Odd Observations Around Docks

[WHARFRAT]

I started fishing LOZ back in the early 80's. I remember the first time after I had a boat going out there with a veteran of the lake. He was showing me some of his patterns on catching LM and Crappie.

Of course there were more open water and less docks at the time, but he did take me by quite a few docks. He said to observe the docks, one side is someones fishing side, the other side has ladders, diving boards and slides. Told me not to spend a lot of effort on that side, because its generally void of structure.

Move up to the present.

Now with my side and down imaging, I can really tell what is under and around these docks. I was amazed at all the structure people have put in, and it's helped me trememdously find fish.

What I found odd was, I can take you to 3 docks where there are brush piles, and large brush piles, only 4-8 ft under the surface, directly under diving boards. Really??!! Who would do this?

[Old plug]

I have never seen such a thing as you describe. I guess it is possible though. Could be the owner never even put it there.

[DADAKOTA]

Lots of structure in that lake from brush piles to stake beds to PVC structures, old boat lifts, bed springs, appliances, barrels, and on and on. Lots brush around my FILs dock. He does not swim anymore but likes to catch crappie. Only the area by the ladder is brush free.

[fishinwrench]

Brush placed along the sides of docks will (if not anchored well) end up out in front of the dock, just like trees get placed in backwater eddys on a river.

Waves coming in and bouncing back out create a significant current and the dock creates an eddy.

[WHARFRAT]

Could be! I just hope nobody gets a suprise the first time they dive in.

[nomolites]

We have a 40X70 dock that I have been sweetening with brush for years. Even even though the brush is weighted significantly it still tends to migrate some; I believe it is the mega waves some of these "plowers" put out like Wrench said. If they can move our dock around(concrete topped and roofed) they can move a dinky brush pile. Agreed that SI is pretty sweet; in the old days we had to memorize by lining up between points on opposite sides of the lake and if they moved a bit fan cast til we found them - almost always right under the boat!

[fishinwrench]

Could be! I just hope nobody gets a suprise the first time they dive in.

Diving into a brushpile would kinda suck, but ramming your face into a PVC porcupine could make you ugly for life.

[Old plug]

Some of us do not fish in the brush piles for crappie during the spawn you believe that.

[MOPanfisher]

When the crappie are actively spawning, under the dock is not the prime spot, under the walkway or between the anchor arms and the walkway is the prime spots. Seems like crappie tend to gather under the docks in pre-spawn and post spawn, and again in the fall when tossing a white 1/32 oz jig back under a dock likely will end up with it getting eaten by a crappie before it sinks very far. The turnover in dock and home owners has likely resulted in diving boards being place over old brushpiles etc. A dock owner would be well advised to check with a Side imaging or down imaging prior to putting a diving board there.

[Goggle-Eyed]

^{I have a buddy that tied a rope across an open slip with no brush and then put a swim ladder by the one that had his boat lift AND all the brush in it he also another ladder on the outside edge that was covered with brush... he claims it works well and laughs while he watches people fight the ropes to try and throw into the slip with no brush in it. He does admit they catch a few out of that slip but nothing compared to the other one!}