Why do big-thump bucktails shine in stained water?

When visibility drops to under a meter (3 ft), the effective range of vision collapses but the lateral line still reads a strong pressure pulse from several body lengths away. A no. 9 or no. 10 fluted blade turning at speed hammers out exactly that pulse — a loud, regular thump the fish can home in on before it ever sees the bait. That is why dark water rewards the loudest water-movers and clear water often rewards subtler, more visual baits that survive close inspection. Match the signal to the medium: broadcast in the murk, whisper in the clear.

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