August Wing Dam Walleyes.

August is here and the wing dam walleyes on the Mississippi river seem to be in full swing. The lazy days of summer are supplying us with some fantastic weather for targeting these hungry fish. Not to hot and nice steady north winds make for great wing dam pitching weather.

My approach to these dams hasn’t changed much over the last few trips. Locate the tips of the dams, set anchor about a cast off and start pitching H20 jigs with either a short piece of crawler or leach threaded onto it. Work these jigs across the tops of the tips, off the ends and even out in front. Been giving each spot about 15 minutes to a half hour depending on the fish action.

With light winds 3/16 and 1/8th ounce jigs have been plenty to get the baits down. With larger leaches it might be worth while to bulk up a little in jig size. I’ve been threading my leaches on the hook with poking the metal bait keeper into the sucker and out the bottom to secure it fairly well. This tends to want to make those jigs glide a little more through the water. You will notice a big difference on how they drift compared to a short piece of crawler.

We took walleyes Saturday on both crawlers and leaches. Plenty of sheepies, and cats to. It did seem to me the bigger walleyes where coming on leaches that day. The biggest two being a little over 26″s and 27″s. Either way, leaches or crawlers the metal bait keepers on the H20 jigs and dragging jigs are a must for holding that bait in place cast after cast. Sometimes even through multiple fish.

For wing dams to choose the ones with the most flow on it seem to be pretty good right now and where holding multiple fish. The slower flow ones still had a fish or two. Would think some of these will start to see more walleyes show up on the tips as the flows really drop.

Here are a few photos from Saturday. Looking forward to the next month or two of leisurely pitching bait to the wing dams. As long as the weather does not cook a person off the river its a very enjoyable way to fish.

Nice fish, Mike!

Hope to be back out there this week!

Sure makes a guy want to get out to the river!

This weather alone should make a person want to get out on the water. Throw in the bonus of catching fish and its fantastic. Not all of our fish where walleyes but you know, this time of year Im happy with just about anything that gives a good pull on the line. For Saturday afternoon I would guess Jon and I caught a dozen or so walleyes. With that we probably caught 30 other fish to that all gave good action. Might not be considered lighting up the walleyes but it is good fishing action.

Nice job is always Mike!
DT

Nice fish Mike

I wish we could have stayed awhile, but the ladies at home were all geared up to go see men in skirts.

That 27 had some shoulders!

-J.

Nice fish Mike and great detail in the report!

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This weather alone should make a person want to get out on the water. Throw in the bonus of catching fish and its fantastic. Not all of our fish where walleyes but you know, this time of year Im happy with just about anything that gives a good pull on the line. For Saturday afternoon I would guess Jon and I caught a dozen or so walleyes. With that we probably caught 30 other fish to that all gave good action. Might not be considered lighting up the walleyes but it is good fishing action.

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I know. We were out on Saturday, and the weather was so nice we just anchored and enjoyed the weather. I never even wet a line.

We end up doing a bit of the same. Started our day on Saturday on the patio of Mississippi pub sipping a few margaritas and enjoying a burger. Went fishing for a while. Ran into Jeff H. Watched the fleet of cat fishermen go flying by for the contest that afternoon. Went and cruised around and checked on where they where all set up. Stopped and talked to Joe B and Steve that where fishing the contest. Got to see them land a nice flat.

Not hard core fishing this time of year. That will come soon enough when the temps start dropping in a couple of months.

Nice fish Mike, when are we going out

John

Damn nice job for August much less any other time of the year!

Nice catch Mike! Just think, once they start booting the pigskin around the waters will be wide open.

