"Dock Talk" - What are your opinions regarding this, does it help or hurt your fishing?

Dock Talk

For myself the meaning of the phrase "dock talk" is fishing information in which you either directly discuss with other anglers at the dock, the boat ramp, or anytime where you might overhear other anglers conversations in regard to their day on the water. This type of information is sometimes hard to avoid hearing whether it is while you're standing in line at one of the marinas waiting to pay, having a meal at a local restaurant, or when preparing your tournament tackle for the next days fishing in a hotel parking lot alongside other anglers whom are doing the same. It seems nearly inevitable that you will overhear fisherman talking about what is or what is not working for them during your trip to a popular fishery. In the beginning of my quest to become a professional bass fisherman I often times felt that this dock talk was very valuable information that could greatly increase my odds of being successful on the water but over last 25 years I have come to the realization that dock talk, at least for myself, is nearly useless.

I've never been able to replicate another anglers fishing success based on dock talk, NEVER. Someone could tell me exactly where they caught their fish at today, what lures they were using, what the weather conditions were like and I could try to replicate those actions the very next day and most likely would not be successful in doing so. This is the primary reason behind why I'm now so comfortable with sharing detailed fishing information with other bass anglers. The only part of dock talk that seems to help me is specific information regarding water clarity, if there is any aquatic vegetation present, and the current water temperatures. I've always found that I am able to have much more productive days on the water when I completely do my own thing and focus on fishing my strengths. Having said that I do know of some anglers whom can take this dock talk and use it to their advantage with good results. Relying on any dock talk has always seemed to greatly hinder my fishing success. I've always been curious if anyone else has as much trouble as I do trying to use "dock talk" in order to catch more fish or is it just me? Thanks for your replies, I look forward to hearing the opinions of other anglers regarding this topic.

Your thoughts line up exactly with mine.

Water conditions-talk seems to be reasonably accurate and helpful, but "fishing" info has always been useless for me.

I can say dock talk is really useful on tournaments on major rivers that have locks and generation schedules. On big Arkansas river tournaments, everyone in the lock first thing in the morning will often collectively agree on a time to lock back through and the lockmasters are usually appreciative and will make accommodations as long as commercial traffic doesn't come in. You can also usually overhear reasonably accurate chat about generation schedules in the morning.

Honestly, I'll allow anyone to tell me what they want and don't take it to heart. I'll try things out for sure, but only AFTER I've run my process.

I've had a few trips where dock talk has salvaged a day for me. But not enough that I listen with intent to only fish that way.

As for the comments on water conditions, wind, etc...that's the most helpful part.

it can be entertaining

I keep to myself and talk low when in public places before a tournament. That being said, everyone has their own approach and different strengths so what works for them probably won't work for me anyway and vice versa. I do enjoy talking to guys afterwards to see what worked for them that day. It's always amazing how many times I've done basically the same thing as someone else and either they whacked them and we sucked or vice versa

Completely ignore it.

I love it in the sense that it gets in most everyone else's heads though.

Like you said its hard to "not" hear it. Or have someone just randomly volunteer it lol. As to the helpful info things like- this creek arm/lake section was muddy/clear or man the current was really strong here is useful. I have tried to replicate patterns on just fun fishing days that other really good friends have suggested that worked the day BEFORE and its usually Not very helpful no matter how Good/Reliable the info was. I used to so be locked in on what "color" the bass were biting but come to find out they were usually biting whatever color happened to come across them and yet I'd be making last minute trips to tackle shops buying that specific color for the lake!!

never hurts to listen,you never know when something might help you during a tourney...several years ago was fishing redman/bfl regional on Seminole which is my home lake....I hadfound couple of areas with what I thought was enough fish to do well in the tourney...a buddy had told me that he had found a few fish up in spring creek and told me where they were in case. I needed them...I got really lucky because I caught couple of good fish in my area then both my areas just dried up....with couple hours left,I ran up to the area my buddy told me about and in just a few minutes caught three good keepers...went back next day and culled all day long and ended finishing second and qualifying for all American....(bought my buddy a nice G.Loomis flipping stick for helping me after I asked tourney director if it was ok to do so)....
always tried to find my own fish and catch them my way but also tried be observant and consider everything I saw and heard about a lake.....

