Extremely Clear Water And Plastics 2025
cjam93 reply :
Hey guys so later this year I am taking a trip to a lake that is very clear. You can see in some places 10-15 feet down. This is very clear to me because the places I usually fish you are lucky to have a day where you can see close to 3 feet. So my questions are, when it comes to plastics what colors should I try? I have no experience with water like this so I feel like I am back to square one. Also, there are both smallmouth and largemouth in this lake. I have never caught a smallmouth before so that is what I want to target the most. I have heard before that smallmouth like something flashier than largemouth usually want. Is that true? What are some colors I could take and have a chance of catching both?
Also if it matters I plan to fish docks a lot, but I will also pull out some and try to dropshot for deeper fish.
Thanks guys!
ww2farmer reply :
Sounds about like most WNY water, until the algae blooms, summer boat traffic, or rain colors it up. Green pumpkins, watermelons, browns, and black have always worked well for me in clear water. With or without your choice of colored flake. I tend to lean heavily on green pumpkin, it's the swiss army knife of soft plastic colors, works, and works everywhere. Clear or dirty water. Bluegills are a big part of the forage base around here, and green pumpkin with a little purple flake in it is an all time favorite of mine.
cjam93 reply :
Ok thanks!
Bruce424 reply :
Green pumpkin. Green pumpkin blue flake. Watermelonseed. With Watermelon light shines through it better than green pumpkin. Its more natural. Watermelon or green pumpkin orange flake and purple flake work great in clear water too. Just my opinions
Mass Bassin' reply :
Green pumpkin, Green pumpkin blue flake, Watermelon red flk, ect. for smallmouth I sometimes like to throw a lighter color like white but that's just me
smalljaw67 reply :
WW2farmer nailed it for you, I'd look at smoke colors too like plain smoke and smoke purple, if you go for smallmouth use green pumpkin tubes and smoke purple tubes and target rocky points in the spring and main lake humps and deep rock flats during summer.
ColdSVT reply :
What farmer said!
When i hit the finger lakes its green pumkin of some variation for me!
BassObsessed reply :
It sounds like one of the private lakes I fish locally. 25 ft deep and you can see down 10-15ft in some areas. I have had the best luck using a black/blue or junebug color worm. Actually I havent fished anywhere yet that a junebug or black/blue worm wouldn't take a few bass.
lecisnith reply :
Green pumpkin. Watermelon. Tubes tubes tubes.
everythingthatswims reply :
Purple smoke drop shot of some sort would be my choice. As long as it's natural it should work though.
A big swimbait can be deadly in that clarity
aceman387 reply :
On 3/5/2015 at 5:31 AM, BassObsessed said:It sounds like one of the private lakes I fish locally. 25 ft deep and you can see down 10-15ft in some areas. I have had the best luck using a black/blue or junebug color worm. Actually I havent fished anywhere yet that a junebug or black/blue worm wouldn't take a few bass.
I fish similar water like that (strip pits) and two of my favorites are a black & blue jig and and a blue fleck colored berkley power worm.
Will Wetline reply :
My home water has the same degree of clarity and beside what's mentioned above, I do very well with a cinnamon w/black flake, specifically GYCB #176 in a 5" Hula Grub.
Dwight Hottle reply :
I know you asked about plastics but if you really want to target smallies I would be throwing some jerkbaits. With water clarity like that you could clean up.
cjam93 reply :
Thanks guys for all the suggestions! I am planning on using jerkbaits as well! For the people that suggested tubes, how would you rig and fish them?
Bluebasser86 reply :
Watermelon red magic and watermelon purple flake are my 2 favorite colors in really clear water when it's sunny. If it's cloudy or low light I'll go with green pumpkin or green pumpkin red flake. Dip the tail in a little chartreuse JJ's Magic if you're fish for smallies, they can't stand that stuff.
primetime reply :
I tend to follow the above only I would maybe try a motor oil Red flake if gp red flake is not working but rarely does a watermelon or green pumpkin not work...I used to always match the water color with the main worm tone when I fished a lot of clear water and that meant a lot of smoke and blacks & motor oil, then I would maybe go for smoke purple or smoke chart like mentioned above depending on sunlight, depth etc.
