Fishing a dam need help!!!

[Slade Carroll]

Ok guys so today I tied to fish lake Wylie dam with a fluke weighed with a belly weight and unweighted the fish feed on shad there and I have seen people pull stuff in with flukes anything that imitates a shad works there or at least that’s what I heard the water is clear and it runs out into the ocean it has a current from the dam that pushes all bait to the bank it has an extremely rocky bottom I fished my fluke there and I got snagged under the rocks I went there with a ten pack of flukes and left with six I’m thinking of using a drop shot but I still think the current would push it out it’s pretty deep with steep drop offs around the bank if you guys have any ideas on what rig to use or what to use it would be greatly appreciated however I’d like to stick to things that involve flukes since that’s what works best here thanks one more thing they have striped bass and gar in this dam which are two of my favorite fish people catch striped with spoons here let me know good striped spoons and gar lures thanks!

Edited March 26, 2018 by Slade Carroll

[IgotWood]

Man, some spots just require you to donate some tackle if you want to catch fish there, unfortunately. You said you tried unweighted flukes...Perhaps try a lighter gauge hook. Flukes are rather small and very soft. I don't use heavy hooks with them. You could also try a smaller fluke on smaller hook. 

[scaleface]

I fish a dam with rip rap banks and lots of current .  Baits are going to be lost . I like to hit it when the water is low and go lure hunting . I usually use inexpensive spinners like Strike King mini Spins , Road Runners...  Cast upstream close to the bank and bring it down . 

[Slade Carroll]

3 hours ago, IgotWood said:

Man, some spots just require you to donate some tackle if you want to catch fish there, unfortunately. You said you tried unweighted flukes...Perhaps try a lighter gauge hook. Flukes are rather small and very soft. I don't use heavy hooks with them. You could also try a smaller fluke on smaller hook. 

 

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

I fish a dam with rip rap banks and lots of current .  Baits are going to be lost . I like to hit it when the water is low and go lure hunting . I usually use inexpensive spinners like Strike King mini Spins , Road Runners...  Cast upstream close to the bank and bring it down . 

Ok I will try a smaller hook do you guys think some sort of boot tail fluke would be better since it’s just cast and retrieve I don’t have a kayak or boat of any kind so I can’t get to some spots that look really good with no current should I cast into the current or find areas with no current?

[scaleface]

20 minutes ago, Slade Carroll said:

 

Ok I will try a smaller hook do you guys think some sort of boot tail fluke would be better since it’s just cast and retrieve I don’t have a kayak or boat of any kind so I can’t get to some spots that look really good with no current should I cast into the current or find areas with no current?

Try slack water and current . I catch more fish and species in the current , the stronger the better . The fish will find a current break in the rocks and wait for something to come down stream , which is why I prefer spinners . They feel it   and the strikes are usually hard . 

 

 One of my favorites is something I rig up before hand . They are cheap to make and catch numbers of everything . I'll have a dozen or so ready to go .  

 

If my mind was made up to use  a fluke I would   go with a paddle-tail in the current . 

 

[burrows]

Try weightless fluke on a split shot rig?

[Slade Carroll]

1 hour ago, Burros said:

Try weightless fluke on a split shot rig?

Ok thanks!

[scaleface]

Why is a fluke the only lure you are considering on a rip-rap bank below a dam with heavy current ?

[Andrew Wolf]

Alright, so where I am from in Kansas, Milford lake right off the dam when the spillway is open and the current is crazy, the locals use a big topwater either a walk or popper lure (Ex: “Rebel Pop-R Magnum” or “Heddon Super Spook”) on the main line and remove the end tribble hook and attach about 1 to 2ft of leader 6~8lb test line with a White Crappie Jig 1/16oz (“marabou”) and reel it back by jerking in different cadence. I see people catching Stripers/Wipers all the time!!! ????? And they seemed to not be able to resist the dang thing...This prevents you from losing your expensive top water bait and you usually just lose the jig with the leader if you get snagged. 9 times out 10 when you do catch a fish it’s on the jig. Only bad part is those fish can make the hook weak by bending it out when they fight like crazy? So I would replace the jig after several use. I’m more of largemouth/ smallies type guy and fish more down the stream where the water is more calm. Don’t tell anybody I told you! The secret is revealed online now! Gotta share the Love of secret fishing techniques sooner or later! “Sharing is caring” ? Other then that you will usualy see people trying to catch fish with swim Baits or “flukes”....  But that method doesn’t work not nearly as good as the ones who know how to fish there... Has anybody done or tried this technique????

[Slade Carroll]

On 3/26/2018 at 12:15 PM, scaleface said:

Why is a fluke the only lure you are considering on a rip-rap bank below a dam with heavy current ?

Many reasons everyone uses flukes at this dam and it produces all fish there gar buffalo striper bass also it’s cheap I don’t want to lose one of my nice square bills.

On 3/26/2018 at 1:37 PM, Andrew Wolf said:

Alright, so where I am from in Kansas, Milford lake right off the dam when the spillway is open and the current is crazy, the locals use a big topwater either a walk or popper lure (Ex: “Rebel Pop-R Magnum” or “Heddon Super Spook”) on the main line and remove the end tribble hook and attach about 1 to 2ft of leader 6~8lb test line with a White Crappie Jig 1/16oz (“marabou”) and reel it back by jerking in different cadence. I see people catching Stripers/Wipers all the time!!! ????? And they seemed to not be able to resist the dang thing...This prevents you from losing your expensive top water bait and you usually just lose the jig with the leader if you get snagged. 9 times out 10 when you do catch a fish it’s on the jig. Only bad part it those fish can make the hook weak by bending it out when they fight like crazy? So I would replace the jig after several use. I’m more of largemouth/ smallies type guy and fish more down the stream where the water is more calm. Don’t tell anybody I told you! The secret is revealed online now! Gotta share the Love of secret fishing techniques sooner or later! “Sharing is caring” ? Other then that you will usualy see people trying to catch fish with swim Baits or “flukes”....  But that method doesn’t work not nearly as good as the ones who know how to fish there... Has anybody done or tried this technique????

