The Mud Bug is a 42 mm slow-floating shallow runner crankbait designed for fishing heavy timber and shaded banks in rivers and creeks. Imitating a small crustacean or baitfish moving through cover, it excels when fish are holding tight to structure and waiting in ambush.
This is a close-quarters lure — the tighter the cast, the better it works.
Fish sitting in heavy cover rely on ambush. They won’t chase far, but they react instantly to food passing through their strike zone.
The Mud Bug targets those fish.
By deflecting naturally off structure, the lure creates an erratic change in movement that triggers reaction strikes. Most bites occur immediately after the lure makes contact and moves away from timber.
Work it along:
• laydown timber
• submerged logs
• root systems
• shaded banks
• snag piles
• overhanging cover
The slow float allows the lure to rise away from snags instead of digging deeper, helping you work through cover with control.
The Mud Bug swims with a tight, controlled wobble suited to structure-heavy water.
How to fish it:
Skip or cast into shaded areas
Retrieve slowly through cover
Allow the lure to contact timber
Pause and let it float upward
Continue with gentle twitches
Strikes commonly occur:
• immediately after deflecting off timber
• as the lure lifts from cover
• when worked slowly through laydowns
Fish it slower than you think.
Skip the lure into shade and allow it to deflect naturally off structure. Contact with cover is often what triggers the strike.
Most effective when fish are holding tight to cover and unwilling to move far to feed.
Recommended Leader: 6–12 lb fluorocarbon
Length: 42 mm
Type: Shallow Runner Crankbait
Buoyancy: Slow Floating
Running Depth: 0.3–0.9 m
Designed For: Heavy timber and shaded banks
Target Species: Australian Bass, Murray Cod, Yellowbelly (Golden Perch)
The Mud Bug is a 42 mm slow-floating shallow runner crankbait designed for fishing heavy timber and shaded banks in rivers and creeks. Imitating a small crustacean or baitfish moving through cover, it excels when fish are holding tight to structure and waiting in ambush.
This is a close-quarters lure — the tighter the cast, the better it works.
Fish sitting in heavy cover rely on ambush. They won’t chase far, but they react instantly to food passing through their strike zone.
The Mud Bug targets those fish.
By deflecting naturally off structure, the lure creates an erratic change in movement that triggers reaction strikes. Most bites occur immediately after the lure makes contact and moves away from timber.
Work it along:
• laydown timber
• submerged logs
• root systems
• shaded banks
• snag piles
• overhanging cover
The slow float allows the lure to rise away from snags instead of digging deeper, helping you work through cover with control.
The Mud Bug swims with a tight, controlled wobble suited to structure-heavy water.
How to fish it:
Skip or cast into shaded areas
Retrieve slowly through cover
Allow the lure to contact timber
Pause and let it float upward
Continue with gentle twitches
Strikes commonly occur:
• immediately after deflecting off timber
• as the lure lifts from cover
• when worked slowly through laydowns
Fish it slower than you think.
Skip the lure into shade and allow it to deflect naturally off structure. Contact with cover is often what triggers the strike.
Most effective when fish are holding tight to cover and unwilling to move far to feed.
Recommended Leader: 6–12 lb fluorocarbon
Length: 42 mm
Type: Shallow Runner Crankbait
Buoyancy: Slow Floating
Running Depth: 0.3–0.9 m
Designed For: Heavy timber and shaded banks
Target Species: Australian Bass, Murray Cod, Yellowbelly (Golden Perch)
