Just about every angler out there knows docks provide cover that fish often gravitate to. In many different waterways they’re a good target, and in some they’re the prime target. But, are all docks created equally? Heck no. Use these tips to cull the wheat from the chaff.
- The depth the dock reaches is critical. Good docks almost always reach relatively deep water, or at least have nearby access to several feet or more. Docks that run through shallow water and then a drop-off are often the best.
- Age matters. Fresh docks rarely hold fish and the very best are often old, broken-down affairs that barely have any boards left on them and gobs of growth on the pilings.
- Deep or extra longitudinal stringers on the sides and ends are a good thing. These can make it harder to pitch a bait under the dock, but they also create more shade, and shade is one of the prime attractions for the fish on hot, sunny days.
- Boats either tied to the dock or on a lift are also good things. Watch out for those lines as you cast, but once again, there’s a lot of extra shade for the fish and they like that.
- Always check out docks with lights. These are obviously best at night, but quite often fish that are attracted to an area in the dark will hang out after the sun comes up. A dock that fits all of the above parameters and also has lights is almost always going to be better than one without, even at midday.
Of course, if you fish an area multiple times through the course of a season you’ll ID which docks regularly hold fish and which do not. This can change from season to season, month to month, or even week to week. But the bottom line is that experience trumps all else—use the above tips to prospect, but always go back to the docks where you caught before.