When muddy water has you stymied, there are a couple of solutions that will still allow you to have a successful trip out on Erie while you chase walleyes. Really this can apply anywhere, but with the lake in our backyard lets stick with the big water we have.
First principle is that old adage, “Go Big, or Do Not Go At All”, “Or Stay Home”. Whichever you prefer, they both work.
Give walleyes the biggest presentation available in your tackle bags. This applies to cranks, jigs and blades. Going slow will also help in the cold water we have at the moment, leave your presentation in the strike zone longer. Cranks are easy, big Rapala F-18’s (Original Floaters), HJ 12’s and 14’s (Husky Jerks) and big Smithwick Rogues. Big baits, big bodies = better chances.
Double up your jigs, combine plastic and live bait for bigger presentations on your hook. Stack live bait over a plastic minnow or lizard. Big hair jigs scented with Gulp or live minnows, beef up the profile of the bait.
Big blade baits like 3/4 oz Cicadas and the biggest offering from Vibe or similar type baits from other companies. Big blades also apply to big spinners on your crawler harnesses. Boost up the profile and the noise factor.
Noise leads into the second way to attract fish in muddy water. Rattles in your baits, rattles added to your baits, all produce extra noise to enhance the baits naturally producing vibration. Big ol’ Rattlin’ Rogues, Husky Jerks, Rattl’n Shad Raps are just some of the cranks you can use.
You can add tube chambers in the plastic baits, or get some slip on rattle tubes like those produced by Northland Tackle. They have collars, and you can put them on any jig that has the barb on the hook shank to hold plastics in place. Slide on, then add your plastic or live bait. Locks everything in place nicely.
Rattle beads are available to produce noise on the crawler harnesses as well. These are a little harder to shop for these days, but are still being produced. With a little internet time, you can surf some up.