What's the shallowest dock that you would shoot?

I've caught big crappie on docks with 3 FOW in front to less than 12 inches in the back. This was in February too.

Nice! We've recently had a bunch of newer docks built on Lake Nac in a little deeper water. I've really never tried it much here, but I'm gonna give it a go when the slow down on brush after the early morning bite.

I would do the opposite Jacob. Hit those docks first thing just to see.

Ok! I was under the impression that they went to the docks when the sun was high for shade/cover. I will try the docks first, then the piles.

My thinking was like your initial thought. I do best on docks from 10:30 to 1:30. More shade the better. Same with north /south bridges.

Jacob, I would give those new docks a quick look but you'll probably find the older docks hold more fish. Jason Burton & I fished docks yesterday with only 4 1/2 fow at the front and caught some nice fish. As for the time of day, I was told (by the MASTER SHOOTER HIMSELF) to hit docks on the East bank of the lake at daylight, and not just up under the boathouse but fish may even be out front in the long morning shadow.

This was my only dock shooting success.

Oh no!!!!
The Crappie Magnet is now a Green Trash Fish Magnet as well... Keep shooting those docks Jacob, you'll find fish there and when you do it's the most fun you'll have fishing for crappie... My favorite way to fish...
Jigum

Better luck next time
I've never done real great shooting docks, as such I hardly spend much time doing so now
Guess I need to go with a "GURU"

Them green fish fry up purty good to.........not as good as crappie but purty good lol!

You can't dock shoot Joe Pool, as the marina docks float on the water. But you can find them in the shadows created by the walkways if you lower your lure down the side of the walkway.

A lot of slip holders have trap doors cut into their decks at the front of the slip so they can fish under the deck. They simply raise their trap doors to catch crappie.

One slip holder showed me how she did it last March. She has a portable drill that she uses to remove the screws holding the decking down. She remove a board, fishes that area, replaces the board and moves to another section to remove another board. I don't know what the marina will say if they see her doing this but she says it works and she will do it until told she can't.

So where there is a will there is a way.

For what it is worth. I used to fish Weiss lake in Alabama twice yearly, Feb & Oct for 3 days. We stayed at JR's Marina and was fishing minnows around and under docks one morning. JR's son, who was a guide was fishing a bass tourney and told us to toss the minnows back in the lake and "shoot the docks". With advice, he picked up and 5 ft spinning rod with a locally made jig and shot it under the dock. Crappie #1 in the boat. He spent 15 mins with us and by days end we had 25-30 nice crappie. It is definitely the most exciting method for catching them. The thrill of the Thump that you just know is coming never gets old. Some owners on the lake strung wire across the front of their docks, impeding access. One of our favorite docks had hung I/Outdoor carport around the edge of dock to within 4" of lake surface. It was so tempting that one day I eased up to the edge and lifted the carpet up over the top of deck and backed off for 15 minutes. After 30 minutes we had boated 20 very nice crappie. We carefully repositioned the carpet and moved on. Stay with it...you WILL BE rewarded?

Without question, dock shooting is my favorite too. Good equipment helps a lot and I've tried many makes and models of rods, reels and baits over the years. Currently I use a 5 1/2' WMS56L light power fast action rod with a WMS100 spinning reel with 6# mono. With this combo I can shoot a 1/16th oz jig out the back of any dock on CCL.
That's about $75 for the rod and reel so not too expensive and works really well.
I'm pretty sure Ernest has a good video out and I know Wally has had a couple of TV shows that are great too. It takes a lot of practice to learn how to control jig placement but, is well worth the time spent learning.
We catch a lot of LMB's and cats under docks as well as crappie. I was with Guy Skinner a few years back and watched him haul a 22lb cat into the boat from under a dock with 6# mono!!! Now that is fun! I was also shooting a dock with Jigum a few years back and watched him pull 15 crappie in a row before he missed on the 16th shot. We limited out on that one dock that day in about an hour or less!
Summer shade is typically the best but, you can find a few most anytime of the year if you'll give it a try.

If they are recent (last 6 months) it could take time to get constant fish under them. Maybe help them out and bait them. Keep shooting them though. Usually a nice one sitting under there.