When I was young, a way long time ago, there was this old man who fished Buckeye Lake in Ohio and caught more bass than anyone I knew at the time. He was fishing boat docks. His lures were all beat up, most of them missing paint and some were even bare wood from hitting them on the docks so many times.
Boat docks produce shade and bass feel secure in low light areas. Docks also provide a place for bass to ambush their prey. Sometimes when you see rod holders and lights at a dock there's a chance there's some kind of structure there too. Maybe a brushpile or rocks that the owner has produced. Use your trolling motor to get close to the dock or just drift up to it and flip or pitch your lure.
Some good lures for fishing docks are a jig, worm, crankbait and spinnerbait. Of course, you want to throw as far back under the dock as you can but make sure on the retrieve that the lure bumps the dock's post as it goes by them. The erratic behavior of the lure sometimes products a strike. If you're using a crankbait, you can bend the eye and make it run under the dock. While the lure doesn't run true it does get farther under the dock where the fish are.
Now they have a lure called a _coffin bill lure that is ideal for fishing docks. Docks are one of my most favorite places to fish and apparently the bass like them too.
Before heading out to catch some bass, take a look at these 20 important bass fishing tips.
1. Fish slowly, providing better action and enabling the fish to have ample eye contact.
2. When the bite seems to slow down, you should slow also down. Work methodically until you find the fish.
3. Always be aware of your weather forecast. Wind, storms, and lightening kill. Safety comes first.
4. If wet feet bother you on rainy days, try a pair of GORE-TEX sox. They are waterproof and can be worn in any shoe or boot.
5. Be alert and watchful. Fish give away their presence 90% of the time through baitfish fleeing; surface action; or vegetation movement.
6.Always look in a bass’ mouth before releasing it. Most of the time, when fighting a lure in his jaw, a bass will try to throw up whatever is in his stomach. You may be able to determine what prey the fish are actively feeding on and choose a lure/presentation to duplicate it.
7.Set the hook on a fish by feel rather than by sight.
8. Regularly check your knot for weakness and hook for sharpness.
9. Bass are not that smart. A swivel does not affect the action of a lure in a negative way and fish don’t really care about it. Use one anytime there is the potential for line twist.
10. If you are using small hooks, don't jerk hard on the hookset; just tighten up the slack with the rod and reel faster.
11. Check your line just above the lure frequently when fishing crankbaits around rocks, gravel, stumps, and other hard obstructions. They can quickly fray your line.
12. Bass normally respond best to an erratic retrieve and a lot of motion. Keep that lure in front of the fish as long as you can.
13. Hold your rod tip down and to the side for better feel, keeping the angle between rod and line at around 90 degrees.
14. Black buzz baits seem to produce more strikes than bright colors.
15. Since the bass’s metabolism is high, use large crankbaits in warm and hot weather. Switch to smaller baits when the water is cooler.
16. Use a wire cross-locking snap when fishing crank plugs. It allows you to change lures quickly and enables the bait to vibrate more freely.
17. If you notice feeding fish and baitfish movement, the predators are actively after the prey. Switch to a fast moving crankbait and burn it through the area of activity.
18. Protect your eyes with a good pair of plastic polarized sunglasses. They will protect you from the sun’s rays and also provide a shield against a snagged slip sinker or lure flying back when pulled loose.
19. Keep baits fresh and airtight with a food vacuum sealer. You can also store hooks and other terminal tackle this way.
20. Store small quantities of hooks with a few grains of rice and they will never rust.
Using these tips will help you increase your bass catch!
