Clear Water Fishing? These Tricks Always Catch Bass!

Clear water can be tricky, but not with these tips! Whether you're on the Great Lakes, a highland reservoir, or a clear water pond, this information will help you catch more fish. We typically apply these tips to Northern Smallmouth, but they work great for big Spotted Bass and Largemouth too!
When water is clear, distance is your friend! Focusing on your lake's color line will get more bites, and so will light fluorocarbon. Once you've figured out how to be stealthy, it comes down to lure presentation. We have key baits that we trust to consistently get bite in clear water situations and you can rely on them too. From finesse power fishing to micro baits, these are the lures we use.
Below you'll find links to the exact baits discussed in the video. We've included our favorite sizes and colors, favorite rigging components, as well as the rods and reels we use to fish them effectively. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item.
SINGLE SWIMBAITS...
•Dirty Jigs Tactical Finesse Swimbait Head: bit.ly/2Pqrq3n
Favorite Size: 3/8 oz
•Keitech 3.8" Fat Swing Impact: bit.ly/2ab7s8v
Colors: Electric Blue Chartreuse, Sun Gill
•Xzone 4" Swammer: bit.ly/2PogV0q
Colors: Electric Shad, Electric Blue Chart, Perch
•Keitech 4" Easy Shiner: bit.ly/2bxJK6H
Colors: Electric Blue Chartreuse, Electric Bluegill
OKASHIRA SWIMBAIT...
•Megabass Okashira Screw Head: bit.ly/2EpluSA
Size: 1/16th - 1/8 oz
•Megabass 3" Spark Shad: bit.ly/2XcLZk4
Colors: Albino, Real, Silver Shad
DARK SLEEPER...
•Megabass 3" Dark Sleeper (3/4 oz): bit.ly/2TyR1GT
Colors: Wakasagi, Haze
JERKBAITS...
•Megabass Vision 110 Jr + 1: bit.ly/2LnK389
Colors: Elegy Bone, Northern Secret, MG Western Clown
SPEED CRANKBAITS...
•River2Sea Tactical DD 75: bit.ly/37dclbX
Colors: Northern Special, Green Pumpkin Craw
•Megabass Deep X 300: bit.ly/2sSQHpt
Colors: Elegy Bone, Biwako See Thru Chart
SPY BAITS...
•Duo Realis Spin Bait 80 (3/8 oz): bit.ly/3QE27YK
Colors: Ghost Minnow, Green Smelt, Blue Hitch
NED RIGS...
•Xzone Ned Zone: bit.ly/2mRiYhF
Colors: 309, Big Limit
•Duo Realis Wriggle ND Slim: bit.ly/3PQtGQq
Colors: BTM Dweller, Lotic White
•ZMan NedLockZ HD: bit.ly/2kIgRYK
Size: 1/10 oz
FINESSE TUBES...
•Netbait STH 2.5" Finesse Tube: bit.ly/3aU0oeU
Colors: Juvenile Goby, Ten Point
•Dirty Jigs Guppy Head: bit.ly/2nyUJRS
Size: 3/16 oz, 1/0 Hook
DROPSHOT...
•MissileBaits BombShot: bit.ly/2YYBipr
Colors: Fishaliscious, Goby Bite
•Big Bite Baits Smallie Smasher: bit.ly/3xEADuo
Colors: Smashed Goby, Perch Dinner
•Owner Mosquito Light: bit.ly/2zQVKx3
Size: 2
•Xzone Skinny Tungsten weight: bit.ly/40NDHjT
Size: 1/4 oz
FLUOROCARBON LINE...
•Sunline Super FC (7 lb): bit.ly/2p7fxju
•Seaguar InvizX (6-8 lb): bit.ly/2oVsG2Y
•Sufix 131 Braid (6 lb): bit.ly/314VoyF
FAVORITE FINESSE SPINNING COMBO...
Rod- G Loomis NRX+ 7'6" Medium Light: bit.ly/2RB0oJP
Model: 901S SJR
Reel- Shimano Exsence A 3000: bit.ly/2iMtscV
Line- Sufix 131 Braid (6 lb): bit.ly/314VoyF
Leader- Sunline Super FC (7 lb): bit.ly/2p7fxju
DARK SLEEPER COMBO...
Rod- Megabass P5 7'1" Med Hvy Dark Sleeper: bit.ly/2wVOSbY
Reel- Shimano Aldebaran MGL (HG): bit.ly/2fdX1Uy
LIne- Sunline Super FC (12 lb): bit.ly/2p7fxju
FINESSE SWIMBAIT COMBO...
Rod- G Loomis GLX 7'5" Medium 892S JWR: bit.ly/49kagJX
Reel- Shimano Exsence A 3000: bit.ly/2iMtscV
Line- Seaguar InvizX (10 lb): bit.ly/2oVsG2Y
JERKBAIT COMBO...
Rod- Shimano Expride B 6'10" Medium Mod Fast: bit.ly/32IrXqE
Reel- Shimano Aldebaran MGL HG: bit.ly/2uQ4oH8
Line- Sunline FC (10 lb): bit.ly/2h4LNjm
TACTICALBASSIN LURE DESIGNS (AND APPAREL)
We have a variety of custom lure designs and apparel available! Everything from Swimbaits and crankbaits, to hats and hoodies! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here...
TacticalBassin Lure Designs: bit.ly/38YpPIz
_________________________________________________________________
*MAJOR EQUIPMENT WE USE DAILY... *
Boat- Skeeter FXR 21: bit.ly/43GvGQh
Motor- Yamaha VMAX SHO 250 HP: bit.ly/3xolFv0
Trolling Motor- Minn Kota Ultrex Quest: bit.ly/41RErpY
Electronics- Humminbird Apex 13: bit.ly/3pdaK1q
Anchors- Minn Kota Raptors: bit.ly/3iMUrEJ
Camera- GoPro Hero 12: bit.ly/3MwQToy
________________________________________________________________
If you plan to do any shopping, using our links before doing your shopping at Tackle Warehouse is the single greatest way to support us! You won't be able to even see a difference but they'll know you're one of us!
#finessefishing #clearwater #bassfishing

