My personal preference is stained water vs clear water. Not mud but stained. What I have found over the years is crappie will hold tighter to cover in stained and muddy water more to keep oriented to a location and to protect themselves from other predator fish. In muddy water I believe scent attractors such as crappie niblets, are really beneficial along with a small willow leaf or Colorado blade on the line above the jighead that puts off extra flash and acts as a rattle when it contacts the jighead especially when using artificial bait. Minnows are hard to beat in muddy water.