Summer Dock Shooting

Hey guys Im new to the site and new to dock shooting, I fish on Lewis Smith Lake in northwest Alabama. It is roughly 21000 acres of deep gin clear water with a current water temp of 87 to 90 degrees. I started shooting docks this summer and am not catching anything. I've tried a slow steady retrieve after counting down to different depths. I've also tried shooting and letting it sink back to the boat with an occasional twitch but no luck. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Shooting docks looks like a blast when the fish bite. Will it get better this fall?

Welcome from Central Florida.

I lived in TN until August of last year and shot docks a lot on Weiss and other lakes in the Middle Tennessee. Most of the water I fished had some color and though clear, was not gin clear. I can say that not all docks will hold fish and there are some days that the technique is difficult at best. It's just another tool in the box. The best I can tell you is to just keep at it and you will figure it out on the water you fish. Shade is key and lack of activity helps even more. Deeper water and suspending fish make this a real challenge, making a countdown a must. When you finally do get the day when you boat fish after fish, it's a thrill like no other. I have seen fish over 2lbs caught this way, and had a guest get a 5 1/2 lb LMB on a 4lb setup and a Bobby Garland Body. Patience and time on the water will reward you one day.

:welcome

Tried dropping minnows, or even worms? Even let something drop in there on a bare hook. You might be surprised at how deep the fish might be.
Are you getting snagged up much under the docks? I don't mean on a cable or boat or piling. If you are never getting snagged in brush under the dock, then you may be fishing the wrong docks. When you do find brush, try to count down to just barely touch it and then twitch it around for several minutes.
Welcome!

Welcome.We fish for crappie in some real clear water lake's Greers Ferry,Northfork "Real clear",Bull shoal's" Love to fish dock's .This time of year"Summer" fishing dock's you have to be their when they are biting. Right at daylite,Right at dark, Most dock's we catch fish from most of the time need's to have at least 20' of water under the dock.We like Arkie glow 2 in salty tubes with the inside tube jig"1/16 oz"."No splash when skipping"Or shooting dock's .Makes a big difference in catching and not catching in clear water."no noise" is real important!!The glow colors really work great in low light condition's.In clear water. The Arkie shad works but not as good as the 2" crappie tubes.Hope this help's.

If you can, you might try this : Crappie Pappy Article .... and maybe even tweak it a little (like casting/shooting under the dock & then letting the jig free fall on slack line all the way to the bottom, before you start your slow upward retrieve).

My fishing partner & I have done this successfully on deep water docks & blowdowns (that reached down to ~30ft depths) in the Fall, on Watts Bar Lake in E. Tenn.

If the lake develops a thermocline, fish in or just above the top of it ... not below it.

It will get better in the fall . Best advice I can give you is to go with someone who knows what they are doing. If you're willing to drive I live in Anniston and I would be will to take you when it cools off.

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What are the depths at the docks you fish? Smith lake has lots of docks that are in 60+ft of water.

Ive shot docks in 15 to 40 feet deep. I have been looking for docks with rod holders on them, a light close to the water or some docks that I know has the submerged green light, pontoon boats in the stall, and most all of them are covered docks

Smith is the hardest lake in Alabama for me to catch fish out of. I would suggest if you just want to shoot docks to go to another body of water that is not so clear.

Go to really tiny 1/32 oz . Jigs in very natural colors with lots of sparkle ......pitch them on 4 lb. clear mono ......let them hit the bottom if they will in the darkest shade under the dock . Hop them back to ya about 2 to 3 foot high hops in 15 to 20 foot of water .....maybe 20 to 25 there .....you will have to wait all day for it to settle and when you pick it up real slow it might just be heavy .....set the hook HARD .....4 lb mono has lots of stretch .....show me the fish bro
P.S. A Berkley Gulp brand glo white crappie nibble on the hook point is a must as well

ROTALLEY,WHAT KIND OF DEPTH FINDER DO YOU HAVE? DO YOU HAVE A SI OR A DI,IF SO I CAN TELL YOU HOW TO TAKE MOST OF THE SEARCH OUT OF IT