A summer day at the dam, Tailrace fishing at Gavins Point Dam is productive By Larry Myhre
Reprinted from the Sioux City Journal.
YANKTON, S.D. — Summertime fishing below the Gavins Point Dam means variety.
You may be fishing for walleyes, or you may be fishing for catfish, but by day’s end I’m betting you will have caught a large variety of fish.
This was certainly true a couple of days ago when Gary Howey, Hartington, Neb., and I decided to drift the fast water below the power house for channel catfish.
It’s a trip we try to work in at least once every summer.
Lots of channel catfish hold in the fast water, hiding behind the numerous rocks and rock ledges that are found here.
Here’s how we do it. We motor up to the point where boats are not allowed to go any farther and then begin a drift downstream with crappie rigs baited with turkey liver and a 3-ounce bank sinker attached with a rubber band.
It works best if one person keeps the bow of the boat pointed upstream while the other fishes.
A moment of inattention will cause you to snag up.
You must try to hold the rig straight down and raise the rod up or lower it depending on the depth changes.
It’s usually good for a bunch of eating size catfish, but not this day. We caught two before opting out to fish the big eddy below the limestone point.
With the boat tied up we cast jigs and crankbaits and caught white bass, sauger, goldeye, gar, another catfish and several freshwater drum.
It was pretty fast fishing for the hour or so we spend there.
We hadn’t done so well on the catfish, but by changing tactics we were able to have a really fun fishing trip.
That’s why I like tailrace fishing.
There’s always something willing to bite, even if the object of your affection has lock jaw.