Help with cold muddy pond 2024

Tokyo Tony reply :

Gents, I'm wondering if you guys have some suggestions for me. First of all, I'm really psyched about setting the clocks forward because now I can fish every day after work (I get out at 5:30), and let me tell you, that makes my life much better - I have something to look forward to at the end of the day, other than my programs ;D

Anyway, the ice on my favorite ponds to fish during the week just cleared, and after tons of rain we've gotten, the water is very very muddy (< 1' visibility). Threw a few casts there yesterday with no luck, water temp is in the low 40's. The deepest parts are about 10 feet, and there are a couple muddy flats, and plenty of shoreline with brushpiles and laydowns.

What type of approach would you take to this situation?

I started out with jigs flipping around the deeper shoreline cover and casting out to the dropoffs from the flats, with no luck. Threw jerkbaits around, also chatterbaits, and finally tried a 5" white senko, no luck.

Any suggestions?

Thanks 8-)

jjbassjj reply :

id fish a black n blue jig very slow....like many people have said if you think youre fishing too slow, slow down a bit more.

senile1 reply :

Many people say that cold and muddy water is one of the most difficult environments to fish. I would agree. You need a noisy lure that can be seen in the turbid water, yet, because of the cold temperature, the bass aren't very active which may require a slow presentation. The warmer rains should have raised the temperature of your pond water, somewhat. I would begin by trying darker colored jigs with rattles or a rattlin' jerkbait with orange, chartreuse, or multiple bright colors. Fish your baits tight to the cover.

Tin reply :

Were there rattles on jigs Tony?

Also chrome or red lipless cranks and heavy (1/2 oz) spinnerbaits with a big thumper (colorado) blade.

roadwarrior reply :

double E

double R

Cold, muddy water is a non-starter for me. Been there, done that.

Tokyo Tony reply :

Thanks guys. Yeah, it's pretty much a textbook really tough situation, but I'm gonna give it another shot anyway because I can, and this will be the first time fishing for bass after work since early fall '07.

Yeah Tin, the jigs had rattles. Jewell Eakin's jig, black/blue, 3/8 oz with YUM chunk trailer, blue w/ blue flake, two rattles attached. Pretty much my favorite jig ever.

RW - I would agree, but I'd rather go out there and pitch a jig around for an hour and a half even if I don't catch anything, than drink beers, which is basically what I've been doing all winter :

Grey Wolf reply :

Persistance pays off sometimes. Good luck.

HesterIsGod reply :

Lipless crankbaits are good winter lures, experiment with retrieves.

I also like to swim Kalins grubs, 3 inchers

.dsaavedra. reply :

i fish a farm pond that is very similar in the fact that it has cold muddy water. there isnt much for cover in the farm pond since its pretty much just a pit that was bulldozed and filled in w/ water. and its very shallow as of last summer (deepest is about 4 feet).

i have the most success in there throwing shad colored crankbaits. from my experiences/personal preference, the crankbaits have to rattle, but not obnoxiously, just a small ticking. my top producing cranks have been bandit footloose, rapala dt fat-03, and rapala dt-04. these three cranks have just the right depths for me, and just the right amount of rattle.

good luck and tell us how you do!

bassman417 reply :

I fish the Mississippi and as everyone knows its a muddy SOB. I highly recomend a C-rig with about a 10 to 15 inch leader. Color suggestion would be watermelon/red pepper or whatever its called. Also in cold water scent never hurts, I like something with a bit of an anise scent. Thats anise, not anus!!! just to clarify. Quick fix is Wave Worm, they have the color and a nice aroma for early spring. Just drag it across the bottom as slow as you can stand without going insane, even let it sit for half a minute to a minute every once in awhile. Hope this helps.

Tokyo Tony reply :

Yeah, I give up on that pond for now. Tried it again yesterday with no luck. Threw a jig all over the place and worked it slowly for about an hour, then tried a senko also.

You guys ever get the feeling that there just aren't any fish in the places you're casting, or even in the whole pond? That's how I felt. They've gotta be there somewhere, but I'm thinking they're relating to "deep" (8-10 ft deep) structure that I just don't know about. I'll post a couple pics tonight of this pond - it's a pretty ugly scene :-/

Today after work I'm gonna try a bigger lake that isn't muddied up so much. Got the waders packed in the trunk and ready to go

EastTexasBassin reply :

Yeah, I would give it some time to warm up and/or clear up. Fishing muddy water is difficult but can still be productive. Same with fishing cold water, but when its cold AND muddy thats a really difficult combination. The fish can't see very far and they aren't willing to go chasing anything. You pretty much gotta hop your jig right in front of their face and even then they will probably ignore it.

When one of the ponds I fish became muddy a few months ago, I decided to cheat a bit so I could catch a couple fish. In cold muddy water the only sure thing is some live bait. (uh oh, now I'm gonna be struck down by the artificial purists )

In my defense, thats the only time I've used live bait for bass. I went out a couple days before and was completely skunked, which had never happened at this pond.

roadwarrior reply :

Quote
In cold muddy water the only sure thing is some live bait.