[@FreedomFishing]

Local honey, spicy foods, and blowing my nose has helped me battle allergies over the past few years. I feel the most important thing is to keep it all flowing and leaving the body. I'll very often not have any allergies while others around me are all stuffed up.

[@brianrobinson9979]

It is so weird seeing these throwback clips with a clean shaven Matt 😅👍

[@davidrauschenbach6871]

Thanks Alex for reminding everyone of the fun days you can have with the beetle spin!

[@notillegal6771]

You guys should put out technique boxes of your favorite baits and tackle. Topwater. Worm. Crankbait. Jig box etc....

[@Tbowie13]

Thanks for this one, Tim! With my vacation home on an ultra clear water Res, I can use all the info as I can. It's a huge difference fishing 15-20 ft vis, as apposed to 2-3 ft. I love to see when the wind is making a muddy stain line along the bank. Fishing that edge makes it a lot easier to power fish or go deep where I can't see bottom. The Deep-X 200 with suspend strip works well for mid-deep speed cranking for those smallies. I like the Tactical crank and the Deep-X 300, but downsizing a bit really helps the bite many times. It is really special, though, when you can sight fish smallies off of brush piles in 20+ ft of water! As always, good video, Tim!

[@IAmTheOriginalDan]

Thank you guys again! Whiskeytown- espescially and Shasta! Jeff Michael's just got a 14.75 at Shasta in tournament last week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ronaldlaine38]

Very well done!!

[@fishingonthe_lo]

Going to sturgeon bay tomorrow. Definitely needed this lol

[@JohnZetty]

Timely for me. I’m all freshwater and a lot of clear water fishing. Getting in some whopper ploppers delivered today whenever ups get here to add to my options. Always have to have a ned rig for sure. Thanks for the video!

[@TWC6724]

Yes! This videos for me!

