Jarrad Fluekiger – In-Depth Wingdams

Here’s an article that kicks off the late summer – fall wingdam fishing season in grand style! Authored by Jarrad “Fireflick” Fluekiger with contributions from James “~H2O~” Holst, this article takes you through the seasons and provides some practical approaches to adding wingdam mastery to your arsenal of fish catching tools.

An In-Depth look at fishing wingdams…Up at the Crack of Dawn!

Jarrad,

Just wanted to say, nice article.

That Article is FANTASTIC!!

I have read it over 4 times now !!

Thanks you guys !!

Good article

Jarrad, that was a pretty good article. Some really good info for anglers who love to fish wing dams.

WOW! and I thought for sure you would write the first ever article on dock presentations for tournament Smallies.
Great article Jarrad!!!! I’m going to have to book you for a Wingdam 101trip this fall buddy.

Good article Jarrad, I’ll read it again.

Great article Jarrad. It has a lot of useful info and is very well written. Good job.

Gator Hunter

Thanks for the great info. I’ve already got the video on the way. This year will be my first time fishing the river since I just moved into the area. All your info has helped me a lot. Hopefully it pays off and puts some fillets in my tummy this next month. Thanks again.

JD

Glad you enjoyed it. Send us a picture of your first big walleye from a wingdam when you get it.

Wow, what a great video! Between the reading on this website and watching the video, I’m gaining more confidence each day. One question though. I got a decent map of pool 4 and don’t see any wingdams marked up near Everts Resort. The only wingdams the maps shows is down my Wabasha. Are there more wingdams up by Red Wing that I should search out, or are they primarly south? My map shows strictly Rip Rap up hear the Lock. Thanks again for your expertise.

JD

There are some wing dams above Red Wing, so stay between the channel bouys when traveling. There are 3 on the dam/roller side that are popular fishing spots this time of year and in the fall. Watch for the tell/tale ripples and you’ll spot them.

There is one additional wing dam, just a hair above the vermilon river outlet. the rest of them, you are right, are south of pepin, wabasha and south of there. I’d still travel the river on the correct side of the bouyies, but they are not marking dam ends. Jack.

Thanks Jack. I found the one above the river the hard way yesterday. Thank goodness I was on a drift. Just below where the river dumps in had a bunch of turbulant water. Is that a 2nd wingdam, or is that just current merging. I did manage 4 keepers…for my first time out there, I’ll take it. Thanks again.

JD

It’s getting to be that time of year. Just thought I would bring this up to the top. You gotta love summer wingdams.

Thanks for the reminder Jarrad! I have read this article about a dozen times since you posted it. I printed it out last year. Great info!

Superb Article!

This is good reading. That transition from late spring to summer time has just seemed to happen in the last few weeks on pool 2. Targeting walleyes on the dams up hear went from finding schools of fish on dams with less current and closer to the shorelines to bounceing around from dam to dam catching just a few fish hear and there. These fish seem to be free to move around with the lower water levels.

Pitching crankbaits and plastics has seemd to slow for me also. Was thinking it might be time to break out the live bait and trying some rigging on the face of the dams. I have never tryed 3 waying the face of the dams yet but it should be interisting. Sounds like maybe a little shorter rod with some backbone might be in order for handling some of the larger weights. Since my last trip pitching plastics and crankbaits produced just a few fish it look like I will be rethinking my approach for fishing summer time wing dams.

Tis the season

Bump

For you new members and lurkers, the article on the link on page 1 here is a great read. If you River fish for walleyes, this is a must read from Touring Pro and IDA Pro Staffer.

Here is an illustration that may help. When Water is high the first wingdam will still hold fish. However look to the inner side of it. As you move down the river to the next dams, walleyes will start moving out further, since the current slowed on the next.

Look for blowout to catch fish. Anchor on the upside of the blowout. Sweep bait into the hole naturally and set the hook.

Great article,

My “research season” has started. Last night I finally watched the 2005 FLW Tour DVD. There is footage of Jarrad talking about his wing dam strategies. It got me pumped about fishing wing dams more than I do now.

Jarrad, thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Sully

Jason,
I’ve been a PWT fan too long–where did you get the 2005 FLW Tour DVD? I wasn’t aware of them being produced.

Thanks, Bob

Bob, you ask a good question. I bought mine at this years FLW League Finals. I looked on the FLW site and didn’t see an order option for the 2005 tape, but did find previous years here. DVD Order

Sully

I just stumbled across this article. Fantastic article! Thank you for writing. Very informative and great details.

I will be doing a seminar on Sunday, Feb. 1 at 11:30 and at 1:00, at the Rochester Sport show, to answer any questions regarding the way I fish wingdams. Feel free to stop in and say hi…