Quote Originally Posted by Wiskers View Post
I've found the most common mistake people make in muddy water is they don't adjust and they FISH TOO DEEP!

White crappie like dirty water. When the water gets dingy the particulate matter in the water obsorbes the sunlight and it retains more heat. The light penetration is less also. It will draw those whites and baitfish up high on the brush near that warmer surface water. If the water is rising they might even run to the banks in the backs of the bays. I've seen it time and time again. Blacks will seek the warmer water too, but they prefer clearer water. I have caught NICE crappie in 42 degree muddy water, the first week of March, 3' deep in 5' of water too. Ask Buffalo13! He'll tell ya. We stroked their fanny's for 5 days in a row! Everybody else was fish'n deep and we were clean'n fish and justa smile'n!

If I've been catch'n fish 12' deep in 14' of water and we get a hard rain that dirties up the bays I concentrate on the brush piles that come up high in the water column. I'll fish it high. Those fish might be 3' deep in 12' of water. They'll be a little spooky, so don't just run in on'um. Ease up to that pile. Start high and work your way down then go to the next one. If you're spider rig'n... Raise some of those baits up high.

If you're vertical jig'n, use a big profile, dark colored body or some of the Bobby Garland MoGlow bodies on a lighter jig. "Pop" that thing every now and then to make it displace some water and draw some attention. You want something that's gonna "move some water" and put off vibrations when it moves! That's how they find food when they can't see it. You can do the same thing with a slip bobber rig. Lively minners on a light hook also work well.

Remember... The most active fish will be the higher fish.

OK... I've rambled long enough!
That was suposed to read March not May!