Lures for "chocolate" water

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

I went lure fishing yesterday and the canal was very coloured like a milk chocolate water - ok I know that the best way would have been to dead bait or live bait but since I'd no deadbaits in the freezer I opted to try lures.

I tried a pale yellow jig, a dark coloured jig, a blue diving lure that rattled (I was hoping the noise might attract a pike or perch) and a red jelly with a spinner blade.
No takes at all, so what lures would you use when he water is "chocolaty"

 

[Derek Gibson]

Mi Lud, I have no knowledge of such a lure that would work under those conditions, but should you discover one I'd be in your debt if you would let me know.

 

[terry m]

In those circumstances I would opt for a slow fished rattling lure - colour immaterial - that is fished close to the bottom.

 

[Ray Roberts]

I would opt for the lure of a warm pub.

 

[keora]

I've found that lure fishing heavily coloured water after a flood is not very productive. Here's a quotation by Dave Pugh from his lurefishing.uk site.

"Having spent most of my fishing time on rivers I will have a look at flowing water first. Coloured water is the number one curse of the river lure angler, badly coloured water nearly always kills sport. If you can check on the level and colour of the river before you set out, you can save yourself a wasted trip. Try to cultivate friends who live near the river, give them a phone call and ask them if the river is up or down, coloured or clear. You can also ring the local water authority who may have an 0891 number with the latest river levels, water temperatures, and change in each of these over the last twenty-four hours. If you know it is going to be horrible you can find another venue."

This is the link to read the full account:

Lure Fishing UK

 

[peter crabtree]

I'd get a lob on instead of a lure...

 

[Ray Roberts]

I'd get a lob on instead of a lure...

Oooo er missus.

 

[pointngo]

it's probably the hardest conditions for lure fishing but not impossible imho.

if the water is usually coloured then the pike will have highly tuned their vibration senses so are used to primarily hunting by movement, and smell. In these circumstances then lure choice is less critical... just use a lure you can fish at the right depth but slowly.

if a water is usually clear and turns dirty then you're usually on for a tough day. In these circumstances I think the pike switch off the feed because of the mud in their gills and also lose their primary hunting technique of sight. In these circumstances I'll use a big, bright grub on a jighead and hop it along the bottom by winding a few turns and letting it sink back down... don't be afraid to make pretty violent "jerks" on the lure as that is the thing that gets them.. pretty much all the takes will be as you bring it off bottom. I've made one specifically for doing this with the weight underneath so the hooks sit upwards away from leaves etc. I also change my usual titanium leaders for cheaper 7 strand wire as tackle losses can be high.

You have to try and find where the fish are lying and get the lure right next to them to invoke a reaction strike. The take is usually a quick bang as the pike is pouncing on it rather than hitting it at speed. You've got to strike quick and hard with these takes and not all of them stick. Knowing your water and the likely holding spots can be critical in these conditions.

a spinnerbait with grub tail fished along the bottom would do the same job but I'm not a big fan of spinnerbaits personally.

 

[keora]

..........a spinnerbait with grub tail fished along the bottom would do the same job but I'm not a big fan of spinnerbaits personally.

I know this is getting off the subject, but I've got similar views on spinnerbaits. They look as if they might be attractive to fish, but I've rarely caught pike on them - and they don't cast very well as they aren't aerodynamic.