What interests me in dock talk, is water clarity, temp, depth, exterior conditions and what part of lake....south, Mid, north or River....using rayburn as an example, because what is working south will not work north and I use it to try and eliminate water basically. This type of information is really difficult to misconstrue as opposed to someone saying they caught them on T-Rig 10" worm, but it was really crankbait.

Like you said, they give you the bait, the location, how to line up and how to work the bait and they maybe using 12lb and you are using 20 their definition of working it slow maybe to let it sit 15 secs vs what's your definition. If they say slow than I will ask how slow. I don't care about spots, while they could be advantageous, they do change, but prefer areas like South, Mid, North or River...again I prefer to use the info to eliminate water, which will help me focus more on other areas.

Just like during the spawn, you know a north end typically will spawn first, so you will spend more time north end than south end.

At our club meetings we have our 1st, 2nd, 3rd place teams discuss how they caught them at the previous tourney and they will talk a bit, but it amazes me when they the info they give is generic, as some members will not ask detailed question or they don't know how....so I will ask details like, color, depth, retrieve speed, line, weight used, with wind, into the wind, what type of worm, what part of lake, shallow to deep, deep to shallow...etc etc....Because I want to know what I did differently that did not work or was I doing the same thing and missed something.

Just my .02

McGee Creek in Oklahoma is my home lake, and I agree with most of the posts. I don't start out with info I pick up at the dock simply because presentation of a bait can make all the difference in whether you catch fish or not, so without knowing exactly how a bait is being presented to the fish, someone can catch fish while someone else won't, even though it is the same bait being used by both anglers. I have been catching fish, and my fishing buddy in the boat with me, can't get a bite, even though we are using the same bait, because I'm using a presentation a little different than he is using. I'm sure all of you guys have had this happen.

I usually dig myself into a deep enough hole with my preconceived ideas without help from dock talk.

I will listen to what somebody says, and take some tidbits away like depths or something but 99% of the time I just go do my thing. Sometimes I try what they say. Much more enjoyable figuring it out my way

Which is probably why “it never works”! Haha.

It’s my favorite time of the day, personally. I wouldn’t give a real clue to another angler....not on tourney day. I will, however, cleverly disguise wrong information to make it sound like a fantastic idea. Like I said. It’s my favorite time of the day.

I even go as far as rigging up sucker baits for display on the deck of the boat. Just for the “lookiloos”.

Afterwards, and this is great, I tell anyone and everyone what I caught them on....how, when, where, etc....and they totally don’t believe any of it. Hahaha.

This is why I’ve never understood the no info rules in tournaments.

Ignore

Not really dock talk, but what I used to do is read the fishing reports for that lake and all the lakes around it to get a general sense of what the fish were doing. My first time on Palestine I had read a few reports on Rayburn, Toledo and a few other lakes in the general area and almost every single report mentioned wacky worms. I tied on a wacky worm and by the end of the day, on a tough lake w LMB virus going on, scratched out a nice limit.

I don't know if "dock talk" has ever helped me or not. I guess I do take into consideration what other anglers will tell me, but I (we) base our fishing on more than just what we have heard or read. I will share what I have been doing and what has or has not been working with anyone. I have even given away some of the soft plastics that have been working to folks I have talked to at the launch. The satisfaction I get from helping someone catch a fish is as great as when I catch a fish myself. But that is just me.

Most of the wordage in rules for the tournaments I've fished didn't prohibit information sharing between competitors so at least the tournament morning chatter between waiting boats in the water would be ok.

Though, I agree the no-info rule is generally loaded with grey areas and room for differences in interpretation.

never helps me at all. i have to figure iut out myself or it just doesnt work out. plus its really satisfying when i do figure it out myself. i think its worth it

Agreed. Nice job.

The ones that I wouldn't mind getting a little insight from are tight lipped and the ones that can't catch a cold are the ones flapping their gums.