I'm going fishing on a river this weekend with a couple of buddy's. we don't have a boat so we will have to fish from shore. the spot we want to fish is close to a dam and the water looks pretty slow with the lack of rain we have had. there is still current and it is split by a big island in the middle. where will the fish be positioned and what lures will catch them? the weather has been pretty warm(70-75) so cold water isnt to much of a factor.

The fish will be positioned right out of the current waiting to food to float by.  I would try weightless soft plastics, soft plastic jerk baits, and regular jerkbaits if the fish seem pretty active.

Rivers are fairly simple to fish. Find your current and fish it. FIsh different kinds of current breaks and you should pcik up a pattern fairly simple. Shallow Running crankbaits, Shake heads, spoons, rattle traps ect. depending on what the water clarity is just use the approiate color.

What kind of fish are in the water?

if i could only have one lure in that situation, it'd be a Carolina rig 1/2 oz weight and zoom magnum finesse worms.