We had warm weather last week in ky but it has been a very cold winter, i went to the lake yesterday the water temp was 44 degrees early in the morning about midday the warmest water i found was 49 degrees close to the dam. The lake itself was very muddy, i've never seen it that muddy except in the backwaters, I would lose visibility of my lure after about 2 inches in the water, so a jerkbait was out of the question i tried a football jig, rattle baits, and crankbaits. The only bite i had was on the football jig but i didn't hook up. I have fished water this muddy in the summer but no experience in cold muddy water. The lake has no grass mostly just muddy bottom with rocky shoreline. Any advice would help Thanks.

I would slow roll a big Colorado blade spinnerbait, in the dirty water. They may not see it but they sure as hell will hear and feel the vibration.

In that situation, I'd probably try a lipless crank in bright color, a big jig, a Colorado-bladed spinnerbait or a chatterbait

Go home. When you have 2" of visibility do your self a favor and spend your time elsewhere. Your are beating a dead horse.

Go home. When you have 2" of visibility do your self a favor and spend your time elsewhere. Your are beating a dead horse.

 

Unfortunately, the man is probably right. Cold + muddy water = the toughest fishing conditions that exist. 

However, a day spent on the water is usually better than a day elsewhere. Find the clearest water you can regardless of the water temperatures and fish the suggested baits others posted. Otherwise, get after that project you've delayed too long for the wife. 

Also, I'll add this. If you can't find better water visibility and you must get out on the water- hammer that rock you mentioned, especially if it is riprap. That tends to hold heat very well. 51 degree muddy water is going to fish better than 47 degree muddy water.

Go home. When you have 2" of visibility do your self a favor and spend your time elsewhere. Your are beating a dead horse.

Best advice you can get for water that cold and muddy. If you had water in the low 50's you'd have a much better chance but if your bait doesn't hit them on the head in cold, muddy water then you're not going to get any baits. 

 

If you're dead set on going I'd be dragging a bulky black jig on any rocks near deep water that have sun on them and I wouldn't even bother getting on the water until 10-12 so the sun will have warmed things up a little bit. 

We had warm weather last week in ky but it has been a very cold winter, i went to the lake yesterday the water temp was 44 degrees early in the morning about midday the warmest water i found was 49 degrees close to the dam. The lake itself was very muddy, i've never seen it that muddy except in the backwaters, I would lose visibility of my lure after about 2 inches in the water, so a jerkbait was out of the question i tried a football jig, rattle baits, and crankbaits. The only bite i had was on the football jig but i didn't hook up. I have fished water this muddy in the summer but no experience in cold muddy water. The lake has no grass mostly just muddy bottom with rocky shoreline. Any advice would help Thanks.

 

Had the same problem here last saturday, except i didn't even make a cast lol.

thanks for all the help guys, i did try the colorado blade spinnerbait and after i left i felt like i should have gave it more time, i threw the crankbait mostly because of the wind. Thanks for all the advice

Find those rocks near deeper water. Where the sun is on them. Preferably later in the day around 11-3ish. Id be throwing big black football jigs. Chatterbaits, rat Ls. And maybe a big Colorado blade. Over and over. Ive fished that type of water before its tough but you can catch em

I'd probably use a lipless bait, swim a jig, or use a spinnerbait.

i also wondered too ,the lower section of the lake runs into a creek and it stays muddy all year its only about 2-5 ft out of the channel and 9-14 ft in the channel on this end of the lake. In the summer i flip a jig and catch them down there would i have been better off to go to that end of the lake but i would think the water would have been colder down there, but the fish are used to those comditions.