Target Docks for Post-Spawn Success
Marty Stone, Bassmaster Elite Series angler


The immediate post-spawn can be tough, so tough that some anglers go so far as to not fish during this period. They believe the fish wander off into places unknown or go into a deep funk after they leave the beds. That’s too bad because nothing could be farther from the truth.

Post-spawn bass will feed with abandon – almost immediately after they leave the beds – once you locate them. And, there’s no better place to look than under boat docks. They’re natural way stations between spawning beds and summer haunts.

Not all boat docks are created equal, however. The best have four things in common:

1. They’re near spawning pockets.

Look for docks that are near spawning pockets, along a natural travel route. Some of the best, and most obvious, are located at the entrance to small creeks that lead back to the flats. They’re usually positioned along the channel which is a natural route from the flats to deep water.

2. They’re positioned over deep water.

Deep water is a term of art, a relative concept. It doesn’t mean the same thing on every body of water, or even between different areas on the same body of water.

If the spawning pocket is 4 or 5 feet deep, and the water is murky, deep may mean 7 or 8 feet. On the other hand, if the spawning pocket is 10 or 12 feet deep and the water is clear deep may mean 20 feet or more.

The best working definition of deep is that it’s a well-defined change of depth that’s significant for the body of water you’re fishing. In Florida that may only be a couple of feet; in California it may be 10 feet or more.

3. They’re close to the water.

If you can skip a lure under a dock it’s too high. You should be looking for something that’s no more than a few inches above the surface, floating on it is even better. The idea is to find a spot that offers plenty of shade and plenty of ambush points. Docks sitting 2 or 3 feet off the surface don’t do that.

4. Construction materials matter.

The best docks are floating on Styrofoam; next is PVC plastic. After that, maybe wood and a host of other materials that are common to the area you’re fishing will suffice. Regardless of material, though, you’re looking for the greenest, nastiest float you can find. Again, think shade and ambush.

The importance of these four characteristics becomes obvious when you consider the nature of post-spawn bass. First, they aren’t bottom oriented like pre-spawners and those on the beds. They tend to stay up, suspended in the water column, directly below the docks.

Also, they’re schooled up in groups. Remember, bass are top predators and they’re looking to feed after they spawn. Do you know any top predator that hunts by him or herself? No, you don’t. That’s because hunting in packs offers the most efficient way to kill prey; bass are no exception to this rule. Floating docks are perfect for group hunts.

With all that in mind let’s take a close look at four common scenarios during the immediate post-spawn and how I fish them.

1. Cloudy, overcast, windy

Under those conditions I like to throw a 1/2-ounce Picasso Marty Stone Tournament Force Double Willow-Leaf Spinnerbait. I first target the front of the dock, retrieving my bait just outside the float. I then work the sides of the dock. I wind it back as fast as possible, waking it just under the water’s surface. (If the wind is really high I’ll go to a 3/4-ounce model, but only if absolutely necessary.)

This is fast fishing. I throw my spinnerbait with an American Rodsmiths Mag Strike rod, a Browning Midas 6.4:1 reel and 20-pound-test Vicious monofilament line.

2. Bright sun, slight wind

Under this weather pattern I like to throw a Lucky Craft shad finished Slender Pointer 112. I stay well away from the dock and make a couple of long casts with this jerkbait to the front of the dock. I then work the sides of the dock the same way. If they’re under my dock they’ll come out after it immediately. (Switch lure sizes until you find the one that works best. No two bodies of water are the same and no two groups of bass respond the same.)

My presentation is very fast. I use a jerk-jerk-pause retrieve. My jerks are swift and hard – I use my rod tip to move the bait a foot or two at a time – and my pauses are short. One or two seconds is about right. With this presentation I can thoroughly fish a dock with five or six casts.

I use Vicious 10-pound-test monofilament line for this application; otherwise my tackle is the same as what I use for my spinnerbaits. Lighter line helps my bait get down where the fish can see it. Besides, the fish are usually coming out from under the dock, towards me so I’m not worried about controlling them or keeping them out of trouble.

3. Dirty, stained water

If I’m fishing water that’s too dark for a jerkbait I’ll switch to a jig. I like to swim the Tru-Tungsten 1/2-ounce model in black and blue under most conditions. I almost always use a matching Zoom Fat Albert Twin Tail Grub for a trailer. (If there’s a shad spawn underway I’ll switch to a white jig and trailer to mimic the baitfish.)

I throw my jigs with a Series 2 American Rodsmiths 7-foot rod, Team Series (one that matches my bait, my fish and the lake conditions) along with a Browning Midas 6.4:1 reel spooled with Vicious 50-pound-test braid line. I want my jig to keep moving with a quick and tight underwater pop, pop, pop throughout the strike zone. This tackle allows me to do that.

Be careful with your hookset, though. It’s best to simply lean into it like you would with a crankbait. The braid and the sharp point on the Tru-Tungsten jig will drive the point home. If you jerk too hard you’ll tear it out of his or her mouth.

4. Low light, little or no wind

When I’m lucky enough to encounter these conditions I love to throw a small walking bait. My preference is for a Lucky Craft Gunfish 95. It’s a walking stick that’ll also spit and hiss as it’s pulled back to the boat. Again, I always start with the front of the dock. Only after I’ve covered that area do I move to the sides.

I use a Series 1 American Rodsmiths 7-foot rod, Team Series with a Browning Midas 6.4:1 reel and 12-pound-test Vicious monofilament line. I walk and pop this bait all the way back. I never – not ever, not for any reason – stop it. This bait is designed to evoke reaction bites. Stop it and you’ll stop the bite.

Those are the most common situations you’ll encounter after the spawn. Regardless of the prevailing weather and water conditions, however, or what lure you select, there are a few other things you need to keep in mind.

Post-spawn bass are pack oriented. They will school – mostly by size – under these docks in great numbers. When you catch one you’ll likely catch others. And, after you’ve caught three or four from a dock let it set for a while. When you return you’ll almost always catch a couple more. You don’t have to let it sit for long, an hour or so should be sufficient.

And, no matter which bait you select always keep it moving at this time of year. This is not a slow style of fishing; you aren't trying to entice a bite. You’re trying to elicit a quick, competitive feeding response from a pack of hungry predators. And, don’t forget that this isn’t bottom oriented fishing. Whatever you do don’t let your bait drop down near the bottom.

Finally, don’t waste time on docks that don’t produce. Some docks are loaded with bass at this time of year, but some aren’t. Two seemingly identical docks, in similar locations, will give you very different fishing results. We humans don’t always know why, and we don’t need to know why. All we need to know is where the fish are holding.

Don’t believe all the trash you hear about the post-spawn funk. It doesn’t exist. Target the right docks with the right baits and you’ll reap the rewards.