What Do I Fish With?
Now that you have a better idea on what areas of docks to key in on, lets explore each individual part of the what do I fish with piece. I want to preface again that there are several baits and techniques that you can use. BUT for day in and day out consistency fishing docks this time of year what I'm going to share with you works for me over and over again year after year.
There are several reason that my #1 go to bait for fishing docksis a 5 inch Prowler Soft Shad www.prowlerlures.com like the one in the picture to the left and the bottom bait in the right hand picture. My #1 color choice is pearl as shown on the right, then I dip the tail of the Soft Shad (and all pearl or white baits) in a chartreuse dye made by JJ's Magic. (I'll cover dyes in a minute) This bait is about as versatile as a bait can get. It can be fished in all level of the water column, it can be fished weightless-weighed-exposed hook-Texas rigged-Wacky rigged-fished on top or on the bottom with a Carolina rig and as a spinner bait trailer. The action of the bait once you get use to using it mimics that of a dying shad as it darts, vibrates and slowly falls when rigged weightless. There's just something about the Soft Shad year around that Smallmouth, Largemouth and Spots just can't resist when you pitch it under the docks like we talked about above. I also catch a lot of fish on the Prowler Slim Jim in either a pearl or watermelon red flake. These baits are heavier and fall at a much quicker rate. I skip these baits under the dock just like the Soft Shad but I tend to let them sink on their own for several seconds and use my rod to twitch them more than make them dart like the Soft Shad. Folks I can't emphasize enough how good these Soft Shads and Slim Jims are in producing quality fish. If you haven't tried these Prowler baits you are sure cutting yourself short.
What About Using Dyes?
About 3 years ago I was introduced to JJ's Magic and man am I ever glad that I was. I use JJ's on everything except under my arms and on my toothbrush. This dye comes in Chartreuse, Blue, and Myth lade. And there is also a Clear that will not change the color of your baits but still leaves that heavy garlic scent that just won't come off cast after cast. Soft Plastics, Spinner Bait Skirt, Swim Baits and Jigs. This product is phenomenal for giving you that extra several seconds to set the hook because the fish just don't want to let go of the bait. I like to dip the Soft Shads tail in the Chartreuse (let it dry) then dip the whole body in the clear. You will NOT find me on the lake without JJ's on my baits....end of subject. www.jjsmagic.com
What About Hooks And Line?
I have to admit that the older I get I get a little more cranky and much more particular about everything I fish with from rods-reels-line-hooks-snaps-baits-dyes you name it. It absolutely drives me nut's to have "Product Failure" due to manufacturing error. Where am I going with this? I have been a avid user of Pline for the past several years. On a early spring trip with my youngest son Daniel to Louisiana a rep gave me some line made by another big name manufacturer ands asked me just to try it. To make a long story short after breaking off 3 "GOOOD" fish in the cypress trees I respooled immediately back to what I should have had on in the first place Pline CX. Problem solved! Is Pline infallible? NO, but I will tell you this, as long as I watch what I'm doing and check my line as I should I have almost "ZERO" problems with Pline. I use it in different pound test for every technique that I use. I like the 12lb test CX Florescent for fishing docks because it is invisible under the water but highly visible above so you can watch your line for those very subtle hits that happens many times fishing docks. It comes off the reel very smoothly and has a very low memory rating but yet is very strong. Just good stuff.
Lets talk about hooks for a minute. There is an old saying that go's the chain is only as strong as the weakest link. Same is true with the fishing equipment we use. I guess I have bought about every brand hook manufactured. Some have been good some haven't. The biggest problem that I have isn't the strength of a hook as much as having a razor sharp point that will stay that way. I started using Mustad Ultra Point hooks about 8 months ago and I can tell you that I'm impressed/ These hooks are needle sharp. Mustad uses a new technology that is called "Opti-Angle" that creates a true needle point that is stronger and "Much More" durable than any other hooks that I have used. Under normal conditions I use a #5 Mustad Wide Gap Ultra Lock Hook fishing the Soft Shad. I also use a #4 and a #2 for smaller baits. Now there are times while fishing docks I want my baits to fall a little faster "But" I don't want to make them nose dive by adding a sinker to the front. When this happens I use the Mustad Ultra Point Power Lock Plus Hooks that you see on the right side of the picture above. The round piece that you see on the shank of the hook is a weight that slides up and down the hook but will stay put where you want it. I use these in 2 different weights 1/8oz and 1/16oz depending on how fast I want the bait to fall. If I move the weight forward the bait fall head first. If I move the weight to the back the bait falls tail first and if I place it in the middle the bait will fall at more of a level angle. This allows me to effectively fish the docks using the right size bait at the right of fall.
What About Rods And Reels?
Let's start with reels first. I have been a Shimano fan for years. I use 2 different size Stradics on my spinning rods. St4000FH for 10 & 12 lb test line and the ST2500FH for 6 & 8lb test. Why? They hold up like no other reels I have ever used, and when you fish as many days a year with as many people that I do you come to appreciate the quality that is built into these reels.
For those of you that know me I'm sure that I sound like a broken record. But I will tell you this, that the rod physical weight, quality, power and sensitivity that is packed into the All Pro APX Series Rods is unbelievable. I have owned at one time or the other just about every high end bass rod that has been made and I can tell you that the APX has them all beat hands down in my opinion. I have used these rods to Bass, Salmon, Musky, Northern Pike, Rock Fish, Hybrid, Walleye, Catfish (you name it) fish. I have used the 5 foot Ultra Light APX on all varieties of pan fish. I use the 7 foot Medium Heavy Tennessee Graphite Handle Spinning Rod to throw my Soft Shads around cover and docks. I have one APX that has never been used for anything else except to fish soft plastic jerk baits. The sensitivity is astonishing. You can feel the "slightest tick" all the way through your hand and wrist with the APX Series Rods. This is so important when the fish are lethargic and they just "Grab" the bait and that extra sensitivity make the difference between a hook up and a miss. All Pro make a full line of APX Rods for every need.
Conclusion
I hope that the information above will be beneficial to you, and help you put several more fish in the boat fishing deep water covered docks. If you have any questions concerning this article, our guide service or web site don't hesitate to contact me at 615-765-7303 or
[email protected] Thank you for taking time to read this article. Rick Mcferrin Owner/Full Time Guide Tennessee Bass Guides LLC
PART ONE: http://www.fishin.com/forums2/conten...and-Smallmouth
PART TWO: http://www.fishin.com/forums2/conten...mouth-PART-TWO
