Posted By: LeonSulak
How do you fish docks? - 09/20/20 12:40 AM
For spring and fall.
Just seeing how people choose to dissect them, where you start, what part of the water column, and what baits.
Thanks
Posted By: undercover
Re: How do you fish docks? - 09/20/20 12:42 AM
One at a time!!! couldnt resist!
Posted By: Mo_Cat
Re: How do you fish docks? - 09/20/20 01:50 AM
Simple question, difficult answer. I live @ Lake of the Ozarks, dock capital of the world. Our docks are floating docks anchored to shore with cables. You gotta be a good skipper to effectively fish our docks, or most any dock. In the Spring, the bass will spawn behind the docks, often under the walkway or beside the concrete pier that supports the walk way. Might be 2 cables between you and target. Cast over one and skip under the other. Always use braid, rusted cables are abrasive. Never throw anything around the cables with a treble hook. In the Summer bass relate to docks for shade. The shady wind blown side of the dock will always be best!! During low light hours they are loose to the docks and you can use jigs, topwater, swim bait down the sides and across the front, run and gun. When the sun comes out the fish retreat far under a dock but often stay shallow, just under the flotation. This is when you have to skip a jig between the flotation, under swim decks, under pontoon boats. The further back in the darkness you can skip it, the better you are. You can pitch and flip around the edges and in the wells but it's not as effective as skipping. In the fall when the shad start moving the fish will often stage on the front dock corners waiting for a meal, especially on a cloudy day, A fluke or Head Knocker Buzz Bait works great, spook or Yellow Magic also work great. In winter if the dock has good depth Mega Bass Vision 110 around docks edges and fronts is pretty effective.
Posted By: Greg W
Re: How do you fish docks? - 09/20/20 05:25 AM
Simple question, difficult answer. I live @ Lake of the Ozarks, dock capital of the world. Our docks are floating docks anchored to shore with cables. You gotta be a good skipper to effectively fish our docks, or most any dock. In the Spring, the bass will spawn behind the docks, often under the walkway or beside the concrete pier that supports the walk way. Might be 2 cables between you and target. Cast over one and skip under the other. Always use braid, rusted cables are abrasive. Never throw anything around the cables with a treble hook. In the Summer bass relate to docks for shade. The shady wind blown side of the dock will always be best!! During low light hours they are loose to the docks and you can use jigs, topwater, swim bait down the sides and across the front, run and gun. When the sun comes out the fish retreat far under a dock but often stay shallow, just under the flotation. This is when you have to skip a jig between the flotation, under swim decks, under pontoon boats. The further back in the darkness you can skip it, the better you are. You can pitch and flip around the edges and in the wells but it's not as effective as skipping. In the fall when the shad start moving the fish will often stage on the front dock corners waiting for a meal, especially on a cloudy day, A fluke or Head Knocker Buzz Bait works great, spook or Yellow Magic also work great. In winter if the dock has good depth Mega Bass Vision 110 around docks edges and fronts is pretty effective.
surprised you didn't mention drop-shot on the edges and down the shady side.
Posted By: jazz
Re: How do you fish docks? - 09/20/20 01:32 PM
Always fish the shady side and usually get hooked on the drop
Posted By: J.H.S.
Re: How do you fish docks? - 09/21/20 03:09 PM
As slowly and thorough as humanly possible.
Posted By: Reel Addict
Re: How do you fish docks? - 09/21/20 07:14 PM
I target docks by creek channels with rod holders or fishing boats hanging. Then use all the above mentioned techniques.
Posted By: Mo_Cat
Re: How do you fish docks? - 09/22/20 02:37 AM
Simple question, difficult answer. I live @ Lake of the Ozarks, dock capital of the world. Our docks are floating docks anchored to shore with cables. You gotta be a good skipper to effectively fish our docks, or most any dock. In the Spring, the bass will spawn behind the docks, often under the walkway or beside the concrete pier that supports the walk way. Might be 2 cables between you and target. Cast over one and skip under the other. Always use braid, rusted cables are abrasive. Never throw anything around the cables with a treble hook. In the Summer bass relate to docks for shade. The shady wind blown side of the dock will always be best!! During low light hours they are loose to the docks and you can use jigs, topwater, swim bait down the sides and across the front, run and gun. When the sun comes out the fish retreat far under a dock but often stay shallow, just under the flotation. This is when you have to skip a jig between the flotation, under swim decks, under pontoon boats. The further back in the darkness you can skip it, the better you are. You can pitch and flip around the edges and in the wells but it's not as effective as skipping. In the fall when the shad start moving the fish will often stage on the front dock corners waiting for a meal, especially on a cloudy day, A fluke or Head Knocker Buzz Bait works great, spook or Yellow Magic also work great. In winter if the dock has good depth Mega Bass Vision 110 around docks edges and fronts is pretty effective.
surprised you didn't mention drop-shot on the edges and down the shady side.
Drop shot will get you bit along the shady side of docks and wave breaks. However the quality fish are far under the dock in the shade during the summer. Drop shot is very effective in the fall when the fish stage on the outer corners. In the summer the smaller spots will keep you busy with a drop shot along the shady edges.
Posted By: Bassalong
Re: How do you fish docks? - 09/27/20 04:38 PM
Every now and then on this site you get a response like Mo Cat's and some good additional discussion That's why I read this site.
Posted By: Burbarry
Re: How do you fish docks? - 09/28/20 02:55 PM
Simple question, difficult answer. I live @ Lake of the Ozarks, dock capital of the world. Our docks are floating docks anchored to shore with cables. You gotta be a good skipper to effectively fish our docks, or most any dock. In the Spring, the bass will spawn behind the docks, often under the walkway or beside the concrete pier that supports the walk way. Might be 2 cables between you and target. Cast over one and skip under the other. Always use braid, rusted cables are abrasive. Never throw anything around the cables with a treble hook. In the Summer bass relate to docks for shade. The shady wind blown side of the dock will always be best!! During low light hours they are loose to the docks and you can use jigs, topwater, swim bait down the sides and across the front, run and gun. When the sun comes out the fish retreat far under a dock but often stay shallow, just under the flotation. This is when you have to skip a jig between the flotation, under swim decks, under pontoon boats. The further back in the darkness you can skip it, the better you are. You can pitch and flip around the edges and in the wells but it's not as effective as skipping. In the fall when the shad start moving the fish will often stage on the front dock corners waiting for a meal, especially on a cloudy day, A fluke or Head Knocker Buzz Bait works great, spook or Yellow Magic also work great. In winter if the dock has good depth Mega Bass Vision 110 around docks edges and fronts is pretty effective.
Very nice write up. I never thought about them being so far back during spawn. I may have to skip further back during that time of year (which is just around the corner now).