After a wet spring the water will be muddy but when it starts to clear up, it is time. Some prefer the water slightly stained. They claim the fish don't spook so easily. A four-pound largemouth is considered a trophy on the river. Yes, those fat lake bass weigh more but swift water bass are lean, mean and scrappy on light tackle.
River fishing is different.
Fish like to congregate behind the rocks where they get a break from the current and wait for food to drift by. Fish early in the morning and late in the afternoon. When the sun is high at mid-day the fish spook easily in the shallow water. On a good overcast day the fish may bite all day. The river is loaded with crawfish and chartreuse crawfish lures on light spinning tackle will catch largemouth bass.