Common Courtesy at The dam.

Fish the dam Sun and Mon, caught loads of fish and had a blast.
Had a problem today, I arrived at the dam at about 6:45 and was the 3rd boat. I set up to troll with 3 ways as was another boat was trolling the same area but with different equipment. We started nailing the fish right away. Another boat joined the pattern and was trolling the same area. Other boats came to anchor but stayed out of the area that these 3 boats were trolling in. 2 boats then showed up from Iowa and saw that we were trolling in that area and plunked there anchors right down in the middle blocking the path for the 3 boats that were trolling. Then to top it off they casted to shore.
I will admit I am not an expert at anchoring and have had my share of problems. But apoligies and repoistioning when I get near someone is the norm as is for most anglers.
Until that point it was great day, By the way 3 ways with 1.5 oz of lead and a 4 -5 firetiger rapala was working real good. Read the post from Everts rock bigpike I was following his tatics.

I hear you… and Ive had the same thing happen to me many times down there…. Ive had problem with the same group of guys year after year…. … they always anchor… after they scope out the place to pick a spot where they see trollers or vertical jiggers picking up fish.. then they move in……
Ive also watched the same guys fill limits in the morning and come back in the afternoon (double dipping)….. Ive put up with it in the past.. but not anymore… my cell phone has the DNR enforcement for that area programmed in…
by and large most of the people down there are good people and far from rude….. sadly there is always a couple that need a bit more education on proper manners….

sooooo 3 ways and cranks…… sounds good… may have to try it…. if it works do it!! but I will probably put a nuckleball jig on for a dropper… and a ringworm…. that combo has produced many fish for me…..

Hi RiverEyes, the problem will only get worse as this new winter season takes shape. WE will all have to set the example of being courteous. If someone is being very flagrant in blocking trolling lanes I;d think most folks would not mind hearing a gentle suggestion or alternate idea. some will definitely think IT”S their spot, SO screw everyone else. It is unfortunate, but that is life on the big river. I’m going to try my hardest to avoid the weekends, and spend good quality time there on weekdays only. RiverEyes, as far as double dipping, if you have the phone number let’s have posted here. We need to police this treasure, if a TIP call keeps more fish in the river, so be it. DNR’s do need our help. see you on the water. Jack.

suprisingly we had no problems at the dam on sunday with this technique, we trolled up along three anchored boats and every one was corgial and polite and we told them exactly what we were doing if asked, even when we busted off and had to slip back down the river nobody moved over to were we were trolling, sorry you had bad luck with these guys, maybe they never saw fishing like that before

What i have found out with these people that anchor is to leave them alone and dont say a word,,, i have said a word or two in my day at them and thats when the problems start,,,they start casting in front of u and all of that other good stuff,,, when they c u drifting by and catching more fish then they are ,,, they will pull the cement block from the bottom and start drifting anyhow,,,

I was out at pool 4 today… and it was no problem.. on the wisconsin side there was up to 15 boats anchored…. the boats anchored farthest up were doing pretty good, lots of walleyes in the 15-16″ size….. farther down the fish seemed smaller…. I worked around the group with 3 ways and fire tiger thundersticks and picked up a couple of real nice fish… then I caught the rest of my fish on ring worms with the heaviest nuckleball jig (zonar).. color did NOT seem to matter… just pull that jig and ring worm slowly around and sooner or later.. WHAM… biggest fish of the day was a 21.5 inch sauger…. nailed the jig/ringworm… I was using the same rigs as I posted here before..

ps…. I used ZERO bait… just plastics, cranks, sonars and jiggin spoons…. caught lots of fish…. including 9 over 16″

saw lots of nets out today……

attached is the group of boats with pole position on the wisconsin side…. these are the guys that were ON the fish…..

Hey Rivereyes

What color ringworms worked ‘fer ya’? My first day back on the river is in the am and I’ll be looking to find a shallow plastic bite to round up a few piggies. Just looking for an idea of the patterns working the best right now.

Thanks in advance.

Hi James…..
the 2 colors I had success with were the two that are attached.. and in fact I used these nuckle ball heads too….. I caught more on the chartruese…. but I used it more too….

Gosh that combo looks great RiverEyes !! I’ll be up there next mon-tue-wed. I’ll have to give that a try !!

nice pic.

Why thanks a ton. I’ll be on the water in a couple hours!

A color that has been working for me the last couple times out has been the charcoal or smoke with a chart tail!

Purple with a white tail worked, but not as well.

Plastics fishing definitely is a lot of fun!

Thanks for the repos people!

See ya out there Sunday!