Muddy lake ????

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
ink.net...
Looking at the ponds ner my house today, thinking of getting out the float
tube. Very muddy water. The ponds are 10-15' deep. Lots of wood and
steep
banks. What you think for terminal tackle? Will be cold water, probably
in
the low 50's. I think slow, but what in the dark water?



This time of year may be a little early (here in NC anyway), but, around
here early and muddy means lipless crankbaits usually. I'll fish them from
1' of water up to their max swim depth in cold, early season water, and
they're even more deadly in stained water since they make a decent rattling
noise (since the stained water means more limited sight). When the water is
stained up and cold, I'll try to find the runoff that is causing the stain
and fish the mouth of it be it a creek or whole cove. I may be wrong here, I
am not a pro, but I suppose that rainwater in the winter (again, here in NC)
is warmer typically than the lake water. This runoff then presents a "warm
water" inlet to the lake, stirring up baitfish, surely drawing some hungry
bass into the area. It has worked for me many times in the past and usually
yeilds a heavier-per-catch bite, but fewer numbers.

If that lipless cranker makes too much noise, the other suggestions I saw
were good IMO. Dark plastics. Something you can move along that won't appear
too out of place, which bright colors sometimes can depending on the water
and the fishing pressure it may see. I usually start out in colder water
with a Carolina rigged deal if I am plastic fishing. A worm in stained
water, or lizard in water with more clarity (bass around here must hate
lizards, as they seem to be more reactionary bites than anything).

And if the water level is up (stained water usually indicates some sort of
runoff), and has pushed onto the bank and "into the bushes", try the worm in
there. Or slowly pick through it with your favorite smaller bladed
spinnerbait, or jig/pig. I've had some luck with jigs with rattles on them
in this type of scenario (flooded banks with stained water). I'll use a
smaller trailer, dark blue or black, to keep from getting caught in the
brush as easily, etc. I've also had some luck in that situation with a
t-rigged worm where I pegged the weight (again to prevent as many hangups).

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
ink.net...
Looking at the ponds ner my house today, thinking of getting out the float
tube. Very muddy water. The ponds are 10-15' deep. Lots of wood and
steep banks. What you think for terminal tackle? Will be cold water,
probably in the low 50's. I think slow, but what in the dark water?

Anytime I fish low-vis water, I try several things. First of all, a Secret
Weapon spinnerbait with a big, thumping Colorado blade it tied on. I'll
also try something with rattles, whether it's a jig/trailer, a slow worked
Rattle-Trap, or a rattle inserted into a tube jig.

I have a tendency to try bright, flourescent colors first, then go to the
backup plan, large dark lures. The lure should have sound or vibration.
Whether it's from casting a large sound signature in the water, or built in
rattles/blades, I try to give the fish something to home in on. Then it
seems that a bright flourescent color helps them to see it and strike.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

Bob La Londe wrote:


I tried it. The jury is still out. So far I have had better luck with
flourcarbon drop shot rigs without the bungee rig, but hey I'm open minded.
I'll try it again once or twice.

I'm not sure how you are using this, but I get much better results by
always holding the line taught, not just jerking it up and letting it
fall. It also works better when the fish are in shallow water, making
long cast from the boat. It can be used any time Carolina, Texas,
flipping or pitching, or drop shotting can produce fish (they are in
these locations) it is worthless for suspended fish, or fish on the top
away from the shore, (it can be rigged to work these ways , but it's not
worth the effort)

Of course on bedding fish, nothing comes close to it, as you only make
one cast to a bed, the rig holds it in the bed, until the fish is mad
enough to nail it. (One bedding fish I use two bungees, one added to the
other giving me twice the working area of the lure

You can also use fluorocarbon running from the lure down to the bungee.
They way we tested this against just drop shotting is two people in the
boat, one drop shotting, one wiggling, both using the same lure. The
results averaged 3 to 1 on the wiggle rig, when we were on the same
fish, at the same time. Remember this is just a rig, it does nothing to
the lure except what you make it do,, and that action can be "anything",
and needs to be varied when the bite is tough, until you find what
action makes them strike. That's why I tell everyone to practice where
they can watch the lure, where they can see what rod action does what to
the lure, you change you hook position on the lure and all the actions
change, you change to a different type lure and all the actions change.

When the bass are in the feeding mode, any action works, you can't work
it wrong, but when they are not,, it takes practice and skill, to make
the rig work to it's best advantage

This is not just for drop shot conditions, it is at it's best when fish
are holding structure, or along the banks, holding along ledges and
behind weeds and logs, way back where you can't use any other type of
lure, because you have no room to work any other rigged lure.



