#1 Way To Target Inshore Fish Around Deepwater Docks
- By: Richard Thomas
- on
What’s the best way to target inshore fish around deepwater docks?
Deepwater docks are a phenomenal spot to fish, especially as it begins to get colder.
Learn more in the video below!!
Inshore Fish Around Deepwater Docks [VIDEO]
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Tackle Mentioned:
Deepwater docks can be fished for all 12 months of the year.
They provide the perfect structure for predatory fish, provide cover for baitfish, and deepwater stabilizes water temperatures.
Fishing At The Right Depth
Dock water depth can change depending on the time of the year, tide cycles, and seasons.
You need to spend more time fishing in these areas to get in tune with the trends.
But once you figure out how to fish your local deepwater docks, those trends should hold.
Usually, there is more of a current around deepwater docks than others.
You want moving water near the dock.
Furthermore, the ideal bait for this situation is the F.R.E.D. paddletail rigged on a 1/4 oz. jighead.
This is a fantastic lure for the mid-tide cycle when the water is really moving.
The extra weight on the jighead cuts through the water and sits right in the strike zone.
You need to make sure your lure gets down to the strike zone quickly before getting swept up in the current.
Staying In The Strike Zone
Closer to slack tide periods, very high tide, or very low tide, your 1/4 oz. bait might not always stay in the strike zone.
During certain times of the year, those parts of the tide cycle are the best times to fish.
In colder months, fish may only feed 1-2 times a day.
In this situation, I like to switch over to a lighter jighead or a weighted hook.
The Power Prawn USA Junior rigged on a Hoss Helix Hook is the way to go.
Another important factor to using a lighter weight is casting far enough up current to allow for your lure to reach the strike zone.
You could miss out on strikes if you don’t allow for your lure to reach the right depth.
Conclusion
Deepwater docks are an all-year-round fishing spot worth fishing at any time.
Especially as temperatures begin to fall and we approach winter, docks are worth spending time fishing.
What’s your favorite lure to target inshore fish around deepwater docks?
Let me know down in the comments!!
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define “Deep Water Dock”!!! 5-10′ may be deep to you, but 20 to 30′ is common around Chesapeake Bay tunnel. Th same Idea, but much deeper, and there’s no way to hold a position even in a slack tide.
Very interesting. You guys at Salt Strong are awesome. Learned more just watching videos than ever before. Now, need to get out there and try. Fishing from a boat is WAY different than surf casting.
Thanks
Jim
That’s awesome to hear Jim! Let me know how it goes!
nice job, informative
Buzz
Thanks Buzz!
I have had success using top water around docks in colder months as well…anybody else?
I haven’t tried that as much in my area, hope
Someone else has and can let you know!
Great information Richard, thank you for taking the time. All the docks around me in my area of St. Catherine’s are in 16-27 ft at low tide. Any suggestions about that type of water depth?
Thanks Matthew, so for artificial fishing use the same tactics as in the video for trout that are suspended and cast close to the banks for redfish and flounder. If you use a carolina rig on the bottom with mullet or cut bait you can also catch redfish and flounder off the bottom.
Thanks Richard.
Good stuff Richard. Keeping it in that strike zone is the key. Figuring it out takes time and patience in new areas or different tides, water temp, etc.. Thanks for your direction.
Absolutely Jan! Fish are always around those docks, we just have to find when they are wanting to eat and the right presentation as anglers!
AT what depth is a dock considered deep water?
Michael it’s definitely relative to your area- for example where I fish we have tidal swings for 7 ft on average, so any dock that still holds 4-10 of water at low tide would be considered a deep water dock. However in other areas 5-6 feet may be the deepest dock around, however the same tactics will apply and fish behavior is very similar.
Thank you for sharing this video and insight with us.
Absolutely James!
Sounds like when you are fishing for suspended fish. Have you tried the count down method to find and consistently find the fish in the strike zone? Example, start counting when the lure hits the water. One thousand one, one thousand two (etc) and then start reeling. Once you find the count that gets you to the strike zone, just repeat the count on each cast to get you back to that strike zone.
There is a shore spot I fish that produce nice striped bass. I need a 1/4 oz bucktail (lure) to get me to the spot the fish are at. I’m estimating it’s 5-8 ft of water. I found out there’s also heavy structure that can get you snagged. So when I cast, the optimum count of 1001, 1002 will get the lure in the zone and advoid the structure.
Mark you’re exactly right! Once
You find that zone depth then I just keep that same depth before any movement of my lure that why I love paddle tails and shrimp profiles for this. A dead drift or fall is killer in “deeper” water
I like your method.
So when the fish are less active, you go lighter to keep the lure closer to the top on the retrieve in certain tidal conditions? Intuitively I’ve assumed it was the opposite—that fish go deeper to safety when not feeding.
I do see the logic in not using a heavy jig head when the strike zone isn’t so deep, that makes a lot of sense. I guess my problem is figuring out where the strike zone currently when out on the water.
Orrin, I actually still fish the same depth with a lighter jig head however I choose the slower current flow periods. This is usually during the colder months because the lighter jig allows the lure to stay in the fishes face longer and increases your chances of a strike.
Hey Orrin. You’re not keeping your lure on the top. He’s explaining how for you to figure out what depth they are holding around deep structure. A lighter jig will sink slower so when trying to figure what depth the fish are and it won’t speed down past them like a heavier one and will stay in the strike zone longer. Fish go to deeper water for comfort not safely. Deeper water will allow bigger fish access actually. The structure is what they use for safety. It takes longer for the deeper water temperature to change due the current weather. When fishing these deeper areas, I’m no expert but I would start with a lighter jig head and move up in weight if it isn’t making it all the way to the bottom due to the speed of the current.
I see, thanks you two! I live on a very shallow bay that is more affected by the wind than anything, but I’m sure I’ll find myself around some deep docks one day. Still trying to get a feel for the depth I’m retrieving at (if it’s not dragging the bottom…that one is obvious at least). Sometimes those 1/8 oz. Hoss Helix hooks on something like a Slam Shady 2.0 don’t seem to sink much unless I really slow down the retrieve. But I’m sure I’m just not doing it quite right