First off, clear water can be a blessing or a curse. Fish are easily spotted but usually hard to catch because if you can see the fish, they can see you. These tough conditions call for some special tricks. Anything you can do to keep the fish from seeing you or your line is important.
Some quick angler influenced options include:
- reducing line visibility
- reducing lure size
- using natural colors
- speeding up retrieves
My best clear-water rig, is a 6' 6" medium-light spinning combo, spooled with 8 lb mono. Top water plugs, shallow diving minnows, and soft jerk-baits are the best lure choices. Try to duplicate the color patterns of available forage. I try to use silver, white, and even transparent lures. Also, go for the smallest lures you have. A smaller lure is the best choice for spooky fish.
Wild colors can catch fish too, but they require a faster retrieve speed. Burn the lure through the water because you don't want the fish to get a good look at it. This classic reaction-strike pattern is very effective. Don't worry about setting the hook because a good strike will almost rip the rod from your hands. You'll forget all the other options when you get this pattern to down.
Natural conditions such as time of day and wind direction are important as well. They can't be changed, but you still have options. Try fishing the low-light hours and over-cast days. Try fishing the windy shore. Even small waves will mask your presence. A slight breeze on a blue-bird-day can be the difference between getting skunked and landing lunkers! Anything that will allow you to ambush your prey without being seen will improve your success.
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