Fishing Cold, Muddy Water

When I ventured out to West Neck Marina yesterday to get an updated picture of the water-level gauge to post on my blog, I saw a friend's rig in the parking lot and decided to email him for a fishing report. He responded later in the evening with a note saying that neither he, nor another friend whom he had talked to on the water, had even felt a bump yesterday.

I can't honestly say I was surprised to hear that kind of report, given the muddy water I found at the West Neck ramp yesterday. And then this morning, I read on the website for Bob's Fishing Hole that yesterday's tourney winners out there had boated only three fish for a total of 4.33 lbs. So, on the whole, I think it would be fair to say that absolutely no one was setting the water on fire yesterday.

Could I have done any better? Undoubtedly not. I've never done well in muddy water, much less cold, muddy water. However, there are those "experts" who claim to have the knowledge and ability to put together a game-winning scenario in these conditions, and I decided to take a look at what some of them have to say. Here's my reading/viewing list--all dealing with how to fish cold, muddy water:

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/cold_muddy_water.html

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?mode=article&objectID=28722&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051

http://www.bassmaster.com/tips/overcoming-cold-muddy-water

http://www.strikeking.com/journal/00348/1.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWrZUau29xs

http://www.ohiobassblog.com/2011/11/30/cold-muddy-water-a-new-outlook/

They say that cold, muddy water is an angler's worst nightmare. The thing I want to know is this: What do you call it when a polar vortex like the one that's coming this way is added to the equation?

In days gone by, I have sat in my boat on Lake Anna several times when it was so cold I had to keep chipping ice out of my rod guides. I also often used to share channel icebreaking duties with my late friend, Ray Hardy, when we'd fish West Neck in the winter. And I even once fished the Nottoway with my friend, Ralph, in the midst of a snowstorm. Be assured, however, that you won't catch me going anywhere tomorrow, except to open the front door and grab the morning newspaper.

I'm convinced that your blood gets thinner as you get older, or maybe it's just that I've finally gotten a little smarter. Either way, I know when it's time to stay home.