Dock Shooting Questions?

[jigsbydirk]

What type of docks do you look for when shooting? floating/concrete piers

What depth of water do you look for on the docks?

Are empty slips better than ones with boats in them?


Thanks for your info.

[scoremaster]

am interested with the answers here for the simple reason that almost every dock here in western md is right down on the water we don't have any docks built to stay in all year for the freezing weather in winter would crush them so 99% of our docks are floating .

Scott

[CrappiePappy]

What type of docks do you look for when shooting? floating/concrete piers
What depth of water do you look for on the docks?
Are empty slips better than ones with boats in them?
Thanks for your info.

I shoot docks on two lakes - Weiss & Watts Bar. Both have stationary docks on poles. Even floating docks, there, have stationary poles that the docks are hooked to (they can slide up/down with water level changes). But, you "can" shoot a floating dock, as long as there are big enough gaps between the floatation. And the slips (covered or uncovered) are easy enough to shoot into, but most floating docks have cables & submerged framework. I haven't shot a jig under a floating dock enough to really give you much in the way of comparison.

Black Crappie seem to be the specie caught most often, early Spring (prespawn) and Fall, on Watts Bar ... and they're usually on the deeper water docks (>10fow). In Spring - If/when White Crappie come into the docks, the smaller ones may come to shallower water docks, but the larger ones seem to stay out on the deeper brush/water surrounding them. In the Fall - Black Crappie are hanging around docks, waiting on Shad schools to wander by. Again, they're generally on deeper water docks.

In Spring - on Weiss, however, one can find either/both species under docks, and they don't seem to have to be quite as deep as those on Watts Bar. I don't have very much experience on Weiss, to draw from, though. Could possibly be that the water clarity on Weiss is more stained than WB usually is.

Generally, I look for a dock with at least 10fow at the front posts, minimum. That's relative to the lake, water clarity, though, as well as the species you're most likely to encounter (at that particular time of year).

Empty slips are better than ones with boats in them, in only one way ... ease of getting a bait into it :p BUT ... if that boat is a pontoon, then it's the same as if the slip wasn't there. I shoot under pontoons, whether they're moored in a slip, or tied alongside.

All this info is relative to my experiences, and the lakes/times I fish them. Others, that fish these lakes (or other lakes), may differ in their preferrences.

... cp

[KrappieKrane]

I'm no expert but this is what I've learned so far. The summer is my best time to shoot docks. Overcast days, forget it. Look for the bluebird sunshine days and look for docks that have the most shade to offer a fish. Whether it is the covered boathouse or a large walkway, look for the darkest water you can find. With that pay attention to the location of the dock related to the sun. Catch the dock that gets the shade first in relation to the position of the sun and the time of day. Also, I've found that the closer the dock is to deep water and the channel, the better. And remember, hit every corner and crevice you can get a jig in. I hope this helps. Rollcaster...........................

[CrappiePappy]

I'm no expert but this is what I've learned so far. The summer is my best time to shoot docks. Overcast days, forget it. Look for the bluebird sunshine days and look for docks that have the most shade to offer a fish. Whether it is the covered boathouse or a large walkway, look for the darkest water you can find. With that pay attention to the location of the dock related to the sun. Catch the dock that gets the shade first in relation to the position of the sun and the time of day. Also, I've found that the closer the dock is to deep water and the channel, the better. And remember, hit every corner and crevice you can get a jig in. I hope this helps. Rollcaster...........................

and I'd only add one thing : the closer the dock is to the water's surface, the darker the shade
And while that may present a little bit of a problem, accuracy wise, by having a smaller window of opportunity to get a jig under there ... the chances of Crappie being there, is much greater than under a dock that's more open. And the chances that they'll be suspended shallower, is also greater.

... cp

[wvspec]

Dark Shade is one of the keys. Depth of water, structure, etc all play factors. But all lakes are different. Get the jigs wet and you will start to put a patern together. Same lake two days in a row can be different because of clouds.

Big thing is count the jig down and watch the line.

[LSUguy]

I don't own a boat but I have found plenty of nice crappie the last few weeks under docks by laying down at the edge of the dock with arm extended out holding the rod underneath and just jigging around the beams and up under the main body of the dock usually where the line of shade and sun meet each other verticle jigging about 4-5' down. It's upped my daily count easily by 7-10 fish.

[jigsbydirk]

Thanks for your tips, attached is a Google shot of the docks I am trying to fish. Where would you try first. This is an old pic and the lake is full now so what looks like dirt in this pic is now water. Thanks again.

[old fuzzy]

there is some good tips on the on the midwest crappie show about fishing pontoon boats/docks,,here on loz not all docks are equal as not all have the correct depth/brush,most all have brush but as you know the depth is the key

[CrappiePappy]

Thanks for your tips, attached is a Google shot of the docks I am trying to fish. Where would you try first. This is an old pic and the lake is full now so what looks like dirt in this pic is now water. Thanks again.

That's a whole dang Marina :p

If you are allowed to fish there, I'd just start at one end and work my way to the other. That solo dock (top right of pic) would be as good a starting place as any. Time of day/Sun position, time of year, and water depth would be the determining factors for whether or not the fish would be there, and where. I'd concentrate on any pilings/poles, pontoons, difficult to get to dark places under the main buildings, and branch out from there.
What I'm mostly used to shooting under, is private docks ... not a 1/2mile long Marina ... LOL!!

... luck2ya ... cp