Fishing tip of the week

Fishing Tip of the Week

Wednesday, 15 February 2023 13:45

Muddy time of year
As we progress through the next 30 to 45 days, the one thing that will be obvious is that we will see bunches of rain and wind mudding up the water in most of the southern lakes. there is probably no water condition that is tougher to fish in the winter than the muddy water. It causes many issues that have negative effects on the catching that we are all looking for. Combine cold water and mud, and you have your work cut out for you as we go through the early part of winter.

However, there are a few keys that can make your fishing day a little better, and if you search for these few things and find them, your day will be much easier. The first thing I hope is that the water levels rise with the onset of hard rain, and the mud associated with it. If the water is up with rain and wind, it pushes the fish shallow. There are many reasons for it that need to be considered, and hence targeted, as you look for fish. You see, muddy water is only generally the first couple feet of depth in the water column, and it has been proven that muddy water warms up much faster than clear water does. Just stay aware of the temperature gauge on your electronics, and you will prove it very quickly as you search the muddy shallow water. It is also proven that as the water rises, the bass push shallow as a matter of natural movement. Combine that with the warmer water, and your time searching gets easier.

It is also fact that bass relate to visible structure in muddy water, so stick ups, riprap, spotty small patches of vegetation, all hold bass in this water condition. Bass do not see well in muddy water, so they group up around small structures in these conditions. They also stick around mud lines, or the area between the muddy and clear water. Fish the clearer patches of water, especially in the muddy shallows. Use these keys and become a better angler in muddy water, and you will see the benefits.

-Captain Mike Gerry