Today I wanna tell y’all about fishing clear water. For a lot of people, clear water means finesse fishing with downsized baits and sloooow movements. You’ll definitely catch fish this way, but it often limits how much water you can cover in an outing. Personally, I think clear water isn’t that big of a deal. Here in my home state of Idaho, many of my favorite lakes and ponds spend much of the year absolutely crystal clear, so I’ve had plenty of time to adapt. My first piece of advice: pay attention to light levels. Fish don’t have eyelids, so bright light can severely effect their mood and movements in clear water. Target shadowy areas, overgrown weeds, or deep water to find actively feeding fish. I like a Texas rigged beaver around shallow cover, choose a color that matches the bottom or the cover you’re fishing around. If I’m fishing deep, I look for weedbeds around 12-15 feet of water, and power fish with either a deep diving crank or a tube jig. I like chartreuse or sexy shad for the crank, the idea being that I just burn it fast past the weeds. Bass hear it from a ways off, and see a flash of color heading towards them, I assume they think it’s a fleeing baitfish and set themselves up for an ambush. The tube should be a bit more realistic in color, but i work it fast, with a snap-pause-snap retrieve to imitate an injured baitfish or a frightened crawdad. My second bit of advice is to pay attention to water temperature. Clear water doesn’t warm as fast as dirty water, so fish in clear water may be weeks behind fish in dirty water in terms of seasonal, temperature-related habits. In cold water, fish the bright sunny days, and target rock or sunken wood. Places that hold prey and absorb and hold warmth better. The opposite applies to warmer water, again, you’re looking for shady areas or deeper water. Weedbeds are a good option, as well as areas with current such as feeder creeks or natural springs. Keep these tips in mind next time you head to a lake with clear water! #fishing #generalfishing #fishingtips #idaho https://www.instagram.com/p/CCZzLcJnALW/?igshid=g207peeoq4eb
