10 Tips for Fishing in Muddy Water

Here are 10 tips for fishing in muddy water. These tips will hopefully help you to catch more fish on your next trip even if the weather does not cooperate.

Fish very close to structure when fishing in muddy water. Fish that will come out of cover for a few feet on a normal day probably won't be able to see your lure in muddy water, so get it close to them.
Look for fish to be in shallow water at unusual times. The muddy water provides protection from the hot sunlight and gives fish an extra layer of security from predators.

Muddy water often accompanies high water and swift current, if either of these is present look for areas where the current is slower and focus your efforts fishing there.

The choice of color for fishing in muddy water is an often discussed and argued point. Most anglers are divided into bright colors or dark colors camps. I generally go with dark colors but try bright ones as well.

Move lures more slowly in muddy water to give fish more time to find and strike the lure. Lures that require fast movement to operate can be retrieved in a start and stop fashion.

Larger and noisier lures are easier for fish to find in muddy water, so give them a try. Use scents on your lures as well even if you usually don't to add some attraction.

Perhaps the best tip for fishing in muddy water is to simply use bait. Large and relatively slow baits such as crawfish and nightcrawlers are my favorite. Pieces of worms and other bait can also be added to many lures.

Look for clear water when fishing in muddy water. This tip might seem obvious, but fishermen and fisherwomen will do well to look for clearer water near tributaries, springs, or even by fishing deeper or shallower.

Stay on the move in shallow water until you catch fish. Muddy water will most often keep others home instead of fishing and you can generally move from preferred area to preferred area without seeing other fishing.

Try new things when fishing in muddy water. Even if you are not catching any fish, you might as well learn to use that new lure or sharpen your other fishing skills to make the most of your time.
Use these tips the next time the water is muddy and you want to go fishing.