Boat Docks

[TLBassin]

Here recently I have learned how to skip a lure fairly well under docks and pileings and things of that sort.  I haven't had much luck on the catching end of the skill though.  I was using a tube lizard (watermelon/red) and a lizard also.  Does any one have any suggestions on lures or other techniques that could improve my catch on getting up under the docks     ???

[jbh3]

I fish docks a lot. My bait of choice about 95% of the time is a tube in a natural color rigged with a 1/8 oz. insert head. I use the BPS tubes and WalMart heads. Both are cheap and you will lose some. I will also skip a floating worm and 4" Senko. I present these with a 7' medium All Star and Symetre 4000 with 10 P-Line Fluoroclear. All that being said, I think getting your lure back under the dock is the main thing. Concentrate on the pilings and don't overlook the back side of the dock. The lures mentioned above work for me, but what you're using should get you bit, especially this time of year. Keep putting it in there, watch your line, and be ready to jerk!

[hookem19]

i fish only docks because there are a bunch of docks that i can walk to and i don't own a boat, but i usually catch most on a watermelon senko. my friends had seen this same bass over and over again and could not catch it because they were not using senkos. i saw the bass one day and casted near him and he destroyed my senko. put up a hell of a fight.  i take that back it was a watermelon seed yum dinger.  but either way it is a fish catching bait, but it might not be that fun to fish the senkos/dingers, i also use jigs to locate the fish and once i locate the fish i then cast a senko/dinger in the same area and catch two or more fish that way.  

HP

[John Cullum]

I use a 5'9 med/hvy spinning rod for skipping in stained to dirty water. I use a Symetre 2000 with Trilene XL 10 #test. Distance isn't an important as accuracy in stained water. Most dock fish in stained water are less likely to spook than those fish in clear. By using a shorter rod you are less likely to hit a over head shore station or bang your rod tip on something when you setting the hook or fighting the fish. In clear water I use a 6'6 med. You need distance in clear water so you don't spook the fish. Your further away from dock, shore station and other objects so setting the hook won't be a problem.

I will spend as long as it takes to make sure I get the angle I want. Most guys are in to big off a hurry to skip the close to the water docks so those are the ones I really key on. When the don't get it on the first try they tend to move on to the next dock. If a dock is close to the water try to skip the bait as far back as you can. In the spring the docks with metal sea walls or rocks on shore will be better than most others. The sea walls and rocks heat up fatser than the rest of the shoreline. I prefer wood docks over metal ones and posted docks over flaoting ones. If your going into a cove the first and last docks in the coves are usually the best. Docks on points are the same way the first and last are usuallt best. The docks with a deep drop off are good also. In the summer shallow docks in the backs of coves or shallow docks that aren't getting any wind are the best. I know this goes against most bass habits with deeper being better in the summer but I have boated more quality fish form shallow docks that are protect from the wind in the summer than any other dock there is.

I started off skipping a tube with an HP hook and weight system. But the best bait to learn to skip with is probadly aweightless Senko. Just texas rig it and it'll skip a mile and it'll catch fish too. If you practice enough you can skip jigs, lizards, brush hog and most other baits even those with arms or legs. The centipedes,tubes,Slugg O', Senko type baits skip the best thou, because they create less drag. I also was an scent to my bait for added distance I think a bit of slim creates less drag and scent on your plastics is a good idea anyway. I like Mega Strike for this, it's a great scent and will give your bait slick feel.

[Siebert Outdoors]

Here are my favorite skipping lures, that I throw around docks.

chompers with chompers head

fluke

tube

senko

jewel jig.

Out of all of those the fluke and senko skip the best for me.

[Muddpuppy]

Make sure that you work areas like ladders well.  

[bassin4life]

Fluke

worms

jig

grub

spinnerbait

buzzbait

[Danarchy]

I just had to post on this one because I've been spending the last two weeks installing docks and boat hoists for clients in the cold lakes of Wisconsin. One of the methods we use for getting the hoists back into thier proper positions is to find the "wash-out", a deep hole where the bottom gets washed away by the props of the boat being parked. The bigger the boat on the lift, the larger the wash-out. I've caught many large largemouths by dragging a jig into the washout area. Also, the deeper it is below the end of the dock the better, and if the hoists I speak of have a canopy over them, then you've got a prime dock. I've also noticed that pounding docks is usually more productive during the middle of the week. The weekend pressure will send the bigguns out a little bit deeper. But if they like the dock, they shouldn't be too far away from it. If you see any floating rafts, like the 8'x8' platforms used for swimming, don't pass them up. I've caught many bass from these because they provide great shade and are usually anchored above that magic 8 to 10 foot range.

[eyedabassman]

You should use a 6ft. rod for skippin,a short rod works better. the baits I like to skip.

tubes

stone jigs, or the booya skippin jig

senko's

flukes

scum frogs

[TLBassin]

Thanks for all the imput on all the baits and info on the technique,  also another quick ?, after bass spawn how well will they still hold around docks and if not how long will it take for them to return back to holding on them?   Thanks!

[John Cullum]

I fish boat docks all year round.

Depending on the time of year which docks will be the better choices to fish.

[Muddpuppy]

They are hot spots all year around here as well.  They contain most of the elements that attract fish shade, structure, cover.  Those near or in deeper water may produce better in summer and winter.  Also alot around here are baited or have submerged brush placed nearby.

[Bassin101]

I fish docks and docked pontoon boats a lot on my small local lake.  Spider grubs, Senkos, TRigged worms work well.  I usually start on the shady side in "the angle" formed by the dock and the shoreline.  Cast as close to shore as possible and try to make it a soft landing.  I cast sometimes 5-6 times to the same area.  In early AM and late PM do not hesitate to throw a topwater in the same places, they will bang it!

Good luck.

[Guest silver_thread]

a tube, jig, or fluke.

[OcBass63]

I like to skipp and throw

Choppers Spider Grups

Senkos

Flukes

and jig and pigs

[bassackwards]

theres a small lake I fish sometimes, and they have jon boats at the dock.

wind blows quite heavy, and those boats are always clankin around and makin noise... are fish going to be driven away from the noise or what?

theres only one dock where u can fish at, all bank fishin is not allowed except on the dock. wednesday thru sunday people are constantly fishin from the dock.  they are closed monday & tuesday. so I donno if they would be weary of hangin out there...

but even if that dont matter, will that constant noise drive them away?