On 3/5/2019 at 9:26 AM, Largies4Life said:

I'd love to get into crankbait and jerkbait fishing, but have absolutely no confidence in them. What crankbaits and jerkbaits do you like to use in this scenario?

For jerkbaits, you generally want to match the hatch so to speak. Jerkbaits are most effective in lakes where the bass will feed on perch, so a perch colored jerkbait is never a bad idea. I don't have experience with a wide variety of jerkbaits however.

For crankbaits, try some silver lipless cranks early in the spring. Once the water hits at least 55 degrees, try a square bill to cover water. I caught more fish on a River2Sea Ish Monroe Biggie Smalls in Horizon Shad last year than any other single lure I own, and most of them came in clear water. I probably own more crankbaits than any other lure, as they each have different wobbles which gives them a different presentation and uses in different situations.

 

Also try a white spinnerbait - a slow rolled colorado blade very early in the year and dual willow blades once the water hits 55. 3/8oz is usually a good weight for a smaller body of water where the fish aren't huge, but a 1/2oz spinnerbait never hurts either.

 

Drop shots and ned rigs should be quite effective and works year round. I'd suggest a nose hooked roboworm and some wacky rigged finesse worms.

 

 

On ‎3‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 9:11 PM, papajoe222 said:

Crystal clear water intimidates many anglers and, for the most part, it's unjustified.  Bass are predominately sight feeders and clear water is advantageous to them.  Success, from an angler standpoint, is your ability to play to that, just as you would to murky water when they rely on their other senses in combination with sight.

There is no need to draw attention to your bait with 'loud' colors or noise unless you are fishing heavy cover when their line of sight is reduced significantly. Reducing the size of your presentations is advantageous, as is 'matching the hatch'

with color selection. With fast moving presentations, the speed of your retrieve and the length of any pauses you impart become more critical.  Generally, faster retrieves with fewer, short, pauses is the way to go.  The longer a bass has to inspect your presentation, the lower the odds that it will commit to striking it. Faster, of course, is relative to water temp.

Lipless and regular cranks, jerkbaits, drop shots and flukes are all good baits. Using them in the matter I mentioned will help increase your confidence (and hopefully your catch rate) in them under clear water conditions.

 

Great advice in this post. I've had more success with faster presentations in the past than slower. Muted colors and smaller baits used to be and is a good recipe for success, but don't overlook speed.

 

White Spinnerbait white willow leaf blades with a chop on the surface is one of my favorite presentations.

In my opinion, the most important part of clear water fishing is lighter line, as light as possible, 6lb test fluorocarbon as a leader or main line, or light mono would make any lure you choose likely get bit more.

 

I would personally throw a light C-rig, split shot rig, texas rig with a bait to cover water. If not alot of weeds and snags, try throwing a 3" shad body like the Keitech Shiner, Sassy shad style baits or small Skinny dipper on an open jighead so you can probe different depths and find fish quick.

 

All suggestions should work if you find the fish. Craw style baits would likely still work, 3-4" grub, ned rig, fluke...any soft bait should work. If bottom is sand, a football jig is another good option with any trailer you like.

 

A wacky rig worm is actually a good choice that works and I am not sure why. As a jig trailer...Especially on a swing jig. Just started doing this on jigs, on smaller jigs I use a 4" stick worm and I am starting to notice I do better on a stiffer worm for some reason, maybe cause how it snaps back after each pull or hop.

Off topic; You all are brain washed, FC line make no difference over mono line the same diameter using finesse presentations in water less then 20' deep. The difference with FC is between your ears and that is important. Deeper water creates more line drag and that can affect strike detection giving FC line a slight advantage over mono.

Tom

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Off topic; You all are brain washed, FC line make no difference over mono line the same diameter using finesse presentations in water less then 20' deep. The difference with FC is between your ears and that is important. Deeper water creates more line drag and that can affect strike detection giving FC line a slight advantage over mono.

