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Thread: Dock Shooting

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    Default Dock Shooting


    Since I don't see anything on dock shooting here. I figured I woulf start the discussion. I have been shooting docks about 9 years now.
    When I started there was not a lot of information out there. At least not a lot I could find. It is the style of fishing I do most of the time.
    The love for fishing is one of the best gifts you can pass along
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    Don't forget to try my "Vertical Casting" method on those docks

    Please Wait... | Cloudflare (click on link for Vertical Casting article)

    Also a little tip that might help keep you from hanging up on limbs & crossbars & such under those docks :

    (copied from one of my old posts)
    " Even weedless jigheads can/do get hung-up, occasionally. Here's a method I learned, that can keep you from hanging up and/or freeing your weedless jighead from a snag (before it hangs into it):

    "One thing that I haven't mentioned lately, that goes along with casting over submerged wood, even with a weedless jighead, is what I call "taking a bow" to avoid getting hung on a branch. Even weedless jigheads can & will get hung, sometimes. This can be avoided, to an extent. When retrieving the jig, usually the line will swing back to you ... and you will notice it at the point where it enters the water (it will continue to get closer to you, as you reel in). When it stays in one spot, as you reel in, that indicates that the line is draped over something submerged in the path of your retrieve. As you continue to reel, eventually the jig will come in contact with that obstacle. As it does, and when the rod tip starts to bend down, a lot of people tend to try and "jerk" the jig over it. That works, sometimes, but quite often - they get hung. I try and avoid getting hung in the cover I'm fishing, so as not to have to break off - disturbing the cover, losing the bait, or alerting the fish to any unnatural conditions. I do this by "taking a bow" - with the rod tip.
    In essence - I wait until the jig comes in contact, and the rod tip starts to bend ... then I drop the rod tip about 6" towards the jig, and in one fluid motion raise the rod tip up towards me about 12". This is not done fast, like a jerking motion ... but, more of a slow drop and lift motion. What this does (or seems to do) is allow the bait to fall away from the obstacle - then when you lift it back (twice as far as you let it fall away) the head of the jig "bumps" the obstacle, and "hops" up overtop of it. Well, most of the time, anyway. The reason I don't drop it down 6" and then lift it up more than 12" - is that I want the jig to clear the obstacle, but remain in the general area. I will work a tree top over, with this method, bumping and bowing and hopping the jig over multiple branches. Another reason I don't pull the jig back more than 12", or reel it back in (once I've cleared the branch) ... is because I've had numerous occasions where I've had a fish hit the jig, once it cleared the obstacle and started coming back towards me. In fact, it's happened often enough that I almost "expect" to get a hit, when "taking a bow" over a branch."
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    Vertical casting. Now that is actually something I was almost doing. Great article that help define some things I definitely needed to know. Explains why sometimes I would see a flash of a fish just before getting my bait to the surface. Now I understand better what “slow” means. So many things to learn and I thank ya all.
    Catch all you can when you can!
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    FISHING REPORT: ‹Caught two docks, 3 trees and a stump- threw them back!
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    On the (main) subject of "dock shooting" .... my best tip is to aim your jig with the line between the rod tip & jig, and aim it with a slight down angle. Point of "splashdown" of your jig should be just in front of the outer edge of the dock (if there's less than a foot of clearance between the dock & water) and just a few inches under the edge of the dock (if there's more than 1ft of clearance). Those are the "spots" you should be aiming your jig at, with the intention of having the jig hit the surface of the water and "skip" well back under the dock. Using a solid body plastic on your jig will aid in getting it to skip across the water (IMHO).

    The best tip I can provide for getting off good, clean shots is to practice your release timing first. You have the jig in one hand & the rod/line in the other, and you want to release the jig first, then release the line AFTER the jig passes the end of the rod. Mess up your release timing and you'll either hit the water in front of you or send the jig sailing over dock (I've sent my jig sailing over the ROOF of the dock on several occasions when first learning the method ) Once you have the release timing down, then practice on your aim.

    I always liked to find docks that had rod holders mounted on them, minnow buckets on them, and/or wire or rope tied to them and hanging down into the water. The wires/ropes are generally an indication that they have a tree or similar cover item on the end of those wires/ropes. Rod holders/minnow buckets are generally an indication that they fish off the dock (whether or not there's a boat moored there). And it's always a good idea to scan the area around the dock, within a good cast's distance (say 40ft away or so), as there are some that place brushpiles out away from their dock, but still within reach of a good cast from the dock.

    And NEVER pass up the opportunity to shoot your jig under a pontoon that's moored at the dock. Just be careful not to hit the big motor !! And if you hang your jig up on the dock or anything at the dock ..... NEVER climb on the dock to retrieve it !! That's trespassing !! Break it off and leave it.
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    Quote Originally Posted by CrappiePappy View Post
    On the (main) subject of "dock shooting" .... my best tip is to aim your jig with the line between the rod tip & jig, and aim it with a slight down angle. Point of "splashdown" of your jig should be just in front of the outer edge of the dock (if there's less than a foot of clearance between the dock & water) and just a few inches under the edge of the dock (if there's more than 1ft of clearance). Those are the "spots" you should be aiming your jig at, with the intention of having the jig hit the surface of the water and "skip" well back under the dock. Using a solid body plastic on your jig will aid in getting it to skip across the water
    I do it the same way. On floating docks or docks close to the water. If you hit the water at too steep of an angle it will usually skip you into and over the structure supporting the dock. Most of the time when that happens you have donated a jig. . I see a lot of docks with jigs and lines hanging from them. It is an indication that people are shooting the dock for some reason. I try my best not to leave a jig where someone will get hurt by it. I use braid exclusively for shooting. I can most of the time pull the jig free. I would hate to leave something for someone to get hurt on
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    Now I have to find some docks, thanks for sharing your wisdom fellas.
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    Quote Originally Posted by BuckeyeCrappie View Post
    Now I have to find some docks, thanks for sharing your wisdom fellas.
    This is a good time of year to do it
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    What size braid do you use mostly??
    DEAD AS FRIED CHICKEN

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    The smallest I can get. I like the 8lbs 1lbs diameter when I can find it. 10lbs 2lbs diameter is what I use most of the time.
    The love for fishing is one of the best gifts you can pass along
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  10. #10
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    Well hopefully I can get out and practice on some docks this weekend. You guys have helped me so much about this way of doing things. I can almost do it consistently now. For me that means I get it in the water most of the time! I do want to do some with slip bobbers and live bait but this dock thing is so addicting!
    Catch all you can when you can!
    An old man in his old boat having fun!
    FISHING REPORT: ‹Caught two docks, 3 trees and a stump- threw them back!

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