Wrong.

Live bait might improve your chances, but it is never a "sure thing."

8-)

Catt reply :

The only sue thing I've found after 45 years if bass fishing is about the time you think you have them figured out they prove you don't.

EastTexasBassin reply :

Well, ok...maybe 'sure thing' was the wrong phrase. I caught some fish though, and that sure was better than being skunked.

The pond has since cleared up, and fishing has returned to 'normal'

Last trip they were hitting almost everything I threw at them.

bassman417 reply :

I dont see how fishing muddy water is difficult. Even when cold I have great success. Thats just what Im used to I guess. For me its the clear water thats impossible, I only catch a few dinks, like less than a dozen a year when I fish slightly stained to clear water. I like it muddy, not chocolate milk but pretty dirty.

Tokyo Tony reply :

Quote
I dont see how fishing muddy water is difficult. Even when cold I have great success. Thats just what Im used to I guess. For me its the clear water thats impossible, I only catch a few dinks, like less than a dozen a year when I fish slightly stained to clear water. I like it muddy, not chocolate milk but pretty dirty.

By cold I mean 42 degrees, and darker than chocolate milk. More like poop.

Below is a picture - unfortunately it did not come out very well. I need to find my digital camera - I've been using crappy disposables all winter.

P.S. Went out to a larger, clearer lake yesterday with my brother and I caught 4 fish on a white X-Rap - pickerel, crappie, yellow perch (filled with eggs), and a LMB, in that order . My brother caught 4 LMB's (because he tied on my only clown color X-Rap which is by far the best color there this time of year ).

roadwarrior reply :

Quote
B
double E

double R

UN

Cold, muddy water is a non-starter for me. Been there, done that.

fishizzle reply :

Sounds like you're fishing in a toilet

bass44 reply :

I fish a very similar pond here in West Virginia. I have been able to consistently catch bass all winter on crank baits. The first thing to look for are brush piles. There are beavers in the pond so there is no lack of it. I start out in shallow water (6 feet or less) with a Rick Clunn Lucky Craft .5 in copper green shad or white. Crank it down to the bottom and work it almost like a jerkait only pulling is along gently until you contact brush then pausing. These baits suspend and really stay in the strike zone well.

If that doesn't work, I fish a Fat Free Shad in 8 or 10 feet of water. Again, look for brush and fish it the same way...SLOW.

Good luck.

bedman reply :

I like a single, colorado blade spinnerbait in muddy water. I'd get a spinnerbait with a small wire size and trick it out with the biggest colorado blade you can find and a black skirt. I would work it really slow along the bottom while keeping the blade thumping.

Also, you could try a bait that will stay in the strike zone for a long time, like a C-rig or shakey head. I had success with a shakey head recently where I had to work it for about 3-4 minutes before getting a strike.

Another option is a drop shot fished from the shore. A lot of people think it's just a vertical setup, but you can fish it in shallow water like a C-rig. You can leave the bait in one spot for a LONG time and just give it a small shake with the rod tip.

The key for me would be super slow and super patient with repeated casts. Also, keep in mind that tough conditions make you a better fisherman in the long run. I always learn more on tough days then on the days when I catch 20+.

fishizzle reply :

I use Strike King Midnight Special with black and red or black and blue

at night and in dirty water but never used one in cold water Sounds good though

Tokyo Tony reply :

Quote
I use Strike King Midnight Special with black and red or black and blue
at night and in dirty water but never used one in cold water Sounds good though

I have several of those, and love them for nightfishing as well. Maybe I'll try them out at the cold muddy pond.

Bedman and bass44 - thanks for the ideas

Bassnajr reply :

A very noisy spinnerbait with Colorado blades (dark colors), a RATTLE jig with a large trailer (black and blue), or a rattle trap...any color. Noise, big profiles, and SLOW fishing this time of the year.

Now, I am going out to try what I just said!!

bassnajr

RoLo reply :

Water with a little color is beneficial because it camouflages the flaws in our delivery.

On the other hand, the murkier the water the shorter the sight window of bass.

Now if you couple muddy water with cold water you've got blind bass that are too lazy to move.

(i.e., Bass with retarded reaction time, working within a short striking distance)

In water that's truly "cold & muddy", even a slow retrieve may traverse the narrow sight window before the bass has a chance to react.

The best we can do is try to mechanically enhance their sight window by working a large, noisy, black lure, very slowly.

Roger

BassinBoy reply :

Cold muddy pond.....................should probobly just stay home

Bassnbrett101 reply :

there are only 3 baits for this type of situation.

a dark colored jig

a black neon tube

some kind of colored rattle trap

Bassnajr reply :

I respectfully disagree Brett...

You forgot a spinner bait, slow rolled, with a dark trailer, and Colorado blades.

What do you think?

ajr

Bassnbrett101 reply :

lol i'm sorry i did! i never even thought of it

i do use a black spinnerbait as well sometimes with a #5 wide willowleaf and a smaller colorado. That bait catches some big fish!! I caught my lunker on that baby

12408

Help with cold muddy pond 2024

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