As the sun rises on both sides of Beaver Dam you have the beauty of two different scenarios where we have all from saltwater fish to warm water fish and cold water fish. There’s not too many places in this world where can you catch all three.
The cool water on the river side as the fog lifts off the water can catch you a limit of trout from the bank or a boat. Bank fishing can be very relaxing, just find you a nice spot to sit, put a worm on a hook with a bit of power bait in the tip and let it sit on the bottom.
Best places are right below the dam, below the bathrooms in the first campground, Parker Bottoms, Houseman Access and all the boat launch sites with Houseman being the deepest water.
Mornings are best for bank fishing now with the water moving slow, then afternoons can produce with a float downstream after they start generating which has been about 1 p.m. Small flies, jigs, spoons, rooster tails or small crankbaits trolled can catch you some nice trout and maybe even a walleye if you come downstream into the deeper waters.
The sunrise from the other side of the dam gives you a great sunrise as it comes over. From the dam side of the lake you’re in water up to around 200 feet deep that’s running around 85° now which draws the bait and the stripers up to the dam area for the coolest water.
You might see some surface activity early so keep a topwater plug tied on but best to get some bait down from 28 to 40 foot deep below the thermocline. Big gizzard shad work best now but brood shiners and sunfish can also put a big fish in your boat. Most are being caught from the dam to Point 5 now.
Best fishing is off the long tapering flats and the bigger deeper coves, early, in water from 28 feet deep to where it starts dropping deeper at the edge of the river channel. Find the big balls of shad on your graph and drop the bait.
As the sun gets higher move towards the deeper water off the bluffs. Enjoy the water. Mornings and nights are best now for most your warm water fish except the sunfish, which love the sun and the shallow brush, so you can always give a kid a pole, some worms and a float, find some shade and make them happy. Then find a swimming hole.
Johnson Guide Service. (479) 253-2258 fishofexcellence.com