I've always had an aversion to fishing in muddy water. While I appreciate the much needed rain, I know the water in my local lakes is going to be "less clear" than I'm comfortable fishing in. I've always read that fish can be caught in muddy water, but given my dislike for off color water, I don't have the necessary experience or know how. What advice do you have to help me get over my hang up?

i use dark baits and baits with rattles to help fight the dark water

In muddy water, vibration is critical. The more thump the better. Chatterbaits, lipless cranks, and spinnerbaits with one big Colorado blade are all good choices.

Oh, and in warmer water...BUZZBAITS!

Most of the waterways I fish have color to them ranging from green to chocolate milk. Fish can be caught and sometimes, the dirty water makes them much more predictable. The fish tend to hold tighter to cover in dirty water and can usually be caught in 6 feet or less. I like a big, bulky jig or creature bait in a dark color (black/blue, black/red) for picthing to visible cover. As far as reaction baits go, I like something with a lot of thump. A colorado blade spinnerbait, chatterbait, or a wide wobbling squarebill usually get the call. I want to make contact with as many pieces of cover as I can because the fish are usually tight to it. Once the water warms, topwaters can be very effective as well. A shady bank can produce topwater fish all day long in dirty water. Dark colored buzzbaits, chug bugs, and frogs get the nod in those situations. Hope this helps.

Yep, make some noise--spinnerbaits and crank baits. Chartreuses, oranges, blacks, or browns.

Water displacement. Fish can find baits with their lateral line. Noisy or bulky baits work better for me

Firetiger craw or inferno shad squarebill

As long as the water is warm, some mud won't hurt. In fact you can get closer to the fish in colored water.
Make sure it's the warmer part of the lake (cold muddy water no bueno). Use rattles, bright colors, wide wobbles and usually slow retrieves.

You'll get bit.
Might even decide you like muddy water.

This. My #1 is a 3/4 or 1oz. black spinnerbait with a single #6 or #7 Gold Colorado blade. I call it "thumper".

On the lakes that just received all this rain should be on the rise and muddy, go to the bank , cant beat a big spinnerbait or sq bill moving water .

I fish the sabine river in Orange. The way it works here is if it has been muddy for awhile all of the baits mentioned above are good and you can catch fish. If it just recently became muddy good luck you might catch something next trip. It usually takes the fish a day or two to adjust and really start eating again in the muddy water.

My general observation is that loud baits work better in muddy water and also that bass hold tighter to cover for security and stay shallower.

Chatterbait Chatterbait Chatterbait. I've even glued worm rattles to mine when the water was real murky.

Big, thumping single-spins with either an orange or chartreuse Colorado blade have always worked best for me when the water is muddy. Then again, on Lake Millers Ferry in Alabama, we limited out using black worms....but that water was ALWAYS pretty muddy.