After dropping the trolling motor in the water, we slowly creeped up on a dock located in shallow water adjacent to large expansive weedy flat.  With a quick twist of my body and a casting motion which resembled the act of skipping a rock, my bait glided gracefully to an opening between a boat lift and the large platform section of a the dock.

The plastic bait hit the water about three feet from the edge of the dock and continued for another seven to eight feet before it came to a rolling stop.  The line jumped as soon as the Texas-rigged creature bait entered the water and by the time the hook was set the bass had already wrapped me up in the dock posts.  However, the fluorocarbon line did its job as the fish was successfully pulled through the heavy man made cover.  This is what I love about dock fishing, it is exciting, fast paced, and you are always busy.  I flipped the four pound bass aboard the boat and quickly released the fish. 

Dock fishing can produce some of the best fishing of the year.  During certain times of the year I have witnessed sixty fish days and recently during a tournament on Gull Lake earlier this summer me and partner boated over seventy fish and reports from other anglers were the same.  I have personally witnessed times when the fish pull up on dock so much that you can go back later in the day and run the same section and the docks have reloaded with fish.

Gear is a very tricky conversation point while talking with a lot of the bassin’ guys around some of the local bass fishing tournament circuits.  Many use spinning equipment with braid or super line, others will use bait casters with braid/super line, monofilament, or fluorocarbon.  Here is a quick guide to selecting a dockin’ set-up.

Spinning Combos -  Spinning rod and reel combos are a great choice for dock fishing.  They are very forgiving when you make a poor cast and are much easier to operate for newer anglers.  The most common rod set-ups would be either a 6’ 6” or 7’ Medium-Heavy.  Also, a heavy duty reel is needed, because you are going to tighten down the drag nearly as tight as it will go.  Line is an important issue as well, many anglers opt for a no stretch super line in the 30 lb. class for may spinning set-ups.  It is a great way to get started and you may never change your gear. 

Bait Caster Combos - Bait casters are the fine tuned precision instrument when it comes to dockin’ bass.  At this point, preference is the key to success, I clearly remember my first weeks with a bait caster trying to figure out the right tensions and line choices.  The key with bait casting reels is that you need to slow the rate of line coming of the reel when you make an effective skip.  I will set it up so that the weight of the lure cannot pull line off without a moderately forceful cast.  This is what I have settled on as the preferred set-up:

I use a Shimano Curado 200E7, spooled with 20 lb. fluorocarbon line and a 7’ medium-heavy rod.  Each choice has a specific purpose - the reel can be finely adjusted, meaning the brake system has the ability to slow down the line effectively without creating a line tangle in the reel, often referred to as a birds nest.  I prefer fluorocarbon because it has less stretch, high abrasion resistance, and is nearly invisible in the water. Furthermore, 20 lb. test line skips very well and is extremely strong to pull out fish from under the many objects around dock from boat lifts, chains, and dock poles.  A 7’ rod is the perfect balance of accuracy and leverage to get the fish out.

The skip is the next step and is an art form all in its own.  I have perfected two different types of skipping techniques.  The first is a standard side-arm throw or sling.  It is as if you are trying to skip a rock, you will swing wide with a slight upward flip at the end.  This will rocket the bait towards the dock at a very high speed, keeping the bait close to the waters surface.  A low trajectory is key, the bait need to almost roll across the water and some times it will near the end of your cast. 

The second approach is a Pitch-Skip, I start out with the bait in my hand, select my target area, then make the same motion as I would pitch into a pocket of cover.  The only difference is I use a lower trajectory and speed.  Timing is important, you will want to release the spool just when the bait starts to swing up very close to the water.  This takes a lot of practice, much more that the side-arm approach, but is more effective in tight quarters and awkward angles.

There are three common baits used; individuals who use spinning combos usually use a wacky worm of some type and their soft plastic of choice, and bait casters will use a jig and trailer or a Texas rig and creature with a skip-gap hook.  One key consideration is to peg your weight when you are using a texas-rig.  Your skips will be more accurate and go much farther.  Bait choices are not as important, go with what you have confidence in and make it work for you.

These are some of the basics, take the time to choose the right rod, reel, line, and bait for you.  Dock fishing can be great fun, take the time to learn this technique and you will not be disappointed.  It can be frustrating when you are trying to get the skipping part down, but be patient it will take some practice.  You will have a great time on the water, fishing docks opens up a whole new opportunity  for you to catch some of the biggest bass in the waters you are fishing.


Barrels Up Pro Staff 
Gary Rehbein