What Are The Best Bass Lures For Muddy Water? My Top 7 Picks

Fishing in cold, muddy water can be challenging. However, it can be even more difficult if you are not using the right equipment.

In a previous post, we discussed some helpful tips that you can use to catch more fish under these difficult conditions.

In this post, we are going to take a look at some of my favorite baits.

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What are the best bass lures for muddy water?

When in low light conditions, bass have to rely on their other senses to hunt down prey. They primarily rely on their lateral line. This line runs down the side of their body and it helps them detect even the slightest vibrations in the water.

So when searching for the best bass lures for muddy water, look for baits that meet two criteria. First, look for a lure that gives off a lot of vibration. The more vibration and commotion the better as this will help the bass to feel the bait.

Secondly, darker colored baits perform better in muddy water because they create a better silhouette. While bass sight may be limited using a darker bait will produce more bites.

If you don’t have any dark colored baits tie on the brights lure you have. That will enhance their ability to see it.

With those 2 criteria in mind, here is a list of my favorite baits to use in muddy water.

Booyah Moon Talker

Spinnerbaits are an excellent choice when fishing muddy water. This is because they give off a lot of vibration when being brought through the water column.

Additionally, in cold water bass tend to react more slowly. To entice a bite many anglers have found it effective to retrieve their baits at a slower rate.

Spinnerbaits are great for this because they can be retrieved very slowly without them sinking to the bottom.

There are a number of different spinnerbaits on the market today, but one that I particularly like is the Booyah Moon Talker.

The Moon Talker is equipped with a single Colorado blade and it is available in three different colors, black & blue, black & chartreuse and black & silver.

The single Colorado blade gives off a good amount of vibration so that the bass can locate the lure, and it also gives off just enough flash in low light conditions to generate a strike.

You may also enjoy reading the article: How To Use A Spinnerbait

Megastrike Cavitron Buzzbait

A slow retrieve is essential for catching bass in shallow, muddy water.

There is no better way to do just that then with the Megastrike Cavitron Buzzbait.

This lure is designed to be retrieved very slowly.

In fact, the website claims this is the slowest buzzbait ever. Couple that with a good amount of vibration and you have yourself a mean bass fishing lure.

You may also enjoy reading: How To Fish A Buzzbait

Are you looking to stir things up even more? If so, you may want to try the Strike King’s The Double Take Buzzbait. This lure is equipped with not only one buzzbait blade, but two buzzbait blades. Twice the commotion, twice the fun!

Additionally, a two bladed buzzbait can be retrieved even slower because the two blades help to keep it on the surface of the water rather than sinking.

Z-Man Pro 2 Series Chatterbait

In cold, muddy water, bass will gravitate toward shallow water and will stick very close to cover.

One lure that will allow you to get into such places without getting hung up is the Z-Man Pro 2 Series Chatterbait.

This lure is 100% weedless. It has the profile of a jig and yet the action of a crankbait.

In order to give off even more vibration, try adding a large trailer such as the Strike King Shadalicious Swimbait.

Remember, the bigger the profile, the easier the bass can hone in on to it.

You may also enjoy reading: How To Fish A Chatterbait

Strike King Swim Jig

When the water gets cold, a fish’s metabolism begins to slow down, and they no longer will be actively looking for food.

In order to entice a bite, you at times may need to literally drop the lure right in front of them. The Strike King Swim Jig is designed to do just that.

Don’t forget to enhance the jig’s profile by adding a nice fat trailer such as the Strike King Rage Craw Bait.

Dragging this lure across the bottom, bumping it into rocks, logs, etc will give off that vibration that bass simply can’t resist.

Strike King Red Eye Shad

When the water is muddy, bass rely heavily on their lateral lines to feel what is going on around them.

Appeal to their senses with the Strike King Red Eye Shad.

This lipless crankbait has proven to be deadly while fishing in low light conditions. It is equipped not only with a loud rattle but also that enticing lipless crankbait wobble.

Fish this lure with a stop and go retrieve and you will find that this lure not only appeals to their lateral lines but their stomach as well.

Live Target Hollow Body Frog

Don’t forget about using topwater lures. If you haven’t experimented with them before, this may be a good opportunity to start.

You may also enjoy reading: 17 Of My Favorite Topwater Lures For Bass Fishing

One such topwater lure you simply can’t go wrong with is the Live Target Hollow Body Frog.

As we mentioned earlier in low visibility conditions bass tend to stick tight to cover. This lure is 100% weedless, meaning it can go places that other lures cannot.

The bigger profile and the fact that it can easily be worked very slowly makes this a great bass lure for fishing in cold, muddy water.

Strike King Square Bill Crankbait

A list of the best bass lures for muddy water wouldn’t be complete without mentioning square bill crankbaits.

One of the most popular square bill crankbaits among many bass fishermen is the Strike King Square Bill Crankbait.

This bait is perfect for deflecting off cover, rocks, structure or whatever else you can bump into. By retrieving this lure slowly across the bottom you will without a doubt generate a reaction strike.

Don’t forget about their sense of smell…

When fishing in cold, muddy water, remember that bass must rely on their other senses to survive. Mainly, their lateral lines to detect vibrations and their sense of smell. Many of the aforementioned lures are designed to give off lots of vibration in the water.

However, many bass fishermen forget about their another sense, their sense of smell. This is especially important when fishing in low light conditions.

Be sure to use their sense of smell to your advantage by using Fish Attractants such as Liquid Mayhem.

FAQ’S About Muddy Water Lures

What is the best color lure to use in muddy water? The best color lure to use in muddy water is either a really bright colored lure such as white or chartreuse or a dark colored lure such as black and blue.

What color worm is best for muddy water? A dark colored worm performs best in muddy water because it helps to create a darker silhouette allowing the bass to see it better.

Can Bass survive in muddy water? Yes, bass can survive in muddy water because they use their other senses to hunt down their prey. Their lateral lines and sense of smell help them to track down food in such low light conditions.

There you have it my top seven best bass lures for muddy water. Now it is your turn.

When fishing muddy water, what baits do you like to throw? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

For further reading on bass fishing in muddy water, enjoy the following links:

Bass Fishing In Muddy Water
Tips For Fishing In Muddy Water
Bassin Tactics For Muddy Water

What Are The Best Bass Lures For Muddy Water? My Top 7 Picks