[@Dweebsoffishing]

Just the video I was looking for. We have one lake here in AZ that is deep and clear, usually 20-25ft of viz. when my home lake is usually 2-5ft of viz. I struggle so hard on this lake 1 cause it’s full of striper/white bass and 2 cause it’s crystal clear water. Was just out the other day and was fishing a DS in 27ft and finally found some success thanks to this video. I fish night tournaments at this lake in the summer and struggle while everyone else is bringing in 15lb+ sacks

[@vladimirrienas5546]

Finally a video that is applicable to Michigan fishing, our inland and great lakes are so much different than the rest of the country we are essentially a giant peninsula but I’ve been hammering big pre-spawn small mouth and even a few largemouth things are starting to really kick off here

[@emstar421]

Same here. I live in wa state. Water is crystal clear at 7 out of 10 lakes you go to. 10-20 ft of visibility at the very least

[@MultiXMeGa]

That trip when yall were hunting a smallmouth PB.... It's still one of my favorite videos. The amount of keitechs on the deck, fish after fish hell even the scenery was awesome. Unfortunately one of the friends had a wreck doing the infamous 100mile run.. we need one of those styles of videos again 😂

[@itllkeal]

That dirtline is magical for my bigger bass while bank fishing

[@Turppa21]

There's these dropshot weights called rock crawlers, idk if you've tried them but in a rocky snaggy creek they're amazing.

[@ryancraft9566]

Gotta get you a sinus rinse kit Tim! Unpleasant in the moment but it changed the game for me during heavy pollon seasons. Glad to see it's not slowing you down though! Keep it up fellas. Great videos.

[@itllkeal]

My grandpa always said to use saltwater and it works for me but it seems like today's generation just uses meth 🙃

[@victorxavier9977]

A 7lb smallie is huge congrats Tim!

[@R-angler]

Love all the tips you’ve given the average angler. Subscribed within the last six months because of those ongoing tips and superb quality videos. I recently moved north of one of the clearest water lakes in a 150 mile radius, I now fish stained tea color area of lakes. What colors would you try in the paddle tail bait and the vision oneten? Thanks

[@andybales7318]

Hey Tim, I have the Kermit the frog voice too.....allergies are great this time of year...👍 very enjoyable....clear water, fishing from a kayak is a huge benefit...really like the megabass sleeper gill in multiple colors for clear water...hard to beat shad/baitfish colored stickbaits & soft jerkbaits for me

[@maxcole3930]

Yeap. My old small home lake was an old rock quarry, 15' vis on average. Crystal clear! I learned the hard way, got my but kicked first couple months fishing it. Then I leaned exactly what your saying. .make the longest casts you can accurately. Stealth, being quiet. Using natural colors mostly & fishing fast. You could use bright colors if you burned them fast as you could or it was a dark cloudy day

[@DavidBronstein1961]

Just wanted to thank you guys for the biggest 5-fish bag I ever got from the bank, using lures and techniques I learned on this channel. The new EVO chatterbait in lavacraw plus a red Zako 4” firecraw (split tail, not the paddletail) was the deal. 4 fish to about 2.5 lb and a kicker 3.5 lb. Believe me, for my local pond that is an EPIC day. Plus a bunch of smaller fish to keep me entertained, on Zoom Super Fluke rigged with a 3/0 EWG hook. Thanks!!!

[@tacticalbassin]

Way to go!! That's awesome!

[@coachMiguelfishing]

Bro I have issues with allergies also but this year I been boiling ginger with some honey and it’s been my best year with minimal allergies

[@jar3370]

Do you drink it or simmer in on the stove to vaporize it? I struggle big time in spring. Thanks

[@onfootbassin]

Allergies suck, but as soon as a catch a big smallmouth I forget about them lmao.

[@coachMiguelfishing]

@@jar3370I drink it

[@brandonsmith606]

Try to find local to you honey as well because it has the pollen that's kicking your butt. You can eat it however you want but it works

[@coachMiguelfishing]

@@brandonsmith606 just try not to eat too much at a time. My sister did that and it didn’t digest right and it started building up in her stomach.

