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Posts: 163
| Question for you river guys. When a river gets high and muddy, in what ways and how extensively does this affect the bite? Will fish bite when the water is extremely murky? How long after high/muddy water do you wait to hit the river again? Thanks! |
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Posts: 397
Location: Wisconsin | I would suspect that the muddy water would increase your chances |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | Had good luck with clown coloured Jakes when the Ottawa was running high and coloured like chocolate milk. |
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Posts: 90
| horsehunter - 3/8/2015 6:55 PM
Had good luck with clown coloured Jakes when the Ottawa was running high and coloured like chocolate milk.
Casting or trolling?
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Location: Eastern Ontario | Trolling 4 fish day |
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Posts: 163
| WiscoMusky - 3/8/2015 6:47 PM
I would suspect that the muddy water would increase your chances
I must admit, I thought you were being sarcastic until I read more replies.  Thanks for the replies! |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | Muddy water is not my first choice but when you go fishing you must play the hand your dealt. My first choice is stained followed by bloom then clear. I spend enough time on the Larry that one might think I favored clear. |
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Posts: 397
Location: Wisconsin | Reason I said that is because although it will be more difficult for the fish to see the bait, the fish will have to use its other senses and be more likely to make a mistake |
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Posts: 163
| WiscoMusky - 3/8/2015 10:35 PM
Reason I said that is because although it will be more difficult for the fish to see the bait, the fish will have to use its other senses and be more likely to make a mistake
Sounds logical to me! I guess i just assumed the fish didn't eat when the water is extremely muddy. |
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Posts: 1828
| Just to offer some other experiences:
The rivers I fish really stink when they're muddy. The clearer the better. |
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Posts: 163
| horsehunter - 3/8/2015 7:19 PM
Trolling 4 fish day
What speed were you trolling? Would slowing down be good in muddy water? |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | jaultman - 3/9/2015 7:03 AM
Just to offer some other experiences:
The rivers I fish really stink when they're muddy. The clearer the better.
Same here. |
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Posts: 32
| They seem to either be more aggressive or less cautious about slamming baits is my experience so far. |
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Posts: 1023
| Rivers usually fish best as they are clearing and not when they r getting dirtier.
This is a general rule for all species.
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Location: Eastern Ontario | ajrod88 - 3/9/2015 2:34 PM
horsehunter - 3/8/2015 7:19 PM
Trolling 4 fish day
What speed were you trolling? Would slowing down be good in muddy water?
little slower not much maybe 4 instead of 4.5. |
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | It can also depend on the clarity and how much it has varied. River size and general habitat are also big factors when making this consideration. I fished creeks and smaller rivers when I was a kid, when they were high and muddy, they were not worth the effort. |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | I would never choose a muddy river it was a Muskies Canada event and I was very surprised to get 4 fish. There had been heavy rain for the previous week and I had never seen the Ottawa river that high there were trees and peoples docks floating downstream. We went upstream as far as we could looking for clearer water. |
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Posts: 1289
Location: WI | Terrible conditions, but I've caught fish on white crankbaits, and chart blades. When the local river gets nasty, I go somewhere else. |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | If the river has sloughs or feeder creeks they can be very good. |
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Posts: 345
Location: Poynette WI. | I love going in the backwaters. I fish the wisconsin river alot and found that paying attention to what's above the water before it gets high has helped. I have found fish sometimes move to New cover that's only available during high water. So knowing what's around before the water gets high has helped alot and now that I've found these places I go right to them everytime the water is up. There's one particular spot with a lot of big rocks in about a foot of water but when the water is high it's about 4 feet deep and all the rocks are under water. This has been a great spot for me |
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Posts: 90
| horsehunter - 3/8/2015 7:19 PM
Trolling 4 fish day
So......this was just one day, one time, under those conditions you caught fish on said bait with said technique?
Or
Many times when the river is dirty, you bust out the clowns and catch fish? |
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | Lunger50 - 3/10/2015 4:05 PM
horsehunter - 3/8/2015 7:19 PM
Trolling 4 fish day
So......this was just one day, one time, under those conditions you caught fish on said bait with said technique?
Or
Many times when the river is dirty, you bust out the clowns and catch fish?
Was a tournament, I suspect the question would be how did everyone do under those conditions. |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | It was an tournament we call them outings the trophy is worth $1.98 OK $2.00 Canada has done away with pennies. If I remember there were 7 fish caught I had never fished those conditions before or since. We went about 30 miles upstream from the outing base, water was a bit clearer not much. One of the other 3 fish was bigger than mine so I didn't win but I did win a real nice rod and a couple of lures on the raffle table. Had a good time.
I can't remember using that lure since at home I troll firetiger or jailbird on the Larry some form of perch.
Nobody in their right mind goes looking for a muddy river but when did you ever find a muskie fisherman in his right mind.
Edited by horsehunter 3/10/2015 6:07 PM
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | Frank that was the point I was trying to.draw out. Sounds like you had good success but many did not? Cannot complain about 4 fish given those conditions. |
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Posts: 163
| horsehunter - 3/10/2015 6:43 PM
It was an tournament we call them outings the trophy is worth $1.98 OK $2.00 Canada has done away with pennies. If I remember there were 7 fish caught I had never fished those conditions before or since. We went about 30 miles upstream from the outing base, water was a bit clearer not much. One of the other 3 fish was bigger than mine so I didn't win but I did win a real nice rod and a couple of lures on the raffle table. Had a good time.
I can't remember using that lure since at home I troll firetiger or jailbird on the Larry some form of perch.
Nobody in their right mind goes looking for a muddy river but when did you ever find a muskie fisherman in his right mind.
I don't fish tournaments so forgive my ignorance here but how can one fish trump four? Or did the same guy catch all three and his total beat yours?
Edited by ajrod88 3/10/2015 8:44 PM
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Location: Eastern Ontario | Ours are outings biggest fish just a trophy and bragging rights, just friendly weekends fishing and banquet usually it's the chapters biggest fundraiser of the year. Usually 2 a month on different waters around the province. |
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Posts: 163
| Wow horsehunter! you could catch 10 fifty inchers and another guy could catch one 51 incher and walk away with the trophy. O well as long as everyone has fun! And its the same for everyone.
Edited by ajrod88 3/10/2015 9:15 PM
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Location: Western PA | I would recommend reading Cory Allen's article Mud Spell Backwards is "DUM"... It's up on the TVMA website... |
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Posts: 3868
| Grab a good map and run/gun every creek and spring inlet you can reach. For a couple reasons big essox will shoulder up with their noses pointed into the fresh water current. They will be right below the "dump", bellies to the bottom. I throw a heavy white/silver spinnerbait, Raddawg, right up on the creek and drag it along the bottom till the bait "dumps" with the current right into the faces of the fish. Think of the spinnerbait as a bottom bouncer, be bold and fast and careful. A dozen casts in a small area then blast down to the next inlet, move, move, move. Fun stuff. |
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Posts: 163
| Mark Nicholas GS - 3/11/2015 12:24 AM
I would recommend reading Cory Allen's article Mud Spell Backwards is "DUM"... It's up on the TVMA website...
Could you post a link for this? I can't find it. Thanks! |
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