Heading to big stone on Friday.
Water is in the mid 40’s and stained. Roughly 1’ visibility.
I was thinking of using a black/blue chatter bait. Not really sure what to use other than a chatter bait with those conditions. If the water was clearer maybe a crank bait or jerk bait.
Starting out in the 4 to 7’ range looking for boulders and what weed growth is still there. Possibly moving up shallower if the water is warmer there.
What do you guys think?
You could still run a jerkbait. Just use some stupidly bright color and dont go small. I would be letting it suspend a long time between rips though. Good luck!
Jerk bait, chatter bait, slow moving scatter rap
I’d say a Jerkbait as well. Clown or Blue chrome in color. Depending on Temps you may need to use long pauses to get bites. Another option would be a good old spinnerbait. Once again bright colors. The advantage of the spinnerbait is you can really slow the retrieve down to a slow roll. Once last thing I’d have on would be a loud lipless crankbait like a Rattle Trap. If the water temps get near 50 they usually will hit a lipless crankbait real well.
Good luck and give a report when you get back.
With that little of visibility I would go with a crankbait and black jig. Keep the jerbait put away unless you find cleaner water. Not saying you cant catch them, but the crank and jig will do better in those conditions. Try speed cranking a red or spring craw flat side crank. I would also have a red wiggle wart tied on. The chatterbait might work well in the warm afternoons on sun beat banks. Also don’t overlook a slow rolled spinnerbait.
On a random note wasnt there talk of using a toyko rig with a swim bait on it in cold water to use it to slow roll the bottom? That might be something worth trying too.
On a random note wasnt there talk of using a toyko rig with a swim bait on it in cold water to use it to slow roll the bottom? That might be something worth trying too.
I slow roll a 5″-6″ swimbait on the bottom quite a bit in cold water. It works well! I’m sure the tokyo rig would work but isn’t necessary IMO.
Thanks for everyone’s feed back.
I have done very well with a husky jerk in those water temps. However the water was pretty clear.
The flooding and high winds have it dirty for now.
Too bad I couldn’t get away from work today or tomorrow. High skies no wind. It would be great to be on the water.
I will report how the bite goes Friday night. Plan is to fish largemouth till the last couple hours of daylight then chase walleyes up on the shorelines.
Jerkbait will still work in very stained water especially if you use one that has a rattle, like the Strike King JVD Jerk. Chatterbait will be good too. The swimbait on a jig is definitely an early season go to. One difference I like though, is in cold water I use a 2.5-3 inch swimbait. Sometime the smaller profiles get bit a lot more early in the season when the water is still in the 40s. Another good one would be a finesse jig drug on rock.
I’d look for the warmest water I can find. First lure would be a bright colored jerk bait like clown or fire tiger.
Dark stained water I really like gold jerk baits. Shadow rap in gold color
Well ended up getting out of work at noon today.
Water temps ranged from 53 to 59 degrees.
As far as bucket mouths go we drew a blank. We threw jigs, chatter baits, square bills and jerk baits.
Caught 2 white bass on a jerk bait.
Water clarity was barely a foot at best.
For some strange reason all my spinner baits are in the house.
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