Floating Boat Docks

[Tugaloo]

On the lake where I do most of my fishing, there are a good many boat docks, but they seem to be mostly of the floating variety. Rather than a lot of fishable posts & cross-members, there are just some big pontoon-like things that hold up a cover that goes over the boat & the boat is parked between the pontoon-things. Are crappie attracted to this kind of boat dock &, if so, how do you go about fishing them? Is summer the best time for this kind of fishing?

Tugaloo

[Ranger375]

Fishing private docks can some times cause bad feelings. Most people do not object if you are not throwing a heavy spoon and hittin thier boat. Check the docks that have a fish cleaning station or at least minnow buckets or poles setting around. Check out in front of the dock for brush pile.

Will depend on location of deep water. If channel runs close by the dock good chance the crappie will get in the shade of the dock in the summer when water gets above their comfort zone

[bugman]

I fish lake of the ozarks and most of the cover on the lake is boat docks and offer great crappie fishing year round the trick is finding the right ones like ranger said the ones close to the channel are usually best.as far as the boat lifts are concerned they can be great at holding fish especially on sunny days, i fish them in two ways, by pitching a jig along side and letting it fall back to the boat and when i get a bite i pay attention to what depth the fish hit then the next pitch count down to that depth and retrieve slowly back to the boat or use a long jigging pole and reach along side the pontoons and in between them and jig slowly these techniques work for me give it a shot and see what happens.

[CrappiePappy]

floating boat docks offer "shade" .... and that's enough to bring Crappie around them. Some will, of course, be better than others - and at times even that will change. I'd "shoot" them wherever I could get a jig under them ... and swim a jig along all the outside edges. You just never know!

Looking for signs of the dock being used to fish off of is also a good idea -- scout the surrounding area (front & sides) for possible brush piles.

One thing that has got me in good stead with some dock owners (whose docks generally have some fish under them) ... is to ease up to the dock, when the owner is on it, and just have a friendly chat (stop fishing). Once the dock owner understands that you're a careful angler, and polite enough to "make aquaintances" (before fishing around his property) ... they're usually OK with your doing so. And they may even point out where the brushpile is, or tip you off to where some other good spots are. It's happened to me ... more than once. And, if they aren't OK with the idea - then you've avoided a confrontation ... and maybe even given them the idea that "maybe not all anglers are out to destroy his property, or catch all the fish around it". You'd be surprised what a little chat session, hearty handshake, and a little common courtesy will get you ..........luck2ya ...cp

[TAE73]

Looking for signs of the dock being used to fish off of is also a good idea -- scout the surrounding area (front & sides) for possible brush piles.

Dont forget the back side of the dock also. Lots of dock owners will put the brush under walkways and on the inside of the cables. Makes it tougher for fisherman to find it and to get to it. But it can be done by getting the boat close then pitchin to the walkway or under the cable. And along the seawalls, epecially if they are cleaning brush or limbs up around there yard they just toss it over the wall.

[Moose1am]

If there is not much other cover in the lake then the crappie may hang around those type of boat docks to seek shad. The water below that type of dock may be a few degrees cooler than the surrounding waters that are in the direct sunlight.


It all depends on the lake, water depths and other structures avalable to the fish.

docks with cross members make out of wood can be better and they can grow more algae on their surfaces and give the fish a better sense of cover.

You may find that the floating boat dock owner sank some brush piles below or around the dock as many dock owners also like to fish.

Be careful when fishing around other peoples docks and respect their property on or around the dock or the boats tired up at that docks. A jig that tears into a new boat seat cover or that breaks something on a boat can really make the boat dock owners mad.

The state of Kentucky has been passing laws that allow the boat dock owners (marineas) to put out buoys around the marina and if you fish in that area you can be ticketed by the conservation officers. Seems that money talks and the KY legislature has given this water to the marina owners and has put the fisherman out of bounds. It's all about money I guess. There are lots of discussions about this new practice on some lakes in KY on the www.fishin.com web site. I have not been going to that web site as the owners are too far to the right for my tastes and they tend to sensor peoples post in there. But there are good discussions on there from time to time. Just don't talk about mercury in the fish when you go there or you may get booted off the forum.

On the lake where I do most of my fishing, there are a good many boat docks, but they seem to be mostly of the floating variety. Rather than a lot of fishable posts & cross-members, there are just some big pontoon-like things that hold up a cover that goes over the boat & the boat is parked between the pontoon-things. Are crappie attracted to this kind of boat dock &, if so, how do you go about fishing them? Is summer the best time for this kind of fishing?

Tugaloo

[Moose1am]

Great advice there cp.

floating boat docks offer "shade" .... and that's enough to bring Crappie around them. Some will, of course, be better than others - and at times even that will change. I'd "shoot" them wherever I could get a jig under them ... and swim a jig along all the outside edges. You just never know!

Looking for signs of the dock being used to fish off of is also a good idea -- scout the surrounding area (front & sides) for possible brush piles.

One thing that has got me in good stead with some dock owners (whose docks generally have some fish under them) ... is to ease up to the dock, when the owner is on it, and just have a friendly chat (stop fishing). Once the dock owner understands that you're a careful angler, and polite enough to "make aquaintances" (before fishing around his property) ... they're usually OK with your doing so. And they may even point out where the brushpile is, or tip you off to where some other good spots are. It's happened to me ... more than once. And, if they aren't OK with the idea - then you've avoided a confrontation ... and maybe even given them the idea that "maybe not all anglers are out to destroy his property, or catch all the fish around it". You'd be surprised what a little chat session, hearty handshake, and a little common courtesy will get you ..........luck2ya ...cp

[Tugaloo]

I don't know how you would shoot these because they sit down in the water. But I have tried vertical jigging around them without success, but it was in November, so that may be why. I am thinking that if I get my boat fixed & back on the water this summer, I will try vertical jigging about them again. Thanks for the tip about looking for boat docks that are close to a steep drop off. I will also continue to look for brushpiles around them on my old Fish ID II.

About the boat. I have plans, if nothing happens, to take it to a repair shop the Friday after Easter. April 1. The guy asked me if it was an April Fools joke & I told him "No! I want to get it fixed so I can get after some crappies!" He said he doesn't like to work on one as old as mine, but to bring it in & leave it & he would see what he could do."

Tugaloo