what's your definition of "prime " water?

what's the maximum depth you'd be able to see it?
 
12-20 sounds good to me...but I go when I can regardless of the conditions , unless its blown out.
 
and at what clarity level do you consider it muddy and not fishable ?
 
Coffee with heavy creamer color sounds like I would not fish it. And with a ton of leaves. Again...I go when I can and if conditions suck,I go home.
 
But I always go to try. It also helps that I live close.

Green water with a silhouette of a fish is great for me.  Although my best days have been bad visibilty because of deep water/some color.  Low/clear is fun once in awhile but gets old.  
Fishability?  If Im in Erie Im gonna try....conditions and catching determine how long ill actually stay.  

I dont want to see any fish and love high water. A fish can be anywhere in that stuff. I like to fish water and not the fish....WF

woo kares Duudz
 
Jis dum fisH
 
Anything from 6" to gin clear  hameer the stelly's
 
I prefer gin clear as it helps to keep some guys away and send others home early.
Although not so much anymore since Loudmouth Frank taught the whole world how to catch them.
I'd rather watch'em chase down and eat my junk than drift the heavy flow. I like when all the internet trawt gawds say they "like when the water is up and dirty cause it makes it more challenging because you have to read the water". yadda yadda yadda. That's easy as pie. Any monkey can chuck their junk out when there's good flow and hammeer steelly's, jis dum feesh!

I live close enough that by October, I just don't get that excited fishing low clear water. By this time of year, I'm looking for something different.
I had fun fishing the coffee and cream water on Saturday. it's been a long time since I purposely went out to fish those conditions. I caught a lot of leaves and had to work hard for those 6 fish but the workout I got wading the current and battling fish in fast flows made it (to me) rewarding.  
So, early clear is OK to get my fix. After that, anything but.  
 

Clear and 60' deep, 1' chop and a light breeze, upper 60 degree water temp and 78 degree air temp, scattered clouds... Spring is coming...

Prime water?
 
Water that has ME standing in it, next to it, or floating through it in a boat, fishing.
 

Stillhead

woo kares Duudz

Jis dum fisH

Anything from 6" to gin clear  hameer the stelly's

I prefer gin clear as it helps to keep some guys away and send others home early.
Although not so much anymore since Loudmouth Frank taught the whole world how to catch them.
I'd rather watch'em chase down and eat my junk than drift the heavy flow. I like when all the internet trawt gawds say they "like when the water is up and dirty cause it makes it more challenging because you have to read the water". yadda yadda yadda. That's easy as pie. Any monkey can chuck their junk out when there's good flow and hammeer steelly's, jis dum feesh!

Up and colored. Its amazing how many people think a creek is blown out and its perfect conditions imo. Duuuuds can stay home for all I care.