Fishing Docks

[IowaBasser]

I fish a private lake in southern Iowa - it's about 450 acres. The lake is man-made with a dam and is 70 feet deep at it's deepest point. There are about 500 homes around the lake and most of the shore line is developed with docks and boat lifts.

This past weekend I was fishing their fall tournament with my Dad. We had the third biggest fish (4 pounds) ...of course they pay for 1st and 2nd biggest fish. We also had the fourth heaviest 4-fish bag (10 pounds 2 ounces) ...of course they pay the top 3 places. We finished just out of the money on both accounts. My Dad lost a 2-1/2 or 3 pound fish at the boat while I was getting the net that would have replaced our smallest 1-3/4 bass - that would have certainly gotten us thrid place, and put us about even with 2nd place. (I also caught a 5 pound musky that I thought was nice bass for awhile!)

I caught the 4 pound bass on an errand cast. I was casting a plastic creature bait near a boat-lift. My cast was about 18" off and landed over the support to the lift, but under the boat that was on it. I reeled up slowly trying to retrieve my plastic by pulling it over the support, but it got hung-up. It was actually out of the water so I could see my bait. I gave it some slack and it lowered back into the water then slowly began moving our boat toward the lift to get my bait free. I never felt a pick-up or saw a swirl, but my bait started moving! I set the hook and the fight was on. I saw how big the fish was and started yelling for the net. My line was still over the support for the boat lift, and I ended up netting the fish under the support with my line still looped around it. I had to cut my line once the fish was in the net.

This got my to thinking - obviously on such a small lake on tournament day with not much shore cover besided docks, the docks are going to get a lot of pressure. The larger bass are going to move further back under the bigger docks to the hardest places to cast.

Next tournamet I'm going to fish the really tough places to reach. This means casting in tight spaces: under boats sitting on lifts around all the supports, 6 inch opening between boats and docks, in the middle of U-shaped docks to the small pocket infront of boats, and the shore-side of T or L-shaped docks.

Obviously, if I set the hook on a big bass I'm going to have a fight on my hands and easily could lose a fish. I will likely be fishing OVER docks and or support cables. Any advice besides stout rods, heavy line, and a net with a long handle?

(I know in the big tournaments you're not allowed to leave your boat. In this local tournament I don't think their would be a problem if I got out of the boat and onto the dock to land a fish.)

[bamabassman]

i think you got it covered pal. jsut be extra careful. and see if maybe oyu can "slingshot" the bait. and i would check,double check to make sure about leaving the boat to land a fish.

[skeeter1804]

If you are going to fish over cables and such I would recommend using braid. It can handle a lot more friction than fluorocarbon or mono.

[kennethdaysale]

Hey IB you're right about those pressured fish. I've had good results with two approaches. You're first instinct works...put your baits where the fish haven't seen one. Boat control and pinpoint accuracy are the keys here, plus stout tackle and intense focus. I've done as well and sometimes better with the opposite....throwing tiny cranks and finesse plastics and such around those docks on 6 and even 4 lb test. You will lose fish either way you go but "better to have loved and lost than never have loved at all."
**side note** look for spider webs hanging in corners..if you can knock them down with your lure as it hits the water you know you're in virgin water!

[bluebasser86]

I fish a few lakes with lots of docks and big fish love hanging under docks. I think a lot of them don't sit on the bottom under the dock though. If you look under a dock a lot of times you'll see bluegills, crappie, and minnows sitting right under the dock floats. So the big bass suspend a couple feet down from the dock and wait and watch. When one of those bluegills gets careless and stops paying attention, it's lights out. So you're bait floundering around probably looked like a baitfish that was too caught up in feeding to be paying attention. One of the most popular ways to catch those fish around here is a wacky rigged senko skipped under the docks. Swimjigs, spinnerbaits, small swimbaits, wakebaits, and flukes are all popular also. If you're in a team tournament try having one person fishing right under the dock and one person fishing the bottom to cover more water and see where the fish are holding that day.