Boat Docks

[Ghostshad]

In a cove with boat docks on both sides, where are the bass more likely to be on the docks with shallow water or docks on the deeper side of the water , this time of year or hot weather ?  GodBless  & Thanks & Tight Lines 

[riverbasser]

I always have better luck with docks near deeper water

[Tracker22]

Hope you don't mind if I butt in but I also have a question about boat docks.

I see guys pitching jigs under docks from the boat; can you pitch jigs under the docks from the dock. Let me explain. Say the dock is twenty slips long. Can I pitch from one slip to the next without having a boat? The ol guys are always crappie fishing on the docks, would there be bass there?

[riverbasser]

I don't see why you couldn't, only one way to know if there's bass there

[lo n slo]

assuming we are talking relatively clean water here. i'm generally hitting the deep water docks, 20-30 fow, off the ends. but that does not mean those fish will specifically be deep, especially if a thermocline has been established. i've seen them right up on the bank near those docks. they'll suspend in the shade zones underneath too. but dont discard those shallow side docks completely. there may be brush or structure there that will be holding fish. if you are hitting an area for the first time, give it a look with the sonar or drag a t rig around each dock. moreso if you see rod holders or a fishing boat moored there. try the areas between docks and off the ends too. you never know where that secret brush pile may be

[buzzed bait]

29 minutes ago, lo n slo said:

. moreso if you see rod holders or a fishing boat moored there. try the areas between docks and off the ends too. you never know where that secret brush pile may be

exactly what i was going to say.  if the dock looks like it belongs to some fisherman, i'll spend a few extra minutes on it!

[flyingmonkie]

7 hours ago, Tracker22 said:

Hope you don't mind if I butt in but I also have a question about boat docks.

I see guys pitching jigs under docks from the boat; can you pitch jigs under the docks from the dock. Let me explain. Say the dock is twenty slips long. Can I pitch from one slip to the next without having a boat? The ol guys are always crappie fishing on the docks, would there be bass there?

Yes, and yes!

[OCdockskipper]

While a majority of the time the deeper docks would be the first choice, it really depends on the lake & what the forage are doing.  

On my home lake, there is a seawall that surrounds the lake and much of the foundation has been undercut over the years.  Bite sized bluegill and green sunfish are always tight to this undercut, in as shallow water as possible.  Often the bass here will hang out under a dock (regardless of the depth), looking towards the seawall and waiting to make a run to flush out the baitfish.  A well presented jig or plastic skipped under the dock into the seawall usually gets bit.

[Ghostshad]

Thanks & add rain to the question & time of day would that change anything ? Thanks for all the help ,I've just retired 3 months ago & my # 1 goal is to " Learn to Fish ",i don't mean go but Learn to Fish . GodBless  & Thanks a Million

[Red Bear]

fish them all, fish will hang out under both just for the shade alone

[Sam]

Docks. They are a challenge.

We have docks that sit close to the water; floating on the water; high above the water; wood docks; metal docks; docks with boats and jet skis tied to them; docks with brush piles and grass around them; docks with piers; docks without piers; docks in shallow water; docks in deeper water; docks with lots of support beams under them; docks with stairs leading into the water; docks with water slides; docks with fishing poles; docks with nothing on them; docks with furniture; docks with people; docks with dogs; docks with people swimming around them; docks with guys fishing off of them; docks with boat houses and junk boats in them; docks with $500,000+ boats in their boathouses; docks with big distances between support beams so it is easy to skip your bait under the dock; docks with close support beams meaning you can't skip your bait under them; docks that get the morning sun; docks that get no sun; docks that get sun all day long; docks on main rivers; docks on creeks; docks on the main lakes; and I am sure the guys can add to this list.

So which types of docks do you have? Let's figure it out. You are in a cove. No high school girls in bikinis. No dogs. No people. Just you, the docks and the bass. You are moving as quietly as you can. Being stealth. Having your rod and reel cocked and loaded. So here is a suggestion: fish 'em all.

Hit them one by one, throwing anything you want. Skip that Senko or shaky head Zoom trick worm under either or both. Fish out from the dock. fish parallel to all three sides. Throw to where the dock/pier hits the bank. Go with a frog all around the dock. Stay on each dock for at least 15 minutes, changing boat angles and your presentations.

Throw a shaky head followed by a Senko under the docks. Run a frog all around the place. Go with a crankbait or your plastics, like a brush hog or lizard or crawfish, dropped by any outside pilings. Get your bait into the shaded areas under the dock.

If you have bluebird skies the bass will be under and around the docks. If you have cloudy skies the bass will be moving all over the place. If water temperatures are high the bass will look for deeper and cooler water. If there is any grass around any dock fish it as the bass will hand out on the grass, stumps and rocks around docks. After the spawn the big ladies will go under docks to recuperate.

Look for docks that have fishing equipment. The people are catching fish, probably catfish or bowfin, but they are actively catching fish and there may be a hidden brush pile around or under the dock.

Lots to know about docks. But no matter how you slice it, the bass love docks and will sit under them for hours, just waiting for you to come by.

Just go out and fish those docks and let us know what happens when you start to throw other baits and techniques.

Now, to answer your query; "are the bass more likely to be on the docks with shallow water or docks on the deeper side of the water?"

Answer: Both. Depends on how close to the water's surface the dock sits. Closer to the top of the water the more comfortable are the bass. Having deeper water near by enhances the dock experience as the bass have a refuge to run to for safety when needed.

So fish both.

Good luck.