stained or clear?

[marlboroman]

Here we go guys, You are going fishing the weather has been 60 -65 sunny days and 38- 50 every night for 5 days. (before the warm spell, there was snow on the ground)

You have the option to fish a lake that is a river oxbow with stained to muddy water. Lots of buck brush and laying logs.

Or a clear lake with visibility depth of 3 ft. With lay downs, points, and some standing timber.

What one do you fish and why?

[bassman31783]

I'm going to choose the stained lake.  Stained/muddy water heats up quicker and retains its heat longer.  Stained water also usually positions fish closer to structure/cover making them a little easier to find.  Being that the scenario your giving is a warming trend then I'm going to chose the lake that has the better chance at being warmer.

[Fishes in trees]

I don't know.  On the clearer lake.I think there would be a better opportunity for a jerk bait or senko bite.  I like fishing jerk baits when the jerk bait bite is on. 

On the other hand a good bite can happen on a stained water lake, maybe on a jig or a spinnerbait or a crank, you never know until you fish it.

I'd probably make my decision on other stuff.  Which lake is prettier and which one are you less likely to run into a crowd?  Which lake is closer?  Mileage is a consideration more and more these days.

Which one has the better restaurant on the way home.  I'll be tired and hungry and I don't want to cook when I get home.

Several times over the past few years I've made my lake of the day choice because there was a great BBQ spot on the way home.

[jazzy0017]

+1 for bassman!!  ;D

[PondBoss]

I agree with Bassman, I'd also like to throw in that it might come down to what presentation you like to fish.  If you are more likely to flip a jig or worm, I'd go with the structure on the stained lake.  If you are more of an open water fisherman, maybe look for the clearer water.

[Gangley]

Also look at water depth.  Ox-Bows tend to run shallow and if thats the case with yours, that water will warm up a lot faster and the bite may be fantastic, especially after the cold spell.  If both bodies of water consist of similar depths, then I would fish the stained water and toss a jig to the laydowns and rip cranks and spinners along the length of them and also along the weedlines.

[senile1]

If both waters have similar populations of bass in quantity and quality, I would probably try the ox-bow first due to the reasons already indicated in the posts above.  In my state, most of the ox-bow lakes do not support good bass populations so I would take the clearer lake here. 

[Jigfishn10]

IMHO, if the stained lake is stained/muddy due to run-off and that lake is usually clear lake then your better bite would be on the clear lake, but if it's usaully stained/muddy then flip a coin.

[K_Mac]

Like Senile 1, I would take the clearer lake. That is based on my experience on the lakes I usually fish. Your mileage may vary.

[Nice_Bass]

I would go clear as well.

if it is sunny, they will be tight to cover, if not more spread out...i dont like dirty water- i want to find the fish, not worry about the fish finding my bait.

I also dont know if i would consider 3ft really clear...i would considerate that about right in the middle...at least in my neck of the woods.

[flippin and pitchin]

The key phraze, " stained to muddy " pushes me to the clearer of the two locations.  It sounds like the water temp was below 40 degrees with the note of snow on the ground before the warm trend.  If that trend pushed to the temp into the low 50's, clear is still preferable over stained to muddy. I would move to those points and slow crank and drag a jig to start my day and if the water warms further, maybe flip and pitch shollower wood.  Regardless, sounds like a great opportunity to go fishin'.

[ww2farmer]

3 feet of visability isn't clear water where I come from.

[marlboroman]

I guess i have been thinking wrong the whole time... i would of thought clear water would warm faster and deeper then stained due to the sun rays shinning deeper into the water... I know dark colors absorb heat but...

I guess you do learn something new everyday.

[Hot Rod]

Water that is both cold and muddy is the most difficult to catch fish from when just considering those two variables. 

If the water is what I consider "cold", below 45*, I'd pick clear water (if all the other variables are equal).