I would like to please get a little input on perferred water clarity for jigging spoon techniques. I was curious about trying this technique in a shell gravel pit that has a max depth of around 40 ft in spome spots and an average depth of 25 ft or so off the sides of offshore humps and ledges.The main ledges run about 6-8 ft deep and drop like walls straight off.The water is very off color and a tanic brown tea color usually.Visibilty with a white lure would probably be 1.5-3 feet on average.This place gets cranked and carolina rigged to death, which is effective, but not particularly during high skies when all the fish are suspended out away from the structure.

Would this be a good thing to try? I know for sure that nobody around here does it in these places that I have seen or heard anyways. Is this a clear deep water technique only? Florida guys feel free to chime in too.

Thanks a lot.

J

I prefer to use Mann's Little George or a Rinky Dink in off colored water because they offer more flash and vibration than a standard spoon.

Blade baits like a silver buddy or tha zip lure also work well in your situation.

Cool. 8-) Never threw a blade bait before.

If the water is a bit off, you can add a rattle to a spoon like a jig-a-whopper. It is not flat and has a v-shape cross-section. Works great on walleye in the Detroit River.

I don't tend to throw blades or spoons for bass in dingy water though...although I will search rough water with a hopkins in the summer.

TJ

Cool. 8-) Never threw a blade bait before.

Blades are great lures.

In warm water summer/fall I liked them for "bombing" humps -throwing onto a hump from a distance and ripping it up and letting it fall -takes are on the fall.

In cold water, it's the same deal but you're fishing closer to vertical, with shorter lifts -just enough to get the thing to flutter. Takes are on the fall.

Being in FL, at your water temps you'll probably want to experiment within that range. More horizontal and faster covers more water.

Oh yeah, they can be tough to fish around cover -weeds/junk will glom on, wood won't leggo. Weeds are a little bit less an issue in warmer water bc aggressive rips can clear them.

I usually have my best luck with spoons in a large, clear water reservoir here abouts. It would not be my first option in the tannic stained water you describe. The blade baits are great, as are the tail spinners, like the "Little George". They both put out a lot vibs when fished slow. You can also bottom hop a rattle-trap type plug too you know! Jigged on/off the bottom, they can be dynomite! You definitely need something with vibrations; although, that being said, some of my most productive muddy water presentations have been with slow crawling plastics! Go figure!

personally i would toss a 1oz. gold spoon and hop it along the drop off at a 45 degree angle. you work the heck out of that ledge with that. i do real well with gold blades in tannic water. (esp. cypress lakes)

You can also use rattle trap style lures just make sure the bait falls straight and doesn't flip on its side to hook the line. Apply a little back pressure to keep it upright or use a Excalibur trap, spro trap or a sugar shad all fall right side up.