How do you work structure?

[TMF89]

Say you find a weedbed that stretches along the shore, how do you work it? Just once over with a double cow girl, a few times with the same bait? Different baits every time? How about trolling reefs and humps?

[Muskiefool]

Weed bed along a shore: I like to go against the grain a bit and sit shallow the first pass and cast deep, then sit 10-15 yards out from the drop off into the deep and copter Spinner Baits off the edge of the weeds and into the drop off as soon as the bait gets to the bottom I burn it in with the rod tip low, this also works with sinking glide baits that wobble on the fall.

[bubs]

it depends on the weed bed if it is on a steep drop or if it is like a cabbage flat. on a steep drop I put the boat in 18- 20 ft. and cast in. Just to hit the weeds IE milfoil. on a slow drop I start on the dropoff side and make a pass then keep moveing in and so on ti'll I am on the inside weedline.

[Jim Hudson]

In reality, working structure is all relative to me relating to weather and wind conditions, fishing pressure, and time of year... But overall, for the situations you posed, a general way to work these areas...

Weed lines, I work the deep edge first.. Hopefully I have more then just me in the boat to cover more area and use different presentations.. A lot of the times, if two or more in the boat.. I, usually in the front, cast parallel to the weeds and the open water, trying to contact fish in that zone, paying close attention to inside turns and points on the edge, places that concentrait fish. The other person or persons cover over the weeds and out to the break with their presentations, which should be different in style and color to try and develop a pattern.... Also is good to note, is to have the rear fisher make casts behind the boat at times too, as fish can be caught on the backcast along structure as well, which also shows your bait coming off the weedline in a different manner.

If nothing, move up into the weedline , sometimes down the middle of it (if it is a huge weed bed) and fan cast with your different presentations as the fish could be using any available pocket or hole., and sometimes to the inside edge of weeds and cast back over the weeds and towards the shallows.. Shows your baits in a different manner then most fish have seen and could be a trigger, especially on pressured bodies of water.

For trolling, a book can be written on that right now... But hitting points, turns, transitions on these reefs and humps is what I try to do.. Wind blown sides seem to be the best, where again I start deeper to try and contact fish and then move shallower.. As I move shallower, I then try to hit cover with my baits, such as coming off a rock point, I make contact with it as I move off into open water to try and trigger fish. Also, work open water as well when trolling, especially if it is between two fish holding humps, reefs, or from a reef to a mainland point.. Fish could be traveling to and from these different pieces of structure.

But remember, this is all relative, and each day is different in the pursuit of musky.. Wind is your friend, something to remember, and usually on windblown structure, the fish will be shallower and can help narrow down your search.