Recently Virtual Angling hosted a livestream with professional walleye guides Mike Peluso and Toby Kvalevog. These guides both have decades of experience and Jason Mitchell asked them what line setups they were using in clear water versus stained.
Toby, who’s home water is Leech Lake, takes into account the type of fishing technique he is using and the conditions. In clear water when using slip bobbers and lindy rigs, he likes to use 6 lb monofilament line and keeps his drag lightly set. When fishing a live bait rig with minnows and the chance of hooking into a pike is present, he switches to a fluorocarbon leader, still using light line at 6 lb test. “The fish can see the line in clear water, and they are line shy,” Toby explains.
When using more reactionary lures, Toby chooses to use 8 lb braid to an 8 lb fluorocarbon leader because he works the lure fast, generating reactionary strikes, where the fish aren’t getting a good look at the lure.
When it comes to trolling crawler harnesses, crankbaits or snapping jigging raps in the stained waters of Devils Lake, Mike Peluso uses braided line with a fluorocarbon leader. Devils has many snaggy areas with the possibility of losing lures, making the abrasion resistance of fluorocarbon a must. When he’s on the Missouri River Mike goes for straight monofilament for the natural motion that it has. “I feel mono has a much more natural fall, more free flowing in the river and seems to catch more fish.”
Virtual Angling hosts monthly livestreams featuring top anglers from around the Midwest. During these livestreams viewers and can ask questions and have them answered by the hosts during the livestream.