Nice fish Mike. Those 26″ & 27″ are about some of the biggest posted this summer. Nice to see some of the bigger fish making a showing. I have been tangled in 17″-22″ for most of the summer and starting to get the 24″-25″ers occasionally. But, at least they are starting to show up.
I know the leaches and crawlers have been taking fish. Last time out exploring, and after losing four BfishN jigs and a crank, all within 20 minutes, I needed a quick break and tried a jig with a 3″ Berkley natural minnow since it was already tied to see if that would get any attention. I did get a couple thumps on it, but the jig was wrong for the plastic – needed a longer shank. You ever try teasing them with a swim bait? Unfortunately, I have to take this week off, got recurrent training…dang work!

Finally got the motor out of the shop so I headed out Sunday. Action similar to yours but fish were smaller. Crawlers/Leaches on Jigs.

Did manage a pool 2 first for me. A pike T-boned a small walleye and my extreme net man got them both. Seen this a lot in Canada but never on pool2.

After the trip noticed that the shop did not fix what was wrong with the Motor so back it went.

Thats pretty a pretty cool catch. Dont think I have even seen many pike this year.

Dont usually fish the plastics this time of year. They will hit them but think live bait gets better action. Hair jigs can get some action to. Havent even really tried crank baits the last few trips but as you found they are another good approach on the tips to. Think thats one reason walleyes are such a popular fish to fish for. Lots of different ways to catch them.

Made it back out yesterday afternoon. Great weather yesterday but the bite seemed a bit off. Never did get a bite on leaches. The few I did catch where on crawlers. Did pick up a couple of small walleyes trolling cranks. What was really off was all the other fish I usually catch pitching bait tot he wingdams. Hit a number of spots with no bites at all. Not even the little fiddler cats pecking at your bait. Im sure they will get going next trip out.

What was cool was catching a nice crappie off the tip of one dam. Probably a 11 or 12″er. Sure would like to see more of those showing up. It hit a jig and crawler. Maybe Ill have to try some small crappie plastics next time out.

Made it out this morning, on the river at 7:30am. First dam we got two sheepies, a cat and one eye. I thought it was a sign to a good start, but the next three hours was sllloowwwww! There was one, two-hour window at lunch time that the eyes went on the chew. Landed 5, lost three big eyes at the boat…figured out that after straightening the bent hook too many times from being hooked on rocks, the hook weakened and was bending/opening up a bit when hooking these bigger eyes…this happened on three big eyes. After this two-hour window…it slowed way down….called it a day. It is nice to start seeing the big girls once again.

You finding them on crawlers? Wednesday afternoon I could not get a bump on a leach unlike last weekend. Think it was late august last year Jon and I had a trip where the good sized channel cats where nuts on leaches. That was a lot of fun.

We started out with pinching crawlers in half. We flew through a dozen crawlers in no time! After that I used plastic. I always keep a jar of various Berkely Powerbait/gulp minnows, crawlers and leaches as kind of a ‘break glass in case of emergency’ situation. Although most all hits/eyes came on the real crawlers, I did try a grub-like thing with dancing legs, see below. This actually got some attention and took two of the walleyes and had other hits/losses. I used 1/8oz BfishN, but since the eyes were found in the deeper edges of the dams, a 3/16th oz would have been choice at times.

Nice fish guys!! Hoping to get back up to pool 8 real soon!

nice eyes

I think I might try that some time

Nice report Mike. Getting out tomorrow for some pitching and dragging long shorelines. Looks like conditions are decent for both.

Heading back to the croix tomorrow to soak our toes in the water. Might get back to pool 2 sunday morning if the family doesnt want to go swimming again.

Never did make it down to pool 2 this weekend. To much each time on the upper croix. Fish where hopping up there to.

So how was the bite on 2 over the weekend?

Was out Sunday and since the early morning bait shop had no bait I switched gears and pitched plastics.

Walleyes were slow but ended with a few and found a decent pike spot ended up with 4 pike and a couple bite off’s. Biggest was low 30’s. Add that to a couple of eye’s,some smallie’s and a few cats and it was a fun morning.

Did end up with my first decent white bass of the year. Anyone else seeing a lack of whities in P2? Seems like they almost disappeared maybe it is just my boat.