I shared a video last week on fishing dams. So, this week I would like to go into a little more detail with a couple of tips on fishing the dam.
Know the type of species you are after on the Dam-Largemouth or Smallmouth.
Why? Because Smallmouth will roam up and down the dam. On really sunny days, you can see them swimming back and forth on the dam hunting. They can be difficult to catch by sight fishing as they can be really skittish. Use the sun and shade to your advantage, and the wind can help to break up the water.
What do you mean by using the sun and shade to your advantage?
Have you ever thrown a bait right into the sun and caught a fish? I have multiple times. What occurs is the fish can see the shadow of the bait; either the fish is looking up or down on the bottom. There will be a shadow of your bait, and he knows it is coming. Make sure your shadow on the water is not in the path of the lure to prevent the fish from seeing it while it is tracking the bait. The next video, I will show you a couple of examples and go into more detail.
Largemouth will relate to something on the dam. Some rocks that stick out a little further or make a point. They will also find some brush, logs and trash that has washed up against the dam. Largemouth will be easier to pattern.
The Conditions
Pay attention to the weather. If the is wind blowing right into the dam, that will help get the bait more active. I have had some awesome days throwing moving baits on the dam with the wind. Be careful and make sure to be watching the boat. The wind can push you up on the rocks really fast.
Calm days or if the wind is not blowing into the dam, the fishing can be tough. You can still catch fish, but you will probably have to use a slow presentation. If you are throwing bottom baits, use a very light weight which can make all the difference. It will help you from getting snagged up all the time.
One trick in the calm water, if you can see the fish in super shallow water, look for the V in the water. Stay back and throw up in front of them. I have done this with kids a lot, and they have a blast. It really works best first thing in the morning in the summer.
Cloudy days can be one of the best conditions for dam; you can blast them all day. I love throwing topwater on cloudy days on the dam.
Map and GPS on depthfinders
Make sure you study the map online (Navionics), on your depthfinder, or paper map. Because all dams are not the same. I have run up to a dam, got out of plane with the boat, and look at the depthfinder and it would say 2ft. The depth can be very shallow in the flats on some dams, especially with low water conditions. You may find, you can fish down a dam and you keep catching fish in one area all the time. When you look at the GPS, you notice there is a change in the dam. The fish are swimming up and down the dam, and stopping at that spot to feed or rest. Always make sure to mark a way point on the depthfinder when you catch a good fish. This will help you to know where to start the next time. It can change year to year. Remember dams get a lot of pressure from fisherman because they can hold a lot of fish. The fish will move up and down them, and they like the easy excess to deeper water.
Next time you go fishing to a pond or lake, don’t forget to fish the Dam.