what do you guys use to be successful in extremely stained water.  we fished a pond that was practically red (reddish brown) from runoff after several days of rain.  the black senko type bait worked at first...but then nothing.  then we pulled out the stops and threw it all to no avail.  looking for help here.

The bass usually shallow up and hold really close to cover in muddy water. Fish slow, and use something really bright like chartruese or  solid black. Try using a spinnerbait with a fat oklahoma blade or a wide wobbling crank.

Alandis, Oklahome blade?  What the hell is that?  Boy, wouldn't you know it, someday every state is going to have thier own spinner blade!  LOL! ;D

its a turtle shell shaped blade thats on a terminator spinnerbait. Its shorter than a willow bade and more pointed on the end than a colo.

Alandis, Oklahome blade? What the hell is that? Boy, wouldn't you know it, someday every state is going to have thier own spinner blade! LOL! ;D

LOL, I think I meant Colorado blade. IT'S BIG AND ROUND OK?!??!?

There is an Oklahoma blade, it's kinda like the Indiana blade i think. In dirty water like that I would throw a big spinnerbait with a big Colorado blade on it and might also flip a black or very dark colored jig, with a good rattle, tight to cover.

i was fishing ratltraps i was actually using a chrome bleeding shad but im sure if i had a darker colored one it may have worked just as well but the point is the water was pretty stained from the 4+ inches of rain we just got over the last couple days and i did pretty good

In really dirty water, the fish will usually move up shallow and will also get right on the cover.

I fished my local lake one year the day after we got a ton of rain and the bait had to be put right on the cover.  4 inches off target and you hauled water.  I think we had to hit them in the head to get a bite that day.

Also, if you use spinnerbaits or crankbaits in that dirty water, make repeated casts to the same target and retrieve along the same path.  It may take a few casts for a fish to home in on your bait.

These two things have worked for me.

Brad

we were trying to hit them in the head as you just mentioned.  unsuccessful though.  we did not throw spinners, only buzzbaits.  tried to make a lot of racket and get some reaction strikes.  i would like to try it again.  thanks for the help!

In muddy water,  I'll throw two baits.

1. In heavy cover, A blue black jig and pig with a rattle. I fish it real slowly.

2. In open water, a firetiger crankbait.

i like to throw big creatue baits, all of the extra appendages really throw vibration, the yamamoto kreature thats black with a chartreuse tail is a good choice.

You need to fish with something that gives the following: a contrasting color ( black, purple, chartreuse, pink ), lots of vibration ( fat bodied cranks, lipless vibrators, c-tail worms, Colorado, Tenesee or Oklahoma blades ), sound ( rattles ), flash ( metallic finishes ) to draw the attention of the fish to the bait.