Clear Water Colors

Ok, I know colors has been kicked around a country block, but it's mostly been for muddy, and/or stained water. The lakes I've been hitting lately looks stained, like a super dark green, yet when you get water from it in your bucket it's gin clear. Also when I go to the bridge and fish, which the top of the rail is about 8' above it, depending on the jig body color I can see it any where from four to five foot down. Last fall I was getting persistent bits on anything with chartreuse on it, but so far I haven't done so good. However a couple days ago it was windy and overcast and the color cajun cricket did good. But of late I've tried clear colors, smoked colors, black, greens of multiple shades, even white. I even tried an orangish color that was a bit on the transparent than solid...and all the bites are coming with the jig moving real real slow. I mean one wind of the crank in 45 seconds slow. It is a Mitchell 300 spinning real. I've re-spooled with clear mono down to 4 lb test. just can't get them figured out. I even took a 12v 5 ah battery and made my fish finder portable to make sure there were fish where I was fishing at on the bridge. Plenty of fish from 6' down to the bottom, no bites...HEEEEELP, Please.

Try matching the sky, bright day, bright colors, gray day, more subtle . Also, ever noticed the blanched color of fish from muddy water and the distinct color patterns in clear, of everything from minnows to crappie, bass and bream. But what do I know, I have trouble catching them too?

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Originally Posted by USMA65

Try matching the sky, bright day, bright colors, gray day, more subtle . Also, ever noticed the blanched color of fish from muddy water and the distinct color patterns in clear, of everything from minnows to crappie, bass and bream. But what do I know, I have trouble catching them too?

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:Rofl I totally understand. I have seen actual fish hitting shad right under the surface, not schools of them but one here and there. I have four plastic boxes divided type of soft plastics, a tote bag, actually its an old cpap machine carrier bag full of plastics, two of those yellow and black boxes with four plastic divided boxes each from harbor freight, and a ten plastic box holder thing for photo's from walmart with hand ties. I would need a big wagon to take all of it and a month straight of fishing every day to try it all to see what their hitting...If there was a law of having too much tackle, I done broke it. Matter of fact my better half has banned me from Bass Pro...little does she know of the tackle shop down the street, and the fly tieers shop next door to it, hee hee hee....
Even adding sent, Slab sauce that usually works really well, or a crappie nibble, even both some time isn't helping...:confused: I've let it hit bottom ( deepest is 27' ), and slowly cranked it back, used the count down method Richard Gene talks about, used the drop it to the bottom and reeled up, tried attaching a bobber to the line and let the waves move it. Casted under the bridge, which really isn't easy. And dont let no one tell you powder paint wont get knocked off either..., I wont quit, I know that, but these fish are really making me work for for them. Last three trips and pulled a skunk every time, and that's steady working for them for 4 to 6 hours each trip...

Don't know if this will work, but what I'd do is downsize your baits (in size and weight) and try Vertical Casting ( Crappie Pappy Article )

You might also try dousing the baits in Slab Sauce.

You might also try a plastic shad/minnow shaped bait ... on a plain hook ... rigged like it was on a jig ... get a good ways away from where you think (or know) the school is ... then cast it out and just let it flutter down (like a dying/injured baitfish).

I'm not sure if your fish have already spawned, but if they have they may be in the dreaded "post spawn funk" where they're recuperating & not really interested in eating. :dono If so, that may require finesse fishing or even "dead sticking" your baits & waiting on one of them to ease over and give your baits a little "taste test".

Thanks CP. About 95%of my plastics are the pointy tail minnow shapes and the other 10% are tube jigs, and I've done slab suce too except actually soaking the baits in them. I've sprayed, and even poured it into a screw cap medicine bottle and dunked them jig head and all...To be honest it could be more these fronts we have been having come through too. I mean man this year has been crazy...

Jamesdean you have given me hope when you said: "I wont quit, I know that, but these fish are really making me work for for them. Last three trips and pulled a skunk every time, and that's steady working for them for 4 to 6 hours each trip..." I've tried every technique and type of bait (live, plastics, jigs, sauce, nibbles) spider rigging, bobbers, casting, jigging, varying colors. But reading your comment makes me know I'm not alone. Crappie, get ready because HERE I COME.