Tom

I will have to try a mono leader with a drop shot and see what I notice.

Try Maxima ultra green 5 lb.

Tom

The majority of the water I'm on in search of big smallmouth is very clear.

There has been a ton of most excellent advice offered here already.

The one thing that I'll add, and something that has helped me a ton, is to understand and believe in

"the power of distance".

The further away from my boat (or canoe), I can effectively present a bait in super clear water, the more & bigger bass I usually catch.  With most every presentation; topwater, crankbaits, and any soft plastic bait & rig I fish, having max space between me & the fish offers the best possibility of not announcing my presence. 

Often at least half the battle. 

Certainly not the end all answer, but it really seems to help.

A-Jay

 

^^^this^^^

I don't like casting jigs 50 yards but the results can be well worth the effort.

Tom

3 minutes ago, WRB said:

^^^this^^^

I don't like casting jigs 50 yards but the results can be well worth the effort.

Tom

Agreed Tom ~ 

 I'll only go as far out as I need to, but I've got to get the bite first.

The long-distance hookset and the way out there fight can often be quite a gamble.

A-Jay

 

17 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Agreed Tom ~ 

 I'll only go as far out as I need to, but I've got to get the bite first.

The long-distance hookset and the way out there fight can often be quite a gamble.

A-Jay

 

But that way out hookset and fight is where it gets fun too. Don’t get me wrong, I like a big old largemouth on a flippin stick and short line too, but there’s something about a big smallie absolutely hammering a big spinnerbait right when it touches down on a super long cast, then the fun of trying to stop all those big jumps while your heart is in your throat ?

5 minutes ago, Way north bass guy said:

But that way out hookset and fight is where it gets fun too. Don’t get me wrong, I like a big old largemouth on a flippin stick and short line too, but there’s something about a big smallie absolutely hammering a big spinnerbait right when it touches down on a super long cast, then the fun of trying to stop all those big jumps while your heart is in your throat ?

1

Tell me about it ~ 

Spinnerbait you say ?

 

A-Jay

18 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Tell me about it ~ 

Spinnerbait you say ?

 

A-Jay

Thank you for the great advice A-Jay! For me, it would have to be the adrenaline rush I get when my topwater hits the surface and before I can take a crank, I see a big wake streamlining towards my lure....the feeling just can't be beat!  

Loved the "power of distance" post A-Jay, great advice. Something that I forgot about fishing some of the crystal clear lake in NH. Mental note is not lost here.

One of my favorite clearwater baits is the Rebel Bluegill squarbill crankbait in natural bluegill color.

19 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Tell me about it ~ 

Spinnerbait you say ?

 

A-Jay

Just watched your top water video love the commentary. Us bass guys remember the weights of our 5 biggest bass more so than our anniversary or children's birthdays lol. Great video @A-Jay

40 minutes ago, Fishin' Fool said:

Just watched your top water video love the commentary. Us bass guys remember the weights of our 5 biggest bass more so than our anniversary or children's birthdays lol. Great video @A-Jay

Thanks and I have to agree.

Just don't tell my wife !

A-Jay

Then there is the power of night fishing in clear water, no longer need to make 50 yard cast or use light finesse finess presentations....game on!

Tom

In my experience gin clear water usually means smaller profile, natural colors and long casts.

31 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

In my experience gin clear water usually means smaller profile, natural colors and long casts.

I agree except for the natural colors. One of my best smallmouth lures in clear water is a clown colored X-rap. 

1 hour ago, Scott F said:

I agree except for the natural colors. One of my best smallmouth lures in clear water is a clown colored X-rap. 

Yup that color is $$  Keepin that one under my hat lol

Snap a tube jig. Heavy weight heads. 

 

Also in a quarry I use to fish with extremely clear water I always did extremely well on a rapala bx minnow in smelt color. Its a goldish color.

Also fish a topwater FAST don't let the fish get a good look at it. 

 

In clear water you can get them to come up out of 20+ fow and smash a topwater