I used to like clear water where I could find craws at the ramp or get a good look at what they were feeding on, if you can get a craw hatch color down like when they are more orange or have some blue or brown, that can really help, if sandy bottom Houdini has been my color lately and it has some gold flake for flash so it is good and subtle.
I have always believed line color and diameter is the most important factor in clear water as well as sound, noise on boat or shore, splashing, but most off all, the right size and color hook, and NO extra hardware especially if using say a drop shot. I like the swivel hooks for ease and feel better with my knots but clear water with 10lb test could mean only a few fish, when the exact same line in 6lb or 8lb could increase your action big time. Line color is personal preference, I try to keep it simple and stick with clear but another color that people are always raving about in clear water is morning dawn, I have not used it all that much but it would make sense in clear water as a translucent since clears are alway's a must try so break out the salt and pepper as well....clear water is tricky but when you get it figured out and dialed in, you feel great, until something changes and it starts all over..I don't miss super clear water, but it makes you a better angler for sure. Good luck, if you think something will work, try it, pink could work, we all follow theories that seem to work but some days a weird color will work, red hooks are always worth trying, I am hooked on adding red to jerkbaits and cranks lately and it seems to work or I believe it does, so that is all that matters.
mrmacwvu1 reply :
In my experience, if you want to catch smallmouth fish where the largemouth are not. I find that they usually do not occupy the same space. As far as colors go smoke purple tubes work great for me. Jerkbait I love pointers in the ms American shad
primetime reply :
Sometimes Smallmouth want chartreuse or orange something like a firetiger, but all advice is right on, when in doubt throw green pumpkin and if nothing, maybe go to a brown or white jig or plastic. I like fishing tubes and like the IKA, but love the Hydra by Damiki, although GYB will have colors that will be perfect and local bait shop will stock the "Magic colors" even if they are not magic, having what you know everyone uses on a lake and trusts gives you confidence and that matters most.
I never tried the IKA's backwards but guys say it's a great way to fish them on here, I just have had success regular and have not switched it up but love the weight of the tubes being solid. The KVD dream shot is a killer bait as well for smallies and clear water bass in general. All colors in SK Rage line up are good, they only put out what people use or it seems.
lecisnith reply :
quote name="cjam93" post="1717443" timestamp="1425522827"]
Thanks guys for all the suggestions! I am planning on using jerkbaits as well! For the people that suggested tubes, how would you rig and fish them?
lecisnith reply :
http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/rig-tube-bait.html
Crestliner2008 reply :
Can't remember the last time I got "stuck" on any given color under any given circumstance. Fish can turn on/turn off to a color quite rapidly during the course of a day on the water. I try one, then another and so forth. As long as I know I'm over fish that is. Try drop shotting a 4" Roboworm in various colors. They will take one.
cjam93 reply :
This is all very helpful guys thanks so much!
Sam reply :
Glimmer Blue.
WRB reply :
You should be more concerned locating the bass before being concerned about what color soft plastics to use.
What month and approximately where is this clear water lake?
Tom
cjam93 reply :
I will be there in May, and it is Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia
Cameron211 reply :
Love motor oil!!! Think its an underrated color. Or least around here I dont hear to many people use. I clean up on this color. Like stated before tho, junebug, black, watermelon red flake, anything watermelon. Ohhh take rage crawls and t rig them always great!
mrmacwvu1 reply :
Now I know the time and location I might be able to help a little more. With the late winter we are having if you are there the first part of May the smallies might still be on the beds. They can be found in coves and off the points in 2 foot of water out to the ones that will be cruising in 15 feet of water. A shaky head with a 4 inch stick worm in watermelon motor oil or similar color can be effective for these baits. Once again jerk baits are killer. However smith mountain lake has a much greater largemouth density than smallmouth. Depending on when you are there in May and how soon spring arrives will determine your best options. The coves on the northern part of the lake should provide good opportunities for quality fish as well as skipping the numerous boat docks. I recommend you post this in the smallmouth section as well as the Regional forms for there are guys on here that fish Smith Mountain regularly and will be far more knowledgable than me.
Good luck have fun and be safe.
countryboy65 reply :
pepper grass is a very good color in my lake, as well as everything already mentioned
scaleface reply :
I like the browns and the greens , motor oil is good . Back when I use to make my yearly pilgrimage to Lake of the Ozarks , which was clear water by my standards , Blueberry Jelly Worms were awesome .
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