Late Summer Boat Dock Bass Fishing Tactics

August is typically one of the hottest months of the year and can be a month where finding active bass can be challenging. Water temps hover in the upper 70s, and that really depends on the depth of the lake. Just like you and I, bass will look for cooler shaded spots to hang out. One of my all-time favorite things to do when chasing bass in the warmer months of the year is to fish boat docks. They provide both cover and structure, giving hungry bass a place to ambush bait as it swims or falls by. 

In many cases, the real key is time of day. Early is better because air temps tend to be cooler; hence, surface temps will also cool off. I tie on a 4/0 offset hook and one of my favorite creature baits to the line. I have a Piscifun Torrent Baitcaster fishing reel, paired with my Piscifun Serpent baitcasting rod, and have 15-pound fluorocarbon line loaded on the reel. Using one of my favorite knots, the Palomar, I rig up my rod and reel and head out to check boat docks. Early morning on the water means, for the most part, calm winds, calm water, and an excellent start to the day. Using my mapping system, I look at the map and find an area where there are quite a few boat docks. One of the important features of this area is that deeper water is not far off. So fish can come up to chase after bait fish up in about 8 feet of water, but there’s a ledge that drops off to 30 feet not far off. 

At the time of this writing, area lakes in Iowa had experienced some high water events pushing fish out into the deeper portions of the lake due to some of the turbidity up closer to shore. East Okoboji Lake normally has stained water, and this outing was no different. Larger profile baits, darker in color, proved to be the combination that yielded results. One of the best things about the Piscifun combination I was fishing is the ease of switching from casting baits up into fishy-looking water to getting up close and pitching under the docks. The magnetic braking system does an excellent job of keeping my spool from spinning into a bird's nest while I'm pitching up close to docks. There's nothing better than pitching up close to a supporting beam on the dock and feeling the all too familiar "thump" as a bass grabs the falling bait. Reeling in quickly thanks to the 7.1:1 gear ratio, and I've reeled up all the slack line and come tight on the fish, setting the hook. A short but hard battle is won by the Piscifun combo, and a nice 3 to 4-pound bass comes in. A quick pic, and off it goes to fight another day.

As the day wore on, the fishing began to slow, I managed to hook another nice bass off a dock, but then fishing turned to deeper water. One of the benefits of having a good mapping system is finding those key areas where you might find fish that are looking for a cooler place to hang out. One such area was an unwater hump that peaked at about 8 feet of water with 15 to 20 feet off the edges.

Several casts up into the 8-foot area didn't produce any fish. Moving away from the top of the hump and working the bait down into deeper waters garnered several bites, though these fish were smaller in size than the ones I had caught up under the docks. This lake has a large population of white bass and, of course, bluegill and crappie, and they were nipping at the claws and feet of the bait I was tossing, providing me with some excitement followed by disappointment as I reeled in a clawless bait.

Another method that I've used to succeed is to find trees that are growing next to the water's edge, casting a shadow on to the lake; in a smaller body of water, this can change the surface temperature of the water by a couple of degrees or more and ironically enough you'll find bass hanging around structure. There was a tree stump located under the shade of the tree that I could barely see from my vantage point. I took a chance and pitched up close to the stump and found bass willing to take my bait. A couple of nice 2 to 3-pound bass later, and I counted that towards my day of success. 

Late summer bass fishing calls for early mornings and some thought processes to find active fish that are willing to take your bait. Just remember that they will look for cooler spots like you and I would. Shade is better…Remember to be selective in your harvest, practice C.P.R. (Catch, Photo, Release), and take care of the resources we share in this great nation. Tight Lines All!