that has NEVER let me down is the spinnerbait. I always seem to scratch out a limit or two even in stained water. Somedays I have to work for them other days I am in bass heaven. The jewels in my crown are my 3/8 ounce zorro spinnerbaits in either white, chartruse, or a combination of the both. On the river I prefer a tandem blade with some kind of pork frog or trailer and it always seems to save the day. I dont know if they even make a zorro anymore but I am sure any of them will work the same. HOPE THIS HELPS !!!

[brgbassmaster]

CHATTERBAITS white or black and blue with a twin tail trailer.

[Crestliner2008]

Went down to a local pond this afternoon to do a little shore fishing and picked 3 nice LM. The pond was heavily stained from all the rain. Got them all on reverse-texas rigged Fat Ika.  

[JuniorFisherJJ08]

Give a man a fish and you 'll feed him for a day, teach a man how to fish .... and frustrate him for the rest of his life.

;) ;)

A lot of other conditions apply when picking a bait. Temp., Weather, etc... But in Ohio where ill be going tomorrow to pre fish. The water will be stained, with a surface temp of around 65. Ill hit the shallows to start(see if the females are on the nests yet) or if im catching dink males ill move to some deeper water. Ill be throwing Chatter baits and Poppers in the A.M. with the Cranks, and spinners to follow. Most likely Darker colors but have had some luck on Bright blue/Green in these conditions. Well see what works, Ill post back tomorrow.

[Chris]

Location: tight to cover in most cases they will also be tight to shore.

Sound: with flip baits look to lures that displaces water or pushes a lot of water. This is a form of sound. With moving baits, displacement is also a big factor along with vibration which is also water displacement. A tight vibration travels a shorter distance than a thumping vibration. Meaning that they can hear a thumping vibration from a longer distance which helps a fish track it down better.

Color: you are now dealing with water that has mud, sand you name it floating and suspending in it which effects how color is seen under water. Now take into account depth, clouds, current, which changes the amount of light that penatrates the water which inturn changes the perception of the color you are using. without light there is less light reflecting off the color so colors appear dull or changes to either dark or light shades depending on the amount of light being filtered out and the amount reflected.

Rattles: rattles do aid in helping fish locate the lure in muddy water mainly with plastics and flipping baits with moving baits vibration is more important.

location: fish are going to be tight so where you put the bait is everything. 6 inches away from the target can mean no fish.

[Rand]

Thanks for all the input guys. I love bassresourcre!

Rand