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The Subtle Structure, Mud Lines
Sam Anderson Walleye Fishing Pro

By Sam Anderson

Most anglers know that structure is nothing more than something unusual on the bottom or in the water around which fish gather. Normally, it has to be unusual or a typical structure or noticeable structure to be a good fishing area. In a whole shoreline littered with stumps, largemouth bass could be likely found but would not be attracted to one stump as opposed to any others. A barren shoreline with a small area of several stumps would tend to concentrate largemouth and make for an excellent fishing structure. 

In the spring, summer, or fall one type of structure that is over looked by many anglers is floating structure. Oh sure there is the buoy and maybe a swimming platform that fish are attracted to, but more specifically there are mud lines. Mud lines can be formed when the wind comes up on those warm spring days or they my be formed as another stream or river flows into an existing one. The confluence of the two rivers meeting will also form a mud line all mud lines are not created equal at least in terms of angling potential. An angler should look for secondary structure contained in the mud line such as vegetation, boulders, and submerged brush. This secondary will hold bait fish and eventually the larger fish will follow the mud line until it provides food or  an advantageous ambush point.  Mud lines are a great structure to fish in the spring because the angler can fish them quickly. If you fish an area and you don't have a fish within 10 to 15 minutes move on to another location. My father, who loves to troll would work over a mud line and if nothing was active he would be on to another spot. 

Lure selection in the form of crank baits should appeal to the fish senses. They should be big lures that displace water and give off vibration, or rattle and they should be flashy with bright metallic finishes. A great choice here would be the Storm Fishing Lures Thunderstick. It has all the ingredients for fishing mud lines; color, flash and vibration.  To slow down your lure presentation a little use a jig tipped with a minnow. But don't get stuck in a slow pattern. Utilize extremes.

Rip the jig back to the boat on one retrieve, then work the jig slow, bouncing it along the bottom on the next retrieve. My favorite jig in this situation is a 1/4 ounce Fuzzy Grub jig tipped with a minnow. I prefer the Lindy Little Joe Fuzzy Grub because it is round and I can easily attach a stinger hook to the minnow and up my chances of catching a finicky walleye. When in doubt if you have contact with the bottom, increase the size of your jig and minnow. You might get hung up more, but you might also have a wallhanger on your hands. 

Equipment becomes essential when fishing mud lines, especially line. I like to use the newStren Fishing Line Easy Cast coffee colored line. The reason for this is coffee color Stren Easy Cast is also completely invisible in both muddy and clear water making it difficult for the fish to detect. This may seem like it would make line watching hard out of the water but the contrast in the air is clear even on over cast and bright sunny days. The critical aspect is the fish can't see the line in the mud line at all and all of a sudden a bait appears before them.
A good rod of choice is the Quantum rods and reels the pros choice 6'6" or 7' rod with a fast tip for watching, and sweeping hooksets in muddy water. You will be positioned outside of the mud line and it will be crucial to have a rod that can detect and react at a moments notice. Team this rod up with a Quantum rods and reels the pros choice Energy reel and you have a combination that will land even the largest wallhanger in the mud line. 

Mud lines are overlooked by many walleye anglers and even cursed by many, but give me a good mud line over a break line any day and I will show you some great walleye fishing.




Walleyes Inc. website is maintained by Randy Tyler Fishing the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Circuit, Masters Walleye Circuit and the Team Walleye Circuit. All rights reserved.Copyright 1999/2000
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