What Spinnerbait to use in Muddy Water: Tips & Tricks
Getting hit with muddy water after a cold front is never an ideal situation. Fishing clear water is always more satisfying and we can really match the hatch as best as possible. However, having muddy water isn’t necessarily a bad thing - especially when targeting largemouth bass. These fish will still feed and it gives us the opportunity to throw a louder, imposing bait, such as a spinnerbait.
Muddy Water and Bass
Stained or muddy water is mostly brought about by rains and this will lead to colder water temperatures as well. Bass will have a reaction to these conditions and may even move zones.
When I say move zones, largemouth bass, in particular, may look to move shallower. Here they will feel more comfortable while gaining access to waters that’ll warm faster. This is a great reason to move shallower when water is stained.
Smallmouth bass are different, they don’t have a lateral line like largemouth do, and they’ll become a lot less active in muddy water. They may stay deep and will most likely feed with less aggression.
Bass will look to rely more on other senses rather than just their sight in muddy water. They are able to sense vibrations, sounds, and smells and they’ll use these senses when the water is dirtier. This is key to take into account when deciding on what bait to throw in muddy water.
Do Spinnerbaits Work in Muddy Water?
A spinnerbait is an incredibly effective bait to throw when conditions are less calm and still. In windy conditions, the spinnerbait truly shines, as the added chop on the water and noise will help hide the imperfections of this bait.
For the muddy water, it is the same for the spinnerbait. This bait has the added bonus of vibration and a bit of noise and this will cause the spinnerbait to stand out more compared to other bait. A buzzbait is similar in the way it makes a lot noise, however, this is a topwater presentation.
Bass will use their several other powerful senses to detect the shine and vibration of a spinnerbait, making this a world class bait to throw when conditions aren't exactly favorable.
Best Spinnerbait for Muddy Water
When selecting a spinnerbait for muddy water conditions, one needs to choose one that’ll stand out more.
There are two key factors for this: color and vibration.
For color, you’ll want to choose either a shock color, such as chartreuse, or a darker pattern, such as black or Junebug. These types of colors will stand out the most in muddy water conditions.
Vibration is caused by the blades on the spinnerbait and there are various options for this. In my opinion, if the water is seriously muddy, one should look at a Colorado blade (round blades). This blade gives the biggest thump in vibration and it’ll get heard from far away.
In terms of what size spinnerbait to choose, remember, bass will often go shallower in muddier conditions. A bigger blade means a deeper run, which may not be necessary when fishing shallower columns.
Focus on color and blade choice, and you should be able to get noticed!
