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Thread: Cold Muddy Water

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Default Cold Muddy Water


    Any tips on fishing cold muddy water, under 50 degrees.

    On the lakes i fish here in Ohio, we dont get this very much, mostly in the spring. And i have never done very good in it. Allways try to a void it if i can, but some times i have no choice, so i need help. THANKS

  2. #2
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    I have had that on some of my local lakes here. The best suggestion is to use attractor scent, on sunny days fish will be shallower, but after awhile in the muddier water the fish get used to it and fish as you normally would. Fresh muddy water is tough no matter what time of year or where you go.

  3. #3
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    I know, that cold & muddy is pretty common here in upstate NY in the spring too. Where I generally have success is along north side of the body of water, on the deep side of where the water goes from shallow to deep. The fish tend to be sluggish when it's still cold, so I slow down my presentation if I'm casting jigs, but usually I like tight-lining a couple jigs at different depths slow-drifting to find where the fish are. Once if find them, I anchor a little ways off the school and cast for them with real slow retrieves. to get the right depth I often change jig weights to put them in the zone while keeping my retrieve as slow as possible.

    That's just my 2 cents, but it works for me, and might work for you.

  4. #4
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    Sorry, but no easy answers from me. I usually load the boat and head somewhere else looking for clearer water if it is under 50. Never figured out how to catch them well in cold muddy water.

  5. #5
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    Default Cold, Muddy Water

    If I was you I would try to find rip rap. Because that will hold and heat up the fastest. Thats about the only place I catch them when the water is muddy and cold. But however you look at it muddy and cold is just not a good combination for sight feeders like crappie.
    "Even a fish wouldn't get into trouble if he kept his mouth shut."

  6. #6
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    Yea, like i said before, i try to avoid it when ever i can. I think the crappie hate it as much as i do.

  7. #7
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    Mar 2006
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    stay at home by the fire, tie jigs, and wait'em out. They ain't going nowhere.

  8. #8
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    Mike, the cold AND muddy water is by far the worst water condition you can fish for crappie in my opinion, and I try to avoid that as much as possible. If I have no choice, I use a 1/8 oz. yellow/white jig with plenty of attractants. The bigger jig will help make a little noise, the colors stand out best in muddy water and the scents will help them find your offering. If all possible, try to locate an area with clearer and warmer water on the north side, such as a development channel or areas protected from the wind.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by willsjwills View Post
    stay at home by the fire, tie jigs, and wait'em out. They ain't going nowhere.

    great advice

    My success in life is measured by the number of
    hunting and fishing stories that my kids can share with others

  10. #10
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    Feb 2007
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    In Oklahoma, we only have 2 types of water: Cold and Muddy, or Hot and Muddy.

    You're not going to believe me, but I watched 2 guys catch fish using micro jigs (the kind I only see when guys are ice fishing on TV) two days ago when the water was muddy and 35*. I mean TINY. The smallest heads BPS has around here are 1/100th, so I bought them and tied up a couple. Tail only cleared the hook by about 1/8". My buddy went out the next day (yesterday) and I told him to try them. He did WAY better than I did on Saturday. No scent or vibration. I say all that to say this: somehow the fish can see even when we can't.

    But if it makes you feel better, use something with vibration like Road Runners (that blade is not just for flash), or scent like Crappie Nibbles, or of course minnows. If you use minnows in cold water, choke your weight down close to the bait so it can't swim too far. Crappie won't chase as hard/far in the cold as they will the rest of the year.

    And definitely slow down your presention of jigs. Pay more attention to depth, because if they're holding at 11ft, and you're at 9 or 13, there's no guarantee they'll see your lure. But if you can get it back down to the exact depth they're holding at, you can put it right on their nose. Muddy water will shrink the strike zone, but it won't shut their lips.
    Jeremiah 16:16a "But now I will send for many fishermen," declares the Lord, "and they will catch them."

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