Gansett, I am stuck on the bank at the moment. Hopefully not for much longer. I have two threads going on my boat, one on the Missouri board and one on the main forum page "Let the Rebuild begin" and "let The Restore Begin". ///hoping to have it ready no later than summer...ya I know, just in time for all the water fleas. But with the shallow draft it should give me (14' Rich Line V-bottom with a '61 Evinrude 18 hp) I'm hoping to find pockets of water with crappie that the fleas don't/ wont occupy...

And dad being a Marine of 32 yrs, taught us kids, I'm 62 now, no matter what is your doing, Do your absolute best, and if you quit...He was going to kick our tail up around our shoulders...To this day, even though he's gone, I feel he's going to kick it there one way or another, and i think he's testing me now...I will never quit at anything...and it drives my other half crazy 'cause she don't understand...

I’ve read this through And have to say that most of us have been there. I would downsize and scent and deadstick. There’s times when they just don’t want what we have, no matter how much we have. I too have my non productive times. Press on and keep trying your confidence baits and you’ll find something that will work to some extent and expand on that. If they’re hitting shad, try a small spoon vertical jigged and vary the cadence, Hoffman makes a tiny one that’s real nice. Good luck figuring them out and with the boat, I know you’re ready for it to be done.

real small and real real looking with scent . make sure its just slightly above them and crawling up slow as a snail .
if that don't work try going below them and raising it past them at a snail crawl .
there is a possibility you are getting bit and don't feel it or see it . the summer pattern bites can be EXTRA soft in many cases .
try something in a pearl with sparkle and a white jighead with eye spots .
1/32 number 6 on 4 lb mono …..luck to ya bro ….

YouTube

Thank you longhunter. Lots of good info there...

Color to me is like the weather. It's in a constant state of change. Carry a good selection and if you are not getting bit (and you know you are over fish) then switch up colors. Switch sizes too. Throw grrenades....whatever it takes! :biggrin The most important thing is that you are having fun!

Try all colors and sizes. If that don't work, try all color and sizes.

I have had times when you can't buy a bite from anything. Go back armed with minnows in a bucket and still nothing. Everything gets lethargic and moody at times and doesn't want to eat

I would say down size also but we are talking 1/80 or 1/64 . Trout magnet or pan magnet . First colors that come to mind in clear water is Bobby Garland's Patriot , #2 would be blue/white tube . #3 I would also cast a 1/32 roadrunner with a perfect pearl go-go minnow from Fle- fly . :fish

I was told by a Fishing Professional; bright lures bright days, dark lures dark days.
If that don't work reverse it.
I went away shaking my head.

RLS40, I'm always scratched my head, even when I get it right wondering what it was I did...no doubt

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I want to thank every one for your help and input, and yes RLS40, My head is sore from scratchen... the stars lined up just right because I caught my personal best Crappie. Already spawned out, and I didn't have no scale, but that camper shell is on a '95 F150.Attachment 375043Attachment 375044Attachment 375042Attachment 375045

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I used a 1/24 oz plain sickle hook jig with a black and chartreuse tube jig I won on Crappiecom a couple years back. Arlie jigs tube jig box. Slab Sauce was the attractant...Thank you Crappie.Com, and Arkie Jigs...and everyone for your comments and encouragement...

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In a boat I use live scope and colors don't matter most times as far as I can see . Most times they will bite if you put it close to them and move very little . I try to hold it as still as possible, most folks move them too much .:twocents

I thought about this and remembered some bodies that I bought for clear conditions. The already mentioned Patriot and the fle fly minnow in firecracker. The ticket with these is the glitter. Red and blue in a clear plastic. Also have some one inch tubes that are clear and have the blue/red glitter and when downsizing is key, they fit the bill. Just input.

When I was learning to crappie fish many years ago, my Dad taught me you only needed 2 colors to catch crappie..solid white and solid yellow. White for clear water and yellow in muddy water. Of course, we have a few more choices today...I still like white, but with blue or yellow for contrast. New opaque colors like Monkey Milk look good to me in the water and that’s always a good confidence builder for a fisherman.


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