Mississippi Wing Dam Locations

[Suzuki]

Does anyone know where I can get a map of the wing dams between Hastings and Redwing? Is it true they are at every channel marker?

[TrollerMan]

Try the US Army Corps of Engineers in St. Paul. The Corps map is the most detailed and accurate map of the river. The map is actually in chart book form and if memory serves costs about $35.
A bit pricey but well worth it in terms of authoritative info.

[troutaholic]

While most are channel buoys are located on wing dams there are some that are not - most notably daymarkers. The important thing to note is that NOT EVERY wingdam has a buoy on it!!

Stay between the red and green bouys when driving and when you find a wing dam to fish turn straight or parallel to the wing dam off the main channel. The boat will probably be pointed directly at the shoreline.

[Dave in Mpls]

Suzuki-

I have a set of the Upper Mississippi Navigational Charts from the Army Corp Of Engineers. Send me an e-mail.

Regards

[eyepopper]

Suzi,

Although the Corps maps are pretty good, they're of such a scale (1'= 3000') where they're cumbersome to use to locate wing dams. As, Troutaholic sez, the buoys aren't a reliable indicator either. In my opinion, the best way to locate wing dams is to learn to read the surface of the water. Except during periods of extremely high water, you'll see a disturbance on the surface about 30' downstream from the top of the wing dam, along its entire length. When the wind is calm, this disturbance will appear as small "boils" and "swirls". When the wind blows upstream, the disturbance appears as waves that are larger than the surrounding waves. A down stream blow makes them kinda hard to detect, especially if the wind is strong.

A little more advice and I'll get off the "box". The water depth is not consistant over the tops of all wing dams. Some you can drive over, and others will steal your lower unit. The only way to tell is with a depth finder, so refrain from WOT over the top until you check then out. One more thing to watch for is closing dams. Similar in construction to wing dams, but they're located across the side channels and sloughs that feed backwater areas.

Hope this helps.

[Crossin' Eyes]

I fish alot between St.Paul and Hastings and have found the channel marker theory to be true more often than not.
Fishing Hot Spots puts out maps for each pool of the Mississippi.
Gander Mountain has a good selection of them.
Good Luck!

[Suzuki]

Thanks Everyone. If you ever plan on fishing the stretch down stream from Prescott some week-night drop me a line and maybe we could bump into each other out there and team up to find some good water and pattern.

Mike
myager@avaya.com

[Finner]

Hey Mike,

Don't think I'd go as far Prescott during an evening jaunt but I would certainly put in at the landing at 494 or there abouts for an afterwork shot. I was just down at Redwing this weekend for the first time, (Peppin/Maiden Rock what a fishery) I had a blast and would do that again on a weekend. Let me know if your interested....

Bob

[Crossin' Eyes]

Hey guys, I know no one invited me but.... (smile)
I would be game for either the river or Pepin. I have fished both with some success and would enjoy the company. I live in Inver Grove and am only 5 minutes from the 494 access.
Drop me a line if you're interested. mlee@sportsmansguide.com

Good Fishin'

[TrollerMan]

Add me to the Mississippi go-to list! After work shots, Pool 2, Pool 3 or Pool 4 for fun and fish (perhaps a gentleman's wager:-)).
I live out by Lake Waconia - also a good walleye and mixed bag lake.
msdosch@mn.rr.com

[Crossin' Eyes]

Hey Troller.
I have fished Waconia a couple times with very little success. I would like to go out there with someone who knows the lake. How's the water quality right now? A little green??
Drop me a line regarding an evening trip on the Miss. My boat is only 5 minutes from the landing.

mlee@sportsmansguide.com

[Suzuki]

Update: I went out last night and was easily able to locate many wing dams from the information you guys sent. I boated over a few to get the feel for their exact location and depth. Eyepoppers info was right on. Unfortunately I did not catch any fish on the many wing dams I fished. However I did save the night by picking up some decent bass on the rip rap casting cranks. The biggest was 17". Not bad. I like how intimidating the Mississippi is in this area. The current is so strong and the water so murky it is spooky. That must be why there is little fishing pressure up and down that stretch. Hardly any boaters either. I plan on getting to know it better. Thanks again.

[rvvrrat]

The reason for the lack of pressure is that you were out on a weeknight. The boating activity is a WHOLE lot different from Friday night till Sunday night.

Pete

[Suzuki]

LAST EDITED ON Jul-18-01 AT 07:18AM (CST)[p]Your right. I was comparing it to the St. Croix. I avoid the river on summer weekends unless I really have the bug. Then I go early in the morning.

[Waterfowler]

Hey guys, can I come out and play too?? I just fished Pool 2 for the first time Sunday night. Caught about 12 eyes/sauger in a couple hours pulling plugs. Never got to far from the landing(Hidden Falls). My partner boated a 25" 6.8lb eye. What a hog that was. Anyway, I'll be in a maroon lund Renengade, w/ 90HP johnson on back. Haven't fish Pool 3 yet, but that is next on my list of "learn new water this year".

Hope to see you out there.

[Suzuki]

I sent an email to the guys interested in getting together on the river. Let me know if you didn't receive it.

[Pitts]

I fished Pepin last week and had the scare of a lifetime. I'm kinda new to the river and lake and when I headed north to Redwing and some dinner at the harbor bar I was in the center of the lake and decided to cut over to the channel that was marked for the barges on the west side. Can you say sand bar!!!!
Thank god I was going about 20 mph instead of wot or it would have been a lot worse. My first clue that I was in trouble was the trees sticking out of the water in front of me and thats why I slowed to begin with. Ended up jumping out and pushing for 50 yds and then idled the rest of the way off. No damage except to my underware. That was a cheap lesson for me I should have known that the high water would have dumped that much sand in the lake right there.
I do love to fish the river and we did hook up to 3 nice saugers at maiden rock before our fiasco. With the wind it was hard to tell we had them on the boards do the tattleflags work in 3 ft waves?
If someone would organize it I would be willing to fish with you fellas as well.

Keep fishing

Pitts

[Crossin' Eyes]

Where is Hidden Falls Waterfowler??

[Waterfowler]

Pitts,
You are more than welcome to join our assualt on the river. I've fished Pepin quite a few times this year, but haven't been up in the river sections much yet. I went up there one day on July 2 and the current was still way too strong. I got pushed around pretty good and decided to head south before I screwed up something on the boat. I'll be out on Pool2 tonight after work. Email me at waterfowler@mailcity.com if you're interested in hooking up with us next week. Is your name Mike by chance? I hope not, we already have 3 other mike's in the group. I'm gonna be confused enough.

John

[Waterfowler]

Easiest way to hidden falls from Burnsville(where I come from). I take 35E north to shepard road. Take Shepard road exit. Take a left onto shepard. It turns into Mississippi Blvd or Lane. Follow this until you see a hidden falls sign on your left. The first gate is closed for construction, continue on until you get to the second gate on the left.

[Suzuki]

LAST EDITED ON Jul-20-01 AT 08:30AM (CST)[p]...

[Pitts]

John I did not recieve your E-mail send one to me pitsenbg@charter.net

Pitts