Walleye fishing on the river this weekend was exceptional! Friday night fellow IDA’er Chris Tuckner and I set out to find some fish on wing dams. With the tournament season wrapping up, it was nice to get out on the local water with Chris, learn a few things, and catch some fish.
We used 3 different methods on this outing, and each one took fish. Once we had the boat positioned, I like to start out by fishing a crank to take an active fish off of the dam, and to use as a search tool. By using a crank, I can get the feel of the layout of the dam and reposition the boat if necessary.
After the cranks were put away, out come the jig rods. These rods were rigged with bfishntackle jigs weighing from 1/8 up to ¼ ounce depending on the flow and if you were fishing the top or the bottom of the dam. The jigs were tipped with ½ crawlers or leeches.
You pitch the jig up on the dam, and let the current push it over or across the face of the dam slowly working the jig out of the rocks and snags. These fish were not slamming the lures, it was a tap and hold, give the fish a little rod tip and set the hook.
Another option is to pull out the bfishn tackle blade baits. Gold was putting fish in the boat, as well as glow mud minnow. Pitch the blade parallel to the dam, and work them back slowly.
All fish were CPR’D
See you on the river.
Nice report Jami…and very nice fish!
I do have to wonder about the company you keep though.
Brian…
Shouldn’t you be out cutting wood?
Jami, that is a great point, using the crank as a search tool. During a “Normal” year, you have better flow on the River, and the dams are much more evident to the naked eye. Right now the flow is so low that there is nary a ripple over the dams. The cranks help you find the tops, and fronts. What I do early on in the season is head down the river, and mark wingies on my GPS. On Pool 3, many of the red and green cans mark the ends of wing dams. Not all though, so marking them is important. Also, when catfishing at night, it is nice to know where the cans and dams are. So marking these(Cans)too is a good idea.
Slow is the key right now. Jami was using a tad heavier jig than me. I was using a 3/32 BFT orange and yellow with a half crawler. It did not get hung up in the rock as much for me. Fish didn’t seem to care either way. If you do not have the “Feel” with a lighter jig, go up a size…but keep it moving v e r y slowly across the bottom. We caught many smallies, white bass, cats, sheepies, carp and many mooneyes.
I gotta admit, blades in August was a new deal for me. But a 26″ fish on the first cast was hard to argue with!
Thanks for letting me tag along!
Jami,
Very nice Summer time Walleyes
and to think Sept, and Oct, are ONLY 1 and 2 months away..
Just can’t believe it, but here comes Fall..
Jack..
Good report!! We haven’t hit Pool 3 in a couple of weeks but that should change this upcoming weekend. The bite has been good for us most of the summer on Pool 3. There sure are a ton of wing dams to explore with fish on a bunch of them.
Nice report Jammi.
Those are some nice looking summer time walleyes you and Chis put in the boat.
Boog
Very nice report Jami. Some very nice fish too.
Thanks, Bill
Good work Ritt, Ya going out tonight?
Satts, sent you a pm. Seeing if you want to shoot the bows tonight?
Jami
Nice report and fish gentlemen!
Marty and I opted to do the St. Croix Saturday instead of pool 3. We did run into a little bit of a sauger bite trolling around sundown. Crummy weather sure makes the Tuna Boats disappear! 
dd
Nice report Jami.
Looks like you guys got into them…But no fish on leadcore??? 
Josh
Nice report and fish Jami
No core on this outing Josh, but it will be coming out soon!
Jami
I normally fish pool 13. When I cast the wing dam I am usually on the downside casting upstream at a 45 degree angle. Do you guys fish from the up current side and or fish right on top. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks, Jim
Nice report Jami,
Sounds like fun anchoring and pitching, I’m jealous pulling blades up here is getting old.
Keep Catchin’
Turk
Are your wingies silted in, or rocky? Up here on 3 the wingies are shallow for the most part. For me, casting up river would have the cranks diving too fast, and end up on the rocks. Same with a jig. The dynamics of a wingie are such that there is a “Tube” of low current water right at the base of a wingie which concentrate the bait and predators. By positioning slightly upriver of the wingie, you can use the current to your advantage, and let it help you get into that “Zone.” To me, pitching from the bottom up would have you moving through the strike zone too fast. That being said, during low current conditions, I do not think it is that critical as the fish are more spread out.
Thanks for the tips. I should have clarified I am casting cranks. I mostly use shadraps and wally divers. My reasoning for this tactic is it is natural for the bait to come downstream and plus with the current they dive much faster. It is easy to do now with the low water conditions. Another plus if you get snagged, you slowly slip up to remove the snag and quietly slip back without sppoking alot of fish. I will try your way and post on how I did. Thanks, Jim