Riddle me this

[Mudskiff]

Went after some crappie today. Didnt catch many but here is my question. I have fished this same spot and the first time the fish would bite but it would be a subtle bite, sometimes you couldnt even feel it, just see the line move or the line would just get tighter. This trip the water was somewhat clear and sunny. Today the water was very muddy and sunny. they would sho nuff produce the "thump" that everyone talks about. Kinda like they were hungry. So why do the fish in the same spot hit subtle in clear water and bout break your arm in muddy conditions? Makes no sense to me. We did catch more in clearer conditions though.

[Mudskiff]

Forgot to mention that i was casting jigs on both days

[CrappiePappy]

IMHO .... in the clear water, the fish could "study" the jig long enough to make up their minds as to whether or not they thought it was something they wanted to eat. If they were nipping at it, or the bite seemed subtle (soft) ... they may have been "taste testing" your jig.

In the muddier conditions, the fish may not have been able to see the jig clearly ... and were using their lateral lines to locate it. The harder bite may have been because the fish were still "taste testing", but had to inhale the bait in order to assure that they caught it.

They could, also, have been a bit more conscious of being able to be seen (by the prey) in the clearer water ... so they were trying to be a bit more sneaky in their approach. In the muddier conditions, they could be a bit more bolder in approaching the prey.

... cp

[Turtlebait]

thinking like a fish setting around in clear water I can see you I may swim over to you and pull your tail bite on you alittle spit you out cause I see another you over there swim over and pull you slowing b/c I'm seeing 100's of you and can eat you anytime I want.Comes a big rain muddies up my dinner table I cann't see you or how many there is of you I know all my buddies is looking for you too and If I see you first I'm not letting you go I'm going to nail you pretty hard b/c you may be the only food I get that day b/C I cann't see how many of you I can eat.If I' m swimming around looking for something to eat in mud If I cann't see you I'll try smelling you out I can smell you and if I having to hunt that hard to find you when I do I'm going to thump you hard before you get away.

[Danny W]

They will thump it in clear water too. At times I think the barometer has something to do with aggressiveness and also just the mood of the fish.

[High Bridge Hooker]

And sometimes they are like people. When you are hungry you gobble your food. When you are not hungry and food is put in front of you. You may just pick at it. Every day is different even if you are in the same spot with the same lure. That's why they call it fishing not catching. You just have to figure it out each day.

[Blackhawk19]

I agree with crappiepappy!

[Mudskiff]

Makes sense to me. We had a pretty good rain and i was fishing in a feeder creek. They may have not fed much during that time.

[trkyhunter]

Were you sitting on a high or low pressure system on the clearwater day? just a thought.