[@chrisboyd1408]

How about Stealth Jackhammer? Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@SeanShanahan9]

Thanks tim, can you guys tell us how you caught your record spot on Bullard bar yet??

[@brianrobinson9979]

Matt and Tim! When you talk rods for specific baits, can you explain the subtleties that you find/notice/realize when you find that perfect rod for that specific bait? Like, what is it about the P5 Dark Sleeper rod that makes it so good for that bait? I.E. tip action, backbone strength (lighter or stiffer), etc. We know what rods you guys lean towards after decades of fishing, but for the newer guys that maybe like Lews, Abu, Duckett, etc. pulling a rod off the rack at a local tackle shop, how would you determine if said brands would fit this technique for the brand that I fish more often?

[@kenmccarthyfishing]

Great video Tim, hope your voice gets better lol

[@mikek3638]

Allergies here in Western PA have been very intense. Sounds like other areas are getting hit really hard.

[@brandonsmith606]

Man, this one killed me as I mentioned last week just had shoulder surgery and can't fish. This makes me want to go so bad

[@mattyc3948]

I'd like to fish you guys some day I watch alot of your videos I also tournament fish the st Lawrence River

[@samuelsellers3829]

Should I use a Carolina rig for off shore shole fishing in clear water ?

[@theironknight631]

so question bc i want to throw soft plastics without a open face and i feel like a med heavy is to much sometimes would i want a bfs fishing combo just for plastics shallow and deep water applications? or would a medium light work with like a 70 mgl. i kinda want a combo to fish like crawls worms drop shots and overall just bottom working soft plastics. But im not a fan of spinning gear. If you could give me your opinion it would mean alot trying to learn.

[@thadgeorge4984]

Since you mentioned BFS fishing what would your Bfs Combo be?

[@christopherlawrence3927]

The Northeast is still waiting for you guys come on up

[@ratbird3290]

the juice isn’t worth the squeeze for those guys. with the exception of Lake Champlain. I’m in Vermont.

[@soloqbanter1377]

Do you have recommendations for clear water with heavy grass?

[@Chisel6373]

Any spinning rod recommendations for this type of Clearwater fishing? Preferably under 100$

[@59BigWalt]

Hey guys, has Lew’s revamped their rod line? Have y’all evaluated them?

[@GorillaStunter]

Can you do bait color selection depending on water clarity or color…. Like muddy, green obviously clear is done but visibility kinda video

[@jasondadudetoo4176]

My personal best smallmouth was over 6 lb and I caught it on a hot frog color Storm chugbug. Caught in a still water part of some rapids. Got the smally lunker pot in a tournament.

[@belldn3]

I have allergies too, I feel ur pain 😊

[@tennesseetalk7898]

Next time up north should do bfs only day

[@jamesh7469]

Can't really get the cast distance you need/want

[@kouvang590]

Minnesota not open till the 11th

[@vladimirrienas5546]

You can catch ‘em whenever you want in Michigan 😉

[@murraypeters8695]

Nope no stickin' anything lol,Canada, North West Ontario....last of ice is goin out as i type

[@AnglerAnthony]

Literally just pulled up to Havasu

[@ScroDiddly]

We called that Lake Hava-beer when I was in the military. Good luck and have fun!

[@mikefurness1598]

My favorite lake when I lived in AZ. My best was launching my kayak at Mesqite Bay and fishing upstream.

[@AnglerAnthony]

@@ScroDiddly very fitting name haha. What branch

[@AnglerAnthony]

@@mikefurness1598 sounds super fun. You mean fly fishing by ff?

[@ScroDiddly]

@@AnglerAnthony army infantry from Ft.Irwin

[@hermangutierrez9262]

Yo

[@controlavirus9839]

“Allergies”. What exactly is that and why is it these days people just think it’s the norm? I don’t have answers. Just saying the world is one huge pharmaceutical operation