how to largemouth bass

Question
i need to know how to catch a largemouth bass off of a dock
i need to know all the steps, from buying and setting tackle, what kinda of rod to use, and where to place the bait. please dont leave anything out, be as detailed as possible.

Answer
Josh; Hundreds of books and tens of thousands of magazine articles have been written on how to catch bass and none of them have the complete answer.  Fishing from a dock is even more limiting but I believe I can give you some tips to get you started. It will be up to you to continue by reading books and articles on the subject and talking to people who are successful.

First find a lake or stream that contains bass, then a dock that extends a good ways out into the lake.  If you are already limited to a certain dock then you will have to make the best of it.

Next see if there is some cover around the dock, like a fallen tree or a brush pile in the water.  Also look for vegetation around the dock.  If none of these are available get whoever owns the dock to give permission to place some cover around the dock to attract fish.
At the same time get permission to feed the fish if that is legal in your state.  Go to a farm store and buy a bag of hog pellets.  Use a 3lb coffee can or something about that size and sprinkle it around the dock.  This will attract bluegills and minnows and where there are bluegills and minnows bass will soon follow.

If there is already cover all you need to get started is a pole of some kind.  Just a cane pole or one of the glass or other material collapsible poles.  Use about 12lb test line.  Tie the line to the eye on the end of the pole or to the end of the cane pole.  Push the line through the hole in the bobber. (I like a round styofoam bobber about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Color is up to you.) put the little plug back in the bobber to hold the line.  Make the line about the same length as the pole.  Place a large split shot on the line about a foot from the end. Tie on a 1/0 extra sharp hook.   Set the bobber about 18inches shallower than the water you are going to fish.  Now take a large shiner (you can buy them at most bait shops. Get the biggest they have usually.) Hook the shiner by inserting the hook carefully just behind top back fin. Do not hook deep enough to harm the spine.  Now carefully drop the minnow nearby some weeds, a log or brush and let the minnow swim around.  The minnow will likely make the bobber dance a bit but when a bass takes the minnow it will likely go down and move several feet.  Don't get too anxious.  The bass will often pull the bobber a ways and then stop.  He is turning the minnow to swallow it headfirst.  When he starts off again gently tighten up on the line and using wrist action only set the hook.  If you are using really sharp hooks it doesn't take a hard yank to set the hook.  Now keep the line tight and try to keep him from diving into the brush or wrapping the line around a stump.  If he is a big one just keep him moving don't let him rest until  you can net him or get your thumb in his mouth.  Keep a few to eat but let the rest go except that you should offer the owner of the dock some fish if  you catch several.  

Other baits you can try are crawfish, frogs or other critters.  A bass will eat anything it can get it's mouth around and it has a pretty big mouth.

You do not need a real expensive casting outfit to move to using artificial lures.  I would begin with a $30 Spinning outfit but buy rod and reel separately.  Buy a %20 reel and a $10 7' spinning rod.  I have one I have used for years.  Use 8lb line of a good brand never the cheap stuff.
Lures: For dock fishing you need only a few lures.  Get a couple of topwater lures.  I would suggest a Devil's horse and a Hula popper.  A couple of spinning lures.  An all white with a 1 1/inch willow leaf blade and a dime size Colorado blade.  One chartreuse and black with a Colorado spinner the size of a quarter or a bit larger. One buzz bait color of your choice.  Next a couple of minnow type lures such as an original Rapala and one that dives a couple of feet and suspends such as a suspending Rogue.
A couple of crank baits such as bomber.  The color of the diving baits should have some yellow and some green in one of them your choice on the other. Next a variety of plastic baits. While an old bait plastic worms still catch a lot of fish.  I like blue, black,& purple but other colors might work better on your lake.  Rig just like I said for your cane pole except place the hook through the nose of the worm about1/3 inch then turn the worm pulling the hook through.  Some hooks have a bend in the eye end or small barbs to hold the worm,  Make sure the worm is far enough through to hold.   Then turn the hook so the point is aimed back at the worm's belly.  Push the hook almost through the worm but leave the tip covered with a little bit of plastic.  Lizards  can be rigged the same way.  There are many other ways of hooking worms or other plastic baits but this will get you started.
When fishing a worm toss it right into the cover whether it is brush, weeds or grass etc.  If it is rigged right it will not hang too often.  If you feel a tap there are two  or more theories as to what to do.  Some say strike instantly while others say wait until you can feel the fish.  Both have been successful so use your choice.

I would develop a pattern to follow in fishing this dock.  During the daytime I would start by fishing the deeper running lures.  After going around the dock I would then move to spinner baits once around.  Just at sunset I would change to the topwaters or the minnow lures.   

If you hang a lure I wouldn't spend much time trying to retrieve it until I was through fishing. A long pole with a large treble hook tied to the end is often a good means of retrieving lost lures.  Otherwise you might have to wade out and get them.  Be careful never do this when you are alone.

I can think of a million or two things that I have left out but there has to be a limit at any one time.  Your question is so open ended that It can never be completely answered.  If you need more information please don't hesitate to ask me but please make your question more specific.

Thanks for calling on me to answer your question.  I am sorry it took a while to get to it but I had to go to a funeral yesterday and did not even read all my mail.  I hope this has been some help to you and good fishing.  

I am
Jack L. Gaither  (JackfromSeminole)
Lake Seminole, Georgia.               

When you come onto the dock do so quietly and slowly.  Keep yourself as low as possible. If it is a narrow dock I would start by fishing the right side beginning at the shore line then after several casts change to the other side.  Next move out a ways and fish one side and then the other.  If you catch a fish in one place cast back to the same place and often there will be a second one, maybe more.