Fishing muddy water

Rain, rain go away come back some other day.

 

Late spring and early summer has been bringing most of us heavy rains and in Southwest Ohio we have had two major rain events that caused major flooding. What does all this mean to us, chocolate milk colored water not the best for fishing. Not only are these storms bring muddy water but the debris being brought out of all the tributaries everything from full trees to pop bottles and other garbage. It’s easy to get discourage with conditions like these but if you take a minute and look what the fish are doing you can put yourself on good fish in bad conditions.

 

With heavy rain bringing in muddy water from creeks and other run off into the lakes and reservoirs positioning the bass on cover or clean water if they can find it. Bass tend to find clearer water and when that’s gone they will glue themselves to structure the bigger bass like having deep water close by. Using their lateral line in muddy water to find a safe place to hide out until hunger overtakes them and forcing them to eat. Grass tends to hold cleaner water and if you can find structure with deep water close by this gives the bigger fish more confidence, the bigger bass take the best spots. Never be afraid of taking you time working the best spots, work all the structure thoroughly, let it soak.  Finding the biggest and nasty wood or big rock and picking it apart, starting with cranks to pick of the most active ones and transitioning to soft plastics to get in close and find the ones that won’t budge off the structure.

 

The fish have to eat whether the conditions are good or not, slow days fish are still biting but it may be so soft and quick, it will feel like bumping a branch or rock. Hook sets are cheap use them often (great advice from Barry). My personal biggest LMB on  public water was one of the softest bites I have ever set the hook on, I actually assumed it was some grass that the lure was getting caught in. Look for cuts that have three good reasons a bass wants to be there (grass, clearer water, structure, deep water close by). Always start with your hard baits and working the points of cuts and changing over to soft plastics to pick off the fish that are slow biters and don’t be afraid to set the hook even if you don’t think its a bass you may be surprised. I like to pitch at.

22.25 inch LMB from public waters she was holding close to structure. Throw at least three times all the way to the back of a cut. Colors to use really are up to use I normally keep it pretty natural looking but I will throw the black and blue creature baits or worms.

 

 

So the next time its blown out and you have time try fishing in tight to structure and hopefully you find a slob of a bass waiting for you. If you liked or found this helpful please like and share.