Spinnerbaiting Muddy Water Largemouths

Out on the road for my job, I thought of fishing Senkos at our neighborhood pond tomorrow, then the deluge came, and I thought at first only of water too muddy for that approach. Once I was home, the obvious solution hit. Most likely, a current of muddy water flowed from the inlet, the bass congregated. I tied a black spinnerbait to six-pound mono and walked to the pond with my St. Croix.

Not much current entered the pond at all, but at the outflow (photographed) water moved. Perhaps more water entered at the other inflow at the head of the pond where I didn't venture. At any rate, I caught three of my five bass associated with this muddy, moving water. Bass love to trounce on spinnerbaits with vibrations emitted through stain.

Of the five, one was about 2 1/4-pounds, two of them a pound-and-a-half or so, two about a pound. Two of these fish hit almost at my feet. It's important to complete a retrieve right up and along the bank, since bass are much less shy under cover of heavy stain.

A rewarding 20 minute stint. The bass are averaging the same size as two years ago. I wonder what happened to all those two and two-and-a-half pounders I caught and released.