Summertime Dock Fishing: Finding Panfish In The Shade And How to Catch Them

For anglers new and old, going out and getting into a good panfish bite is one of the most thrilling things you can do on the water. You can go out and catch a ton of these fish, keep some eaters, and have one of the best fish fries you’ll find anywhere. While finding these fish can be tricky sometimes, one of the best places to find them (especially in late summer) is around docks.

The main reason why panfish love to stay so close to docks during the summer months is because of the shade. These structures create a ton of shade under the water that these fish are looking for, especially during those long, hot summer days. Docks also provide a lot of protection for these fish. Where they sit along the bottom provides both vertical and horizontal structure that these fish love to stay near in order to feel safe from predators in the area.

On most docks, you’ll also find a boat or two attached. These provide additional shade and structure for these fish to spend their time under. Docks also tend to have a lot of insects falling off of them. This provides a consistent source of food for these fish to feed on.

So generally speaking, the panfish are going to be hanging out under and around docks. But that doesn’t mean that every dock is going to be a great option for targeting panfish. One main thing to pay attention to is the water depth where the dock is. An ideal dock to look for is one that goes out around 10 or 12 feet of water. These are much more likely to have fish around them than the ones you’ll find in the 3 to 5 feet of water range.

If you’re fishing bodies of water where the dock stays out all year-round, finding one that looks like it’s been there a while can be a good idea. These docks usually have a lot of vegetation and structure attached or underneath them, which makes them even more attractive for panfish in the area.

Don’t just pay attention to the dock either; you need to look at what else is around it towards the open water. While panfish may spend a lot of their time near the dock, they can also move away from it if conditions are right. If you can find a dock near a dense weedline, a rock pile, sunken timber, or other types of structure that panfish love, you’ll want to fish that whole area.

Two of the main types of panfish you’ll find near docks are going to be bluegills and crappies. But what do each of these kinds of fish care about when it comes to fishing them near docks?

If you want to chase after bluegill, they’re going to be holding shallow and tight to the dock. They may only be a few feet under the surface, trying to stay in the shade of the dock and near pilings for cover.

Crappie, on the other hand, will usually try to push deeper from the dock as summer moves on. They’ll still use the dock for cover, but might slip out into the deeper water and suspend where they’re most comfortable.

Both of these species of panfish will likely move shallower and closer to the dock during the low-light periods of the day. If you are fishing a dock that’s near those weedlines covered earlier, it’s also pretty common to find both of these fish in there during the hottest parts of the day for added protection and more comfortable water temperatures.

When you find the perfect dock to fish near, it’s time to figure out what presentation is best to use for the panfish in the area.

One of the best ways to fish for panfish near a dock is using a bobber and a crappie jig. This is a classic method, utilizing either a slip bobber or a clip-on bobber. You’ll want to pair that with your favorite crappie jig and some bait. Worms, minnows, and leeches are all