Docks And Boat Houses

[ryan7261]

[glow=blue,2,300] Bassin Boathouses & Docks

When anglers get into their boats and head out to their favorite bass cover, they often leave behind the most reliable fishing on the lake. With such attractions as boathouses, it would seem bass fishermen need to do nothing else but concentrate on them, and indeed, a few do. But most of the time, docks get ignored.

Which Ones To Use: Although nothing in bass fishing holds true every time, several considerations help narrow the choices of which boathouse is most likely to hold bass: 1. Older boathouses and docks generally have more fish than newer ones. This may be due to the fresher creosote treatment of the newer pilings, lack of algae growth on those pilings, or a combination of other factors. 2. Floating boathouses and docks seldom have as many fish as those supported with pilings, except on deep, clear lakes with little additional shoreline cover. For whatever reason, bass prefer vertical structure; ladders always seem to attract bass. 3. Fish the boathouses and docks that have rod holders or lights. These indicate the owners are fishermen and have probably put brush out to attract crappies. That brush also attracts bass. 4. Boathouses or docks located at the entrance to a cove or large creek should be fished because of their close access to deeper water. These offer the first cover incoming bass have in spring and fall, and the last they have migrating back to deeper water in summer and winter. 5. Fish the longest boathouses and docks first to establish a depth range. If you catch a bass on the end of such a dock, fish only the longest docks along that shore because the fish may be relating to depth. If you catch a bass midway back on the longest dock, you'll probably also catch bass on the shorter docks that have a corresponding depth. 6. In the summer, concentrate more on main lake boathouses, especially those along steeper banks and exposed to wind. Algae gets blown to these areas and baitfish and bass soon follow. In spring and fall, concentrate in coves and tributaries, as bass are moving shallow to spawn or feed on migrating shad.

LURE CHOICES: Practically any lure in your tackle box can be fished around boathouses or docks, but some are more efficient than others. 1. To determine the mood of the fish, start by casting a spinnerbait or crankbait down the length of the dock, basically retrieving from shallow water to deep and coming as close to the pilings as possible. A strike here will possibly tell you a depth the fish are using; more important, it can indicate that the bass are active and will hit a fast moving lure. 2. If these don't produce any action, slow down and consider changing to a suspending jerkbait or even a topwater chugger. The advantage of these lures is being able to stop them beside the pilings to present an easy feeding opportunity. Soft plastic jekbaits with their erratic action may also be tried. 3. More often than not, jigs or plastic worms and tube baits provide the most consistent results around boathouses or docks. Presented either by short underhand pitches, flipping, or skipping, these vertical fall baits can be put right beside pilings and underneath into the shadowy areas that overhead casts can't reach. Retrieves can be varied, such as low hops, steady swimming, or even bottom crawling until you find what the bass prefer that day.

At the same time you're trying different lures and retrieves, be sure you're covering different parts of the boathouse or dock. Sometimes the outside corners produce best; other times the fish may be farther back. In specific conditions, falling water usually pulls bass out deeper, while rising water pushes them shallow. Dingy or stained water frequently improves boathouse or dock action all around.

Your next trip out on the water, give boathouses and docks a try. They're definitely worth fishing wherever you find them, no matter how your morning starts.


[/glow]

Robby.

[singerloo]

Once, my friend and I stayed at an old boathouse on Lake Weiss in Alabama, and it was in late Fall, really cold, low water level (due to dam) and raining! We thought that we won't catch a thing, and went fishing in the boathouse just for the heck of it. We used worms and minnows.

Well, landed a couple of stripers, some monster crappie, a catfish, and a lot of bluegill... had a great time.

So, Rob be right ,


seaphantom

[Rob Mak]

during the heat of summer when the sun is high and the water is clear. they gather in groups in the shade of the dock. a wacky rigged worm or a spinnerbait run under the edges will get there attention.



zooker

[fredhatch]

Also if you fish in an area with a lot of tourists or seasonal residents like I do. I look for docks with heavy weeds or boats with a lot of algae on them. Ive taken some good bass from under a dormant pontoon boat on more than one occasion. 8)