What lures and techinques would you use to start the day fishing dirty, low visability water?

I start off with a black buzz bait. Then when the sun comes up a little either use a spinnerbait or a crankbait that I can bounce off stuff. A crankbait isn't a great option in dirty water unless you can run it though a laydown and bounce it off the branches or dig it into rocks or bottom. A spinnerbait is a good all around bait because it has a constant vibration pattern the bass can track and pinpoint. A jig is the other option but make sure it has a rattle and crashes some limbs most of the time the bass is going to be tight to cover.

Chris, you said black on the buzz.  Would you say black or dark on the other lures as well?

Black works great chartreuse is another one I throw alot in spinnerbaits and buzzbaits I also like gold blades. In crankbaits I like citrus shad or a crawfish pattern. With a jig black and blue or sapphire blue.

THX Chris, I'll post how it goes this Saturday ;D

Just remember to slow down and give them more time to find your bait.

What do you think about Rat L Traps?  Or would they have to be fished too fast?

In muddy water I use a blk/blue jig with rattles,  chart color crankbait,  or spinnerbait.

A spinnerbait with a big, single Colorado blade.  I don't fish muddy water without one

Black an blue jig with matching trailer.  Black w/red flake power tube. pitch and flip.

Cranks  big wobblers like Bagley's Balsa B or Kill'r B, chartreuse with black back

A Big Ribbon Tailed Motor Oil colored Worm

Baits that are highly visable and that make lots of noise or vibration.

i don't think i'd start off the day using a rat-l-trap.  i would start off using either a buzzbait w/ a black skirt, or a dark colored pop-r.  i also might use a spinnerbait if the bass aren't hitting topwater.  i'd try and use a darker color, maybe black or pumpkinseed skirt.  i would also look for heavy vegetation, in the morning and at night when the bass are feeding, they'll sit in the cover around shallow water and wait to ambush a school of baitfish.  i would actually use a fluke too, maybe watermelonseed/chart. color, or even a trick worm.

I have fished a trap in dirty water before and smoked a fiend bad on it before. I fished it on wind blown flats and on heavy line and slow rolled it. The bait has tons of rattles in it and on a steady reteive they can track it down in dirty water. Try bright colors and hold your rod higher to keep it off the bottom. This bait don't work all the time and works better in stained water but at times it can be killer in dirty water.

dont think anyone mentioned fishing shallow,the bass will likely be in shallow water when its muddy. My first choice is a 3/4oz or bigger chartruese spinnerbait with gold colorado blade also put a trailor and trailor hook on the back for short strikes. The trailor will keep the bait from dragging bottom in shallow water. I really like topwater popperfrogs also, especially over laydowns. The dirty water is a great place to start this time of the year because muddy water will warm before clear water. Hope this helps

Colorado blade spinner bait either white,chartruse or both as a combination.....also crankbait lipless the same colors....white,chrome,light green, orange....good luck