How to fish with high water releases

basstratos · Post by **basstratos** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 8:55 pm

Went out yesterday and fished the Tract and middle delta but with high water releases, there was virtually no tidal movement changes and the water flow was really moving. Couldn't figure out how to fish when the water was high all day and muddied. What do you throw and how do you fish in this condition?

cib11b · Post by **cib11b** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 9:28 pm

Honestly? Any search bait that comes to mind!

nipples · Post by **nipples** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 9:50 pm

This is when parts of the Delta fish more like a river and less like a tidal estuary. The fish are there, they know the drill, you just have to think like a nightcrawler that was drowned 2 days ago and washed 50 miles downstream. They are bass, and a bass is a bass is a bass... They like to hang in slack water, eddies, and behind structure breaks right next to moving water (think bridge pilings, tulle breaks, cuts, pipes, marinas, etc). Sometimes they like to bury themselves in the junk and just wait for food. They are still very attuned to food and still have incredible eyesight and senses. But in muddy water, fishing loud lures in bright colors tends to help a bit. Make sure your jig has rattles, use brighter or darker patterns, loud crankbaits, spinnerbaits, chatter baits, etc. And don't be afraid to get creative (sometimes the current can work a crankbait for you, and keep it positioned right in front of the slack water/ambush point).

If I had to pick one lure to throw in high muddy river water, I would go with a black jig with rattles and a pork trailer. Second choice would be a spinnerbait. (but I would try everything I know and would start off fishing everything to try to find a pattern)

Good luck.

-Nips-

gsc686s · Post by **gsc686s** » Thu Mar 24, 2011 8:14 am

Get out of the tract, try other areas that are not impacted by the high water release.

DeltaBassBuster · Post by **DeltaBassBuster** » Fri Mar 25, 2011 12:41 am

Back end sloughs like 14 Mile has been pretty clear and looks to be in good condition, bass are being caught back there. Personally I'd stay out of the big water until conditions improve. Besides the back end sloughs are warming up faster.