I tend to drop shot in ultra clear water,
maybe that's the ticket. Try it in nasty goo. Next time we get a bad algae
bloom I'll break it out.

On my site you will see a video of a news story they shot at a lake with
a bad algae blume,( just look close at the water, it is pea soup),
visibility was less than two inches, I caught 8 bass on 8 cast, on
camera, and this was not a infomercial but a news cast story, that they
were trying to prove it was a gimmick. They made me sign a release they
could air the story even if no fish were caught, and they thought it was
a gimmick, before they stated filming.

The trick was a death vibration, I held the line taught and quivered my
rod hand, this put a rapid quiver on the lure, each bass took about 2
min. with the lure is one spot, for them to find the lure and eat it.

One mistake I have seen fishermen make is still moving the rig to fast
back to the boat, all of the 8+ lb bass I have caught with it took me
working the lure in one spot over two min. (of course those guys who
machine gun cast, and cover 100 yards of bank in 5 min. this rig is not
for you)

To make this a totally non spam, anyone wanting these can have them
"""""free""""", just send me a self addressed stamped envelope.
especially if your one of my flamers, I would be more than happy to give
them to you. Just email me for my address, or see my web site for it.


--
Rodney Long,
Inventor of the Long Shot "WIGGLE" rig, SpecTastic Thread
Boomerang Fishing Pro. ,Stand Out Hooks ,Stand Out Lures,
Mojo's Rock Hopper & Rig Saver weights, Decoy Activator
and the EZKnot http://www.ezknot.com

"go-bassn" wrote in message
...
I replied to this post right after you made it Bill, its not showing up on
my browser so here goes again-

I'd be pounding targets right on the high edge of those steep banks with a
dark jig/n/pig or large, thumping spinnerbait. Bass generally go shallow
&
very tight to cover in muddy waters, especially if they're not usually
muddy.

They actually become very vulnerable to those that know how they position
themselves.

Go get em!

Warren

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
ink.net...
Looking at the ponds ner my house today, thinking of getting out the
float
tube. Very muddy water. The ponds are 10-15' deep. Lots of wood and
steep
banks. What you think for terminal tackle? Will be cold water, probably
in
the low 50's. I think slow, but what in the dark water?


Thanks all for all the info. Talked to Gary Dobyns Satuday at the Fred Hall
show. He uses jerk baits a lot in the cold and winter. But he also hates
to slow fish. may get out Weds to the ponds.

"SimRacer" wrote in message
.. .

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
ink.net...
Looking at the ponds ner my house today, thinking of getting out the
float
tube. Very muddy water. The ponds are 10-15' deep. Lots of wood and
steep
banks. What you think for terminal tackle? Will be cold water, probably
in
the low 50's. I think slow, but what in the dark water?



This time of year may be a little early (here in NC anyway), but, around
here early and muddy means lipless crankbaits usually. I'll fish them from
1' of water up to their max swim depth in cold, early season water, and
they're even more deadly in stained water since they make a decent
rattling
noise (since the stained water means more limited sight). When the water
is
stained up and cold, I'll try to find the runoff that is causing the stain
and fish the mouth of it be it a creek or whole cove. I may be wrong here,
I
am not a pro, but I suppose that rainwater in the winter (again, here in
NC)
is warmer typically than the lake water. This runoff then presents a "warm
water" inlet to the lake, stirring up baitfish, surely drawing some hungry
bass into the area. It has worked for me many times in the past and
usually
yeilds a heavier-per-catch bite, but fewer numbers.

If that lipless cranker makes too much noise, the other suggestions I saw
were good IMO. Dark plastics. Something you can move along that won't
appear
too out of place, which bright colors sometimes can depending on the water
and the fishing pressure it may see. I usually start out in colder water
with a Carolina rigged deal if I am plastic fishing. A worm in stained
water, or lizard in water with more clarity (bass around here must hate
lizards, as they seem to be more reactionary bites than anything).

And if the water level is up (stained water usually indicates some sort of
runoff), and has pushed onto the bank and "into the bushes", try the worm
in
there. Or slowly pick through it with your favorite smaller bladed
spinnerbait, or jig/pig. I've had some luck with jigs with rattles on them
in this type of scenario (flooded banks with stained water). I'll use a
smaller trailer, dark blue or black, to keep from getting caught in the
brush as easily, etc. I've also had some luck in that situation with a
t-rigged worm where I pegged the weight (again to prevent as many
hangups).



The waters are warmer this year, was a warm rain. Gary Dobyns said his son
had landed about 60 in Lake Oroville, on Friday. Water is still up at 54.
My local ponds are next to a quarry and get run off from all the banks,
mostly it is a pit below ground water level. And is maybe 16' at the
deepest.