Photo by Ron Sinfelt.

It’s not uncommon for fishing destinations in the Mountain State to be considered remote. But the term would typically be used to describe some out-of-the-way trout stream, or perhaps a section of smallmouth or muskie river located off the beaten trail. However, this is not so much so for a quality largemouth bass impoundment covering hundreds of acres. But that’s what Upper Mud Lake is: a topnotch bass reservoir that sees relatively light fishing pressure; one that contains not only good numbers of largemouths, but nice-sized ones as well.

Lincoln County is the home of Upper Mud Lake. The 307-acre reservoir is found within the 1,425-acre Upper Mud River Wildlife Management Area. As such, the land surrounding the lake is publicly owned.

“Upper Mud Lake is an impoundment of the Middle Fork of the Mud River,” explained Jeff Hansbarger, an assistant district fisheries biologist. “It’s very long and narrow, with its primary purpose being flood control. In contrast to some of the better-known reservoirs in the state, it doesn’t have a lot of surface area.”

The reservoir was completed in 1995. An earthen dam impounds the Upper Mud, providing protection for the towns found within the watershed as it proceeds downstream, eventually joining the Guyandotte River.

Anglers new to the area can expect to find forested hillsides. In general, the reservoir reflects the terrain that surrounds it, which is rugged and steep. Most shoreline areas drop quickly into deeper water. Though the lake covers only 300-odd acres, it attains depths approaching 100 feet near the dam. The average depth of the Upper Mud runs from 15 to 20 feet deep.

“It’s fairly difficult to get to,” said the biologist, a feature that limits the fishing pressure Upper Mud Lake sees. “Not that many people know about it. It’s kind of hidden away. It’s not that you can’t get to the lake while towing a boat. It’s just that there are places along the road where somebody is going to have to pull off.”

Reaching Upper Mud Lake involves traveling the back roads, an activity many anglers shy away from. Once at the lake, though, Hansbarger said the main boat launch is a good one, capable of handling larger boats. The lake does have a 10-horsepower limit, though.

Habitat is a significant factor for both bass and bass anglers. In general, the better the habitat, the more bass a lake can support. Such habitat also serves as a place for anglers to target in hopes of connecting with bass. Wood and weeds are the primary forms of bass cover, and Upper Mud has a bit of both.

According to Hansbarger, Upper Mud Lake has a fair level of submergent aquatic vegetation. This growth exists in part because though its name implies otherwise, Upper Mud is a fairly clear body of water. Naturally, the lake can become turbid during periods of high rainfall, but typically, anglers can expect the lake to be relatively clear.

Interestingly, Hansbarger said the DNR is looking at ways to increase aquatic weed growth in its lakes, most of which are flood-control waters, subject to dramatic fluctuations in level. Such instability in pool level does not bode well for the growth of aquatic vegetation.

“Because most of our lakes are managed as flood-control lakes, there is not a lot of habitat,” Hansbarger said. “The operator of the reservoir wants the water to evacuate quickly, without any problems with the spillway.

“As we’ve done on some of our larger reservoirs, such as East Lynn, is that of a pilot vegetative project. This entails creating an enclosure to get some vegetation going. The reason for this is that we are in a northern climate. When weeds start to grow, carp and turtles tend to do a number on them. So, the cage (enclosure) gives the weeds a head start, the chance to get a colony started before they are depredated and removed. In addition to the existing weeds, there are laydowns, places where trees have fallen.”