Would you guys say finesse fishing is a clear water tactic specifically?

I ask cause I always hear/read that when the fishing gets tough and they won't bite to size down finesse fish but all the water around my area is stained or muddy and I just feel a small plastic or jig the fish won't see it.

I just always thought of finesse fishing as a clear water technique or for when you know the lake or pond has smaller fish that wont take a big worm or jig.

Like I said I fish stained to muddy water with small to average size bass I'm almost certain that the largest fish in my area is the one I caught last year which was my PB and it was around 4.5 lbs I'd say.

I guess what I'm asking is what do you do when the fish won't bite in dirty water and it's known to have fish on the smaller side

What I consider finesse likely wouldn't be my first choice in muddy water. 

Finesse fishing works just as well in muddy water as it does in clear water.  They just rely on there other senses more.  The water around here usually has two feet or less of visibility, yet the Ned rig still catches a ton of fish even when the water clarity is as low as a couple inches.  What I do when the water gets very muddy is switch to either the coppertruse colored trd or the junebug color and smear some megastrike on it.

Finesse is all relative, but I think your more traditional "finesse rigs" like drop shots and ned rigs are going to be more productive in water with at least decent visibility. 

How do bass find small baitfish in off colored water like 1 1/2" minnows or 2" crawdads?

Answer; easily by using all their senses or they would starve!

Tom

54 minutes ago, WRB said:

How do bass find small baitfish in off colored water like 1 1/2" minnows or 2" crawdads?

Answer; easily by using all their senses or they would starve!

Tom

Yelp it's called lateral line

I fish the marshes around the Sabine River which has visibility if 12-18" & my #1technique is weightless Zoom finesse worms.

One of the lakes I fish often has very stained water, but a shakyhead is regularly one of my most productive baits. 

To answer your query: No!

You use the pitching and flipping finesse techniques in all water situations.

 

Try a 1/16th wacky jighead with a junebug trick worm

Have caught bass and crappie in muddy water with essentially no visibility on a black 1/16th oz. beetle when nothing else would work.

give the biospawn plasmatail or Zoom finesse worm, both in green pumpkin with chartreuse tail on a shakey head. I have no problem catching fish in stained water with this combo.

14 hours ago, MDbassin said:

Would you guys say finesse fishing is a clear water tactic specifically?

 

No.