10/25/04

"I was raised on clear water impoundments in the North East so seeing fish in their underwater environment is something that I have a lot of experience in.  There are three things that I am absolutely convinced of when it comes to fishing clear water not just in the fall, but anytime:

• Use a fluorocarbon line.  In clear water I have had it proven to me time after time that fish are influenced by fishing line.  They see it or sense it or know its there.  Fluorocarbon line disappears in the water.
• Scale down your baits.  I will fish 1/16 oz jigs in ultra clear water.  A bass has to be pretty dog-gone hungry to eat a crawdad that is as big as a 1/2 or 3/4 oz jig.  In off color water, the jig's water displacement will work for you.  In clear water, its just too big, fish get a good look at it, and I don't think the big baits work as well.
• Make long casts.  If you see a fish, chances are good it sees you.

Those three things will make your Fall sight fishing much better."

"Color becomes important as well in clear water.  Clear water bass rely on their sense of sight much more than stained water bass.  If you think the bass are keyed on crawdads, focus on the browns. A white jig for example, may mimic a bait fish, but if the bass are eating crawdads, which is most likely why they are in shallow water to begin with, you need to match the forage."

"Look for areas that offer a transition of cover.  During the Fall, rip rap is an excellent cover because it doesn't go on forever.  What I mean is that the rock has been placed their to shore up the bank.  Most likely the bank is actually mud, and prone to erosion which means at some depth, probably shallower than you think, the rip rap transitions to clay or mud, perfect crawdad territory."

"Finally, the presentation is probably the most important factor.  Remember these fish are not protecting beds so you don't have them glued to a spot that they will defend to the death.  These fish will spook out if they feel threatened.  I llike to cast my bait the bank and jiggle it into the water.  It looks natural, like some critter took a dip, and I find that when I do sight a fish, I tend to get bit more often."