Floating docks and fixed piers are man-made crappie haunts and a favorite spot for many crappie anglers.    Lakes whose shorelines are crowded with residences usually offer numerous dock structures in a variety of shapes and sizes.  However, some docks will offer great fishing throughout the year, while other similar-looking docks will only produce very few fish, if any at all.  Knowing the critical elements and establishing a pattern by targeting the right docks and eliminating unproductive ones will help you spend more time catching and less time fishing.

Critical Elements

   The best docks and piers will have abundant forage, a considerable amount of shade and protection, and be near deep water.  The more comfort provided for crappie and their forage, the better your fishing chances will be. 

Forage:  Pilings that support piers provide food and cover along a wide range of depths.  Grass shrimps, crustaceans and minnows feed on the small plankton, then crappie feed on them.  The older docks have algae growing on them, which attracts baitfish, and that attracts the crappie.  The newer docks has creosote and other chemicals on the new wood which keeps fish away until it dissolves.

Shade and Protection:  Probably the most important item.  Docks are best when its sunny and hot.  Clouds tend to make the cover less important and causes fish to scatter.  The bright sun penetration pushes crappie into the most shaded area under the docks, and it’s not unusual when crappie will be on one side of the dock in the morning, and then on the other side later in the day.  The wooden docks just a foot or so above the water is ideal.  The posts and cross-members also provides shade and protection for crappie.

Deeper Water:  Deeper water, at least nearby, is another key ingredient.  Shallow docks may produce during certain seasons, but deep water structures will hold crappie year-round.  Other than the spawning season, the water depth beneath or at the end of a dock should be at least 6 feet to attract crappie.  Docks and piers in shallower water can be productive providing there is nearby deeper Creek channels, which are “highways” that crappie use to migrate in and out of creek arms as the seasons change.

Cover:  Sunken trees, brush, stakes and other man-made structures can often be found directly below or at the end of docks.  Many dock owners do this to establish a holding area for crappie and also to hold a larger concentration of fish.

Establishing a Pattern

   First and foremost, is to get a good topo map.  This will not only help show you the basic contour lines, deeper creek channels and other features close to areas of docks, but eliminate a lot of water so you won’t waste your time fishing unproductive areas.  Most maps won’t show docks, but they may show marinas and other developments that will surely have docks.  Look for several areas that have deeper water close to main creek channels, and where there are roads adjacent to the lake.

   While searching for areas on the map, you may also need to determine seasonal patterns to help narrow down locations to fish.  For example, in early Spring right after ice-out, you may need to consider fishing on the north side of the lake, since that end of the lake warms up first. 

   After you have narrowed down those areas on the map, spend a little time idling to those areas and search for the right elements around those docks.  Use the fish finder to check the depths and scan the bottom for brush piles and other fish-attracting features around those docks.  Once you find the right combinations of shade, brush pile and depth, then you found yourself a potential hotspot.  If you’re catching fish, use a map to find other areas that have similar features.  Other indicators of a good dock for holding crappie is when dock owners have lights, rod holders, and minnow buckets tied to their docks.

Dock Strategies

   Boat control is important when fishing docks and piers.  Any current can result in a boat being bumped against the structure, disturbing the fish below.  Usually, the best way to approach a dock is to start fishing near the bank.  In low-light conditions and on cloudy days we start on the ends of docks and work our way towards the bank because the crappie are scattered and away from the bank.  You may need to cast several times to the same general area before enticing a strike.  Work each post and cross-member thoroughly as you go around the dock, making sure you probed every piling, brushpile, and other fallen man-made structures.

   Crappie love shade.  Not only does shade give crappie a feel of protection, but it helps them hide better to ambush their prey.  Always try to fish on the shady side of the dock or post, especially if the water is clear.   As the sun moves across the sky, the crappie will move with the shade to the other side of the dock, and you should too.  

   Keep in mind though, the crappie may be on the sunny side of the dock for a number of reasons.  If the water is dingy, and there’s a brushpile in deeper water, they will hover in and  around the cover.  Also, in early Spring and late Fall when the water is cold, they will be on the sunny side and near the surface.

   When the wind is blowing hard, the best bet is to anchor the boat a few feet away from the dock and try “doodling” for crappie.  Doodling is dropping a jig or minnow straight down from the end of a long pole, without a bobber or float.  This way, the strong current can’t move your baits away from the structures.                                                                    

   When doodling, we use Driftmaster rod holders for multiple poles, using one pole for each post, cross-member, brush pile, etc...  Our basic set-up includes 11 and 12-foot B’n’M Graphite Jig Poles with various spinning reels and  6-pound Flourocarbon by P-Line.  In strong currents, we like to tie on a 1/16 oz. minnowhead jig with Culprit’s Swim Fin Grub or Tassel Tail Grub tipped with a Grubco wax or mealy worm.    The Crappie Baits have the undulating waves of action from the tails without any movement of the jig with this set-up.