All About Bass Fishing - Guide To Finding Bass Based On Water Clarity

The clarity of the water is a major factor in determining the best plan for fishing on any given day. It will dictate what type lures and presentation to use. It will dictate boat positioning and length of casts. In clear water, longer casts and quieter presentations are recommended. In murky or muddy water you can get closer to your targets and use more active baits.

3 Most Important Factors About Water Clarity

Clear water makes the bass seek shade but they can see food from farther away.
Dingy water gives bass comfort from sun and they roam more freely.
Excessively dirty water causes bass to limit activity and keeps them tighter to cover.

3 Most Effective Fishing Methods & Lures

In clear water use smaller baits and more subdued colors – as near to natural as possible.
In dingy water use more colorful baits with more action and vibration.
In excessively dirty water use noisy and bulky baits that move water.

The clarity of the water should determine your approach when fishing for bass. Bass live comfortably in whatever water conditions exist.

Clear Water.

In clear water bass can see your lure from a greater distance. They can also view it more closely to determine if they want to eat it. It is important to keep your distance from the bass and make long casts. When possible, keep the sun on your face so your shadow does not spook the bass. Use as small a diameter of line as possible, choosing fluorocarbon over monofilament or braid. Let the cover where the bass are holding determine your line size.

Lure selection should be toward natural colors with little or no flash. Avoid loud splashes when casting. Position your cast to the outside of cover as the bass can see the lure from some distance and come out of the cover to get the lure. In exceptionally clear water it may benefit you to speed up your retrieve so the bass cannot look over your presentation too carefully. Get them to strike as a reaction to the movement.

Murky Or Muddy Water

When the water has a lot of color the bass cannot see as far. Boat position and shadow are not as critical in dirty water. It becomes important to accurately place casts tight to the cover so bass become aware of your presentation and find it. You can make shorter casts to all sides of the cover from a variety of angles. Use bright, flashy lures that move a lot of water and make noise. If the bass are deep in the cover, you may have to pitch or flip lures into the dense cover in order to get bass to strike.

Stained Water

In stained water, your presentation should be somewhere in the middle. Often the water is still clear with a stain. It is best to treat the situation as if the water were clear and begin with long casts using natural colors. Then work your way closer to your targets. Let the bass tell you what works best.

There are times when a stain in the water is a sign that the water has a problem. Often after moss dies off in the shallows the water will take on a brownish tint, not muddy - just tinted. This may be due to the chemicals released into the water by the dying moss. Most often when this happens bass will leave the area until the water refreshes over time. Try working a different part of the lake or fish deeper water.