Need advice/tactics-fishing after heavy rain

[6poundtest]

We've had 4-5" of rain here in CT over the last 36 hours or so but come heck or high water I'm going fishing tomorrow. I'd like to hear how some of you change or adjust your techniques/baits after Mother Nature throws you a curve ball.

The ponds I fish are not rivers or streams that have channels and active waterways through them. They are ponds more shaped like a wide-brimmed soup bowl. This is same pond I tried out late last season so I have some experience there. I just came in from a quick trip to a nearby private pond and the water is very murky compared to its usual very clear state.

Ken

[M R Dux]

I would go to a dark curly-tail body on a roadrunner head and possibly fish the edge of a mud line.

[jimp]

A roadrunner head with a blade for flash/noise, take lots of different colors, red supposedly can be seen at deeper depths, it may show up a bit better.

[6poundtest]

Well, there's not much joy in Mudville but some. I did catch a few fish but no crappie. Total was 4 sunnies, 1 yellow perch and 1 rainbow trout; the trout surprised the heck out of me. I tried roadrunners with blade and various size and color tails, various hair/feather jigs purchased from board members, numerous plastics on lead jig heads. All except 1 sunfish came on a BG Baby Shad, monkey milk color. Even the rainbow came on it. Best retrieve for that lure today was a slow up and down cast and retrieve with frequent pauses to let it sink down. The trout nailed it as it began to move again after a pause. Got him in relatively deep water, around 15-16' while the others were on the drop-offs, probably less than 10' for them. Got on the water around 6:30 AM, shortly after a bit of fog burned off. Very calm water up until 9AM, then the wind came, switching direction all over the place. I called it a day just before 10.

I did find where the perch had spawned and the fry were beginning to emerge and hang out. Teeny tiny little fry. A quick search tells me that it takes around 3 weeks for the fry to emerge after the spawn. That means they probably spawned around the middle of May,which seems very late to me based on the reading I've done about water temps and perch preference. Seems to indicate a late spawn, which fits in with other observations compared to last year. I'd say we're a good month later this year than last; of course, winter 2011-12 was very mild, with a very early, warm spring. This year is the opposite, with persistent cooler temps and lots of rain when we get it. Probably why I'm so frustrated this year in comparing the action between last year and this year.
Had some wildlife to keep me company, too. Couple of Great Blue Heron, 1 osprey and one redtail hawk today. All in all, a pleasant day on the water but there will be no fish fry tonight.

Thanks for the suggestions on what to try.