Tailrace Tactics

[soopd]

Any tips? I know this is broad but I want to get better at fishing the tailraces on my local lake. Not sure in how to start

[tbone1993]

Any tips? I know this is broad but I want to get better at fishing the tailraces on my local lake. Not sure in how to start

Throw a shad rap parallel to the wall and reel back. Throw it into the rushing water as well. 

[aharris]

ditto...any kind of crankbait or spinnerbait will work.

[lazeebum]

Three and four inch grubs, on 1/8 and up jig heads.  Learn what current breaks look like, and work them with the grubs.  You will catch a lot of drum, and lose a lot of lures, but the reward can be the fish of a life time.  Road Warrior can tell you how to fish live bait in tail races.  I very rarely go above Patton Island bridg to fish, and do pretty well.  Also, right below the dam, a lot of folks do well with top waters.  Especially in the summer.

[roadwarrior]

Right now the big bite is on at Pickwick below the Wilson Dam. The Rig, jerkbaits and Red Eye Shad

are everything you need. 

[soopd]

I have been able to catch fish on Pickwick. Some great days here lately. My best 5 three weeks ago was 27.49. Anywhere from the horeshoe down to Waterloo.

My main question is about Wilson. I fished Wilson Saturday and had 12 lbs with my best 5. 4 tournaments was out of safety harbor right below wheeler dam. There was a total of 8 sacks over 25 pounds of nothing but small mouth. 1 sack of 25 pounds on large mouth. It was unreal seeing that many beautiful small mouth. If you ever fish Wilson the majority of the year the bigger fish come from the tailrace below wheeler. I have avoided fishing up there because I don't really know where to start fishing current. Thanks for all the replies.

[Bluebasser86]

Internal weighted swimbaits like the Storm Wildeye shad are one of my favorite baits because they're cheap since tailraces are notoriously snaggy, they catch about anything that lives there, and they cast really well. Bucktails and jigging spoons are also good baits when fish are holding along the bottom. If the current isn't too fast I like crankbaits and hard jointed swimbaits also.