Dock Shooting with Joe Partenza!

Tips from the Crappie Ninja Joe Partenza

When I teach someone how to shoot docks, which I think is the most exciting way to catch crappie, I tell them the Rod and Reel set up they need, which pound test line to use and what size jigs I use to be the most productive in the different seasons with different bodies of water. Things like water clarity, current moon phase and water temp all play a big part in deciding what size jig to use and what color. But here is 5 tips for the beginner:

1). After you learn how to shoot and can hit a general target, you need to know what to look for or where the crappie will be under the dock, which is what we call the sweet spot. The darkest spot under the dock next to a structure, which is normally a post unless there is some type of other structure under the dock like brush pile. This will be the sweet spot.

2). When you shoot to the best spot on the the dock you have to watch the line to see when the strike occurs. Sometimes the line will jump, sometimes it will go slack and then if you are swimming the jig or have a tight line you can feel the thump. I can’t  stress watching the line enough. So many people don’t see the bite so they miss catching a lot of fish.

3). Determining how deep the fish are, either by graph or by watching the line sink and determining when the strike occurs is very important. When you figure out how deep the fish are, you want to stay in the strike zone as long as you can to catch more fish. You can waste a lot of time if you are under the fish.

4). Certain times of the year, normally in winter, fish are lower in the water column. The fished metabolism has slowed and the bite is lighter.Then I use a 1/16th ounce jig to get down to them quicker and keeping a tighter line to stay in better contact with the jig. I will shoot, let the jig fall all the way to the bottom watching for the bite all the way down. Then I will bounce the jig back up reeling real slow hoping for a bite on the way up. Again trying to determine how deep they are striking.

5). The longer you have the jig in the strike zone, the more fish you will catch. In the spring, I use a 1/32nd because I’m fishing shallow dock because the fish have moved up to spawn and the strike usually occurs right away. The action is fast and furious. Remember the quicker and more often you can get back in the sweet spot the more fish you will catch.

Hope this helps y’all catch more fish!

I hope you picked something up from Joe. You can check him out on Facebook under Joe Partenza. Thanks for reading my blog I am working to create valuable content and coming up with original content. Andy