Extreme heat day dock fishing lure choice?

[Weedless]

I'm able to go out this Friday and it's going to be one of the hottest days of the year so far. 

 

I dont really dock fish much but want to keep learning. Thinking about fishing shade and starting on docks. I feel like they won't be very aggressive but will strike if it's close and looks good.

 

Would you fish a jig? And with a heavy action trailer that falls slowly or slower action trailer that sinks faster? What's the deepest dock ends you fish with a jig?

 

What do you recommend to use with deepest docks like 10-20' dock ends?

 

I have more questions than time to fish...

 

Thanks.

[Drawdown]

I’d honestly go with a Neko or Shakeyhead with a worm that’ll stick its tail up or have neutral buoyancy (Zoom Trick Worm equivalents; Z-man worms, etc).
Easy bait to deadstick and twitch in place, or mess with the rate of fall by changing weight. That’s probably what it will take—staying in their face but having the ability to tweak the amount of action you put on it.

[Weedless]

My partner fishes the NEKO 95% of the time and always does ok to solid, but never puts big fish in boat with neko. 

I have used shakey a fair amount and do ok and it also seems to never put bigger fish in boat either....but most those times weren't on docks nor extreme heat. Thanks. 

[MediumMouthBass]

There was a video on YT yesterday where the guy was talking about the biggest bass will eat the biggest baits at the hottest part of the day and to cast into the shade, so definetly fish a jig try a slower fall and a faster fall. But for other baits, swimbaits, shakey head with a big worm, 1/8oz or lighter ribbon tail worm on a t rig are my suggestions.

[PhishLI]

Skipping a 6" weightless wacky rigged senko is sometimes just what the doctor ordered. If they're not hitting jigs, then give that a try.

[IcatchDinks]

Ned Rig. Drop Shot. Whacky Rig. 

[LrgmouthShad]

So you’re set on docks? I like em too. I would be skipping both a jig and a t-rig under 

[papajoe222]

LOL, you'll be getting a bunch of varied responses based on ones individual success. Fisrt thing to consider is which docks to target and those would be the ones closest to deeper water. A dock sitting in 5ft. of water with 15ft. within casting distance of it is an example. As you mentioned, target the shade, be it under or to the side or front of the dock. Depending on your casting skills, there are any number of baits you could get under a dock, but if pitching, or skipping isn't your strong suit, try tuning a crankbait to run left or right (I keep one of each tied on) and run it under the dock. CHECK YOUR LINE OFTEN! and retie frequently.

[rangerjockey]

Slab spoon

[Fishin Dad]

We fish docks all the time around here.  They are from 2’-8’ on the docks ends.  I agree with PhishLI, I throw a jig most of the time, but a weightless stick bait is a,ways ties on as well.   They will tell you what they want.  The key around here is to find where they are located on the docks.  Lately they have been between the dock and boat lift.  Usually about a 6”-12” gap to pitch into.  Once they bite, the challenge is on.  Last week I got bit on 8 out of 9 docks this way.  Broke off 2 with 20 pound fluoro.   Like Papa Joe said, I had to re-tie after each catch, but man, it is my favorite way to catch fish.   Sometimes, they are under boat lifts and you have to skip way up under them.   Other times, they are under the shalllow walkways.   We usually fish the first few docks very thorough to see where most are hanging out.  Good luck!!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.   I love to battle bass, Wrenching them out of docks or flipping in the Milf.  

[gim]

Early in the morning they may not be directly under the dock.  I will use a moving lure and burn it along the sides to try and aggrevate a strike.  Something like a spinnerbait works well as the frame bumps into a post and is often a trigger.  As it warms up and the sun rises, you will likely have to get the lure into the shade though.

 

I primarily use two presentations when skipping docks: a tube and a wacky rigged stick bait.  Most of the docks I fish are relatively shallow underneath (like less than 4 feet), so there's no need to add any weight.  If I had docks in deeper water, I'd use a neko which is essentially a wacky with a nail weight.

 

I do not use any hardbaits or jigs around docks anymore.  They are too loud when they bump into the dock, post, lift, etc.  Imagine a ball of lead smacking into the float portion of a pontoon.  Half the lake is going to hear it.  If a soft plastic hits, there is no noise.

 

This has come up before, but its worth mentioning again.  Be respectful around boat docks.  They are private property and many of the owners have a lot of invested into their docks, lifts, covers, and boats.  I personally do not fish any docks that have people present either.  Not worth the risk of getting hung up right in front of them and creating a potential argument or confrontation.

[Bird]

Biggest fish I've ever caught on docks was flipping jigs to outside pillars.

Two really good skipping baits are Senkos and flukes.