One of my local lakes i fish isnt very big but it is like many lakes in one. The characteristics of this lake is much like the popular Lay Lake in Alabama. It has two dams one at each end and the upper end is like a river were the water color and tempature both change. My question is how should i change my fishing tactics in these different parts of the lake. The problem I am having is during a day tournament i am running at of spots early in the morning on the clear lower end part of the lake and need to broaden into the other areas.

Lake Conditions: The lower end of the lake were the clearer 80 degree water is I am catching fish on the c rig and a shakey head.

Up in a particular creek that i fished yesterday were the water drops 2 degrees and the water is muddy I caught fish flipping lay downs with a jig.

Is it normal for the fish to be shallower in muddy water?

Up the river were the water turns from staind to muddy I havent figured the fish out. The water temp also drops from 2 to 6 degrees as you go up it.

Should i try the same thing with the river as i did in the muddy creek?

I fished the creek with the jig and then came to the main lake and caught nothing. So obviously I am on something here but I am wondering if due to the water to of recently rose and now on the fall and the current to start flowing was this a right place right time thing or a normal thing that happens on most lakes that change in water conditions.

It is normal for bass to be shallower and very tight to cover in muddy water.  If the river section is muddy, try the same thing as you did in the muddy creek.  If there is current fish the current breaks tight to cover.

Tremendous changes in the depth of a lake due to muddy runoff from heavy rains can make fishing difficult sometimes.  

Have you tried a Colorado bladed spinnerbait?? The vibrations given off by the colorado blades will often trigger strikes in stained and muddy water.

I tried a willow leaf with no luck. Really only fished it between going from tree to tree that i was flipping.