Dock Fishing?

[huntnfish247]

Do any of you do any dock fishing when the weather is like this and the ice is all gone? Thinking about giving it a shot tommarow and was wondering if anyone else has had success with it.

[joecc]

I have had great success dockfishing in these circumstances in some private marinas. With the ice gone, the fish often congregate around the dock structure. Just keep moving. It's what I'm going to be doing this weekend.

[RyGuy525]

The water is going to be mud....

[joecc]

"the water is going to be mud"

Yes it is...bummer!

[Frozenfish]

Would like to know more about dock fishing. What type of baits do you typically use? Same rig for ice fishing? Bobber fishing? Minnows/waxies??? Ultralite? Jigging with ice rod straight down??? Any help is appreciate. I've never fished like this before...:help:.

[Radar420]

I used to have great success at Metro early in the season fishing from the docks before the ice was stable. Last few years it's been kinda off for me - too many dinks. I wouldn't doubt that you could be killing them in a marina right now. I just use my ice-fishing set-ups - one rod rigged with a spring bobber and mousies and another rod rigged with a bobber and minnow fished on the bottom.

[joecc]

I use the same rig as i do for icefishing...an ice fishing jig and rod with either a jenson egg or maybe a perch eye, jigged an inch or two off the bottom. As i said, when the ice moves out, the fish find cover around the docks. They will also seem to hug the interior seawalls of marinas. Just because the ice is gone doesn't mean the fish don't go in and out of the marinas...they do. If new ice begins to reform in spots, try fishing right next to the forming ice....you'll often find fish holding under these new patches of ice. keep moving. If you want to use minnows, you can try using slip bobbers with a single hook and a splitshot a foot/foot and a half above the hook. I actually don't mind these circumstances at all. You can cover a lot more water without having to drill a million holes. Good luck, but I drove by the lake about an hour ago and it was mud as far as the eye could see.

[dobes]

I also dock fish when the ice is out. I use my noodle rod ( steelhead rod ) with a ice fishin reel so I have the light line and throw on a bobber with a small jig and tip it with some bait . I catch alot of fish that way . The long rod makes it alot easier, all you have to do is just lift the tip to bring the fish up to you . No reeling in .Bring a spud to bust the ice though if there is a thin layer . Be screwed without one. Good luck

[woody95]

I use an ultra light with a perch spreader. Try getting behind the SCS Library on Jefferson. I have had success in that area with times like these.

[Shetan]

We did pretty well on Saturday on a private canal between 10 and 11 mile. We used minnows on regular rods off the docks and took about 45-50 nice perch.