Thank you! I will try that and see how it goes it will be pretty interesting!

[Slade Carroll]

On 3/26/2018 at 9:41 AM, scaleface said:

Try slack water and current . I catch more fish and species in the current , the stronger the better . The fish will find a current break in the rocks and wait for something to come down stream , which is why I prefer spinners . They feel it   and the strikes are usually hard . 

 

 One of my favorites is something I rig up before hand . They are cheap to make and catch numbers of everything . I'll have a dozen or so ready to go .  

 

If my mind was made up to use  a fluke I would   go with a paddle-tail in the current . 

 

So I mad your little contraption there with some bits and pieces of some old beetle spins I have and some trailer hook rubber how far should the swivel of the spinner be on the hook to get a good hook up all the way back or no also how do you fish this little thing do you just toss it into the current and let it fall down do you mess with it at all or is it a do nothing bait? I also made one modification to this idea I took the wire frame from a beetle spin and took the blade off from the beetle spin and replaced it with a reddish magic blade which is a big Colorado blade is this a good idea or no? Also can you elaborate on what species you catch with this would striper and gar take a bite out of this would buffalo carp eat it??? Thanks!-Slade

[scaleface]

20 minutes ago, Slade Carroll said:

how far should the swivel of the spinner be on the hook to get a good hook up all the way

I just use a piece of plastic from a margarine lid punched out with a hole punch . I put it about half way. It doesnt stay put , I just adjust it now and then .It doesnt interfere with the hook-set .

 

20 minutes ago, Slade Carroll said:

how do you fish this little thing do you just toss it into the current and let it fall down

I toss it upstream and try to keep it just over the rocks . I reel it slightly faster than the current 

 

.The only time I use it is in fast current . I reel it steady and try not to let it sink in those rocks .

 

20 minutes ago, Slade Carroll said:

I took the wire frame from a beetle spin and took the blade off from the beetle spin and replaced it with a reddish magic blade which is a big Colorado blade is this a good idea or no?

It should work fine .

 

20 minutes ago, Slade Carroll said:

what species you catch with this  

Largemouths , smallmouths , white bass , hybrid bass , walleye , crappie , channel cat and drum , I have never   caught a  gar or common  carp on it . I have snagged some of those asian carp with it .

[FishDewd]

On 3/26/2018 at 8:41 AM, scaleface said:

That little thing looks like it would kill going down the San marcos or Guadalupe... gah I want to go river fishing so badly! Water here has been trash this year.

[Riazuli]

My first serious recommendation to the OP is: punctuation...

[scaleface]

1 minute ago, FishDewd said:

That little thing looks like it would kill going down the San marcos or Guadalupe

I needed something cheap because I lose a lot of them  and something to get the fishes attention . It kills on rip rap with heavy current .

[FishDewd]

1 minute ago, scaleface said:

I needed something cheap because I lose a lot of them  and something to get the fishes attention . It kills on rip rap with heavy current .

How about a rocky bottom with lot's of current? Cause that defines the San Marcos and Guadalupe lol. Fun as heck to kayak down.

[Slade Carroll]

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

I just use a piece of plastic from a margarine lid punched out with a hole punch . I put it about half way. It doesnt stay put , I just adjust it now and then .It doesnt interfere with the hook-set .

 

I toss it upstream and try to keep it just over the rocks . I reel it slightly faster than the current 

 

.The only time I use it is in fast current . I reel it steady and try not to let it sink in those rocks .

 

It should work fine .

 

Largemouths , smallmouths , white bass , hybrid bass , walleye , crappie , channel cat and drum , I have never   caught a  gar or common  carp on it . I have snagged some of those asian carp with it .

How fast do you usually get a hit on it are they big fish how many casts until a fish

[scaleface]

13 minutes ago, Slade Carroll said:

How fast do you usually get a hit on it are they big fish how many casts until a fish

I cant answer that . Some days are good some bad . I start down stream ,make a couple  of cast , then move a few steps   upstream . 

[Slade Carroll]

10 hours ago, scaleface said:

I cant answer that . Some days are good some bad . I start down stream ,make a couple  of cast , then move a few steps   upstream . 

Ok cool

[lmbfisherman]

I fish a dam where my cottage is located.  Fluke's kill it, I usually use unweighted.  However I use the Zoom Super Fluke, not sure what size you use?  I will use a 2/0 off shank or 4/0 on rare occasions when I require it go underwater slightly faster.  I throw it upstream and let the current take it down stream, wait until I hit my target area (current break, holes, ..etc) and then twitch a couple times and pause let the current take it.  Pay attention when your bait is going down stream with the current as you may get hits then, usually I get hit when I jerk it or on the pause.  

 

 

[Slade Carroll]

15 hours ago, lmbfisherman said:

I fish a dam where my cottage is located.  Fluke's kill it, I usually use unweighted.  However I use the Zoom Super Fluke, not sure what size you use?  I will use a 2/0 off shank or 4/0 on rare occasions when I require it go underwater slightly faster.  I throw it upstream and let the current take it down stream, wait until I hit my target area (current break, holes, ..etc) and then twitch a couple times and pause let the current take it.  Pay attention when your bait is going down stream with the current as you may get hits then, usually I get hit when I jerk it or on the pause.  

 

 

Have you ever used a zoom boot tail fluke and had any luck do you fish it the same?

[lmbfisherman]

No I haven't used the boot tail version.