trolling

I am looking for tips on trolling wingdams for walleye. Thanks for any and all help.

Gosh. Lots of options here. I am too new to all this to be much help, but I will share what I do:

Probably one of the easiest ways to fish the wingdam is what some guys call (well the guys I know at work anyway) “crabbin” with a 3-way. You rig up a three-way swivel with a 2 oz. bell sinker with 18″ of line. The other end of the swivel goes to your pole and on the other end I tie a phelps floater jig that I tip with a leech. You can also use a hook with a bead, a spinnner and tip with a crawler or leech. Or you can use a stickbait like a floating rapala or thunderstick. How much line you use to the bait to the swivel depends on many factors, mostly experience. I tie about 2′ to the phelps floater.

I usually drift once or twice over the dam with my motor off and use my sonar to see what the dam structure is like, i.e how much clearance, breaks, etc. Once I am confident on what I am dealing with, I use either the main motor or electric (usually the electric) to hold myself ~ 25 yards above the ripple line on the upstream side of the dam on the inside edge near shore. I then lob the rig behind the boat towards the dam, letting out line and pulling until I can feel the sinker making bottom contact. I then use the motor to pull out into the current and “crab” along the dam face, letting my bait work the rocky slope just ahead of the boil line.

There are many other methods that work, including casting plastic tipped jigs and casting cranks to the dam. James and Dustin have a good video that instructs the technique of casting plastic-tipped jigs to the dams. Wingdams are basically so many mini fishing reefs scattered throughout the river. There are many options to try. I have caught some nice fish by jigging in the deep holes just behind some dams near the channel edge. After 20 minutes or so, if I have gotten no bites, its time to move to the next dam.

I also have been having decent luck trolling crankbaits on leadcore along the channel edges and in deeper holes.

Regards,

Joe Jiacinto

Joe,

Wingdams can be fished so many ways. In the Dubuque area the majority of people that fish walleyes use a 3-way rig to work the face/top of the wingdams. The basic 3-way rig used is with a 3/8 to 1 ounce lead-head jig on a 8″ to 12″ drop line which is tied to a 3-way swivel. The jig weight depends on the current and how fast you like to troll. My best advice on this is to use as light a weight as possible and still be in control (feel the bottom and not get washed over the top of the dam). On the jig you can use whatever you want. I use a plastic sassy shad. You will also want a leader (long-line) tied to the 3-way swivel. I use a 4′ to 6′ long leader line tied to a #2 octopus hook. I usually put a plastic bead or two on in front of the hook which not only adds color but helps to keep the bait up off of the bottom. A floater also works. I tip the hook with a nightcrawler or the bait of your choice. Stay above the wingdam so that your drop jig is working the front base or trough of the dam. The 5 or 6 foot long leader line will work the face and top of the dam. I know that many people opt to use a lead weight instead of a jig on the drop line but this is a huge mistake. I have been out many days when more than half the fish I catch are caught on the jig. This is especially true in murky/muddy water. You can also use a spinner rig/worm harness with this 3-way set up on your long line. Another tip is to use snap swivels even though you have a 3-way swivel on. 3-way swivels don’t swivel much and you will have twisted line within minutes without the additional snap swivels. It also makes it faster to change jigs. You can have several different weights of jigs tied to a 12″ drop line and change them as conditions warrant. 3-way rigs also work for drifting, pulling, etc…

Another way to troll wingdams is to pull deep-diving crankbaits along the length of the dam. I stay above the dam and let out enough line so that my crankbait is right on the face of the dam when I pull it. I don’t see many people fish cranks this way as most either toss them or pull long flats or rip rap with them. I have had much success pulling cranks above wingdams. One tournament alone I caught 4 legal walleyes on 5 passes on one dam. Pulling cranks on wingdams is also a good way to locate fish and cover more areas in less time. I know several people that will go from dam to dam pulling cranks until they find the fish. Then they will work that dam with a 3-way rig. If there is another boat on the dam don’t be pulling cranks across the dam. It is a good way to get cussed at.

Best of luck.

Eyehunter

Drive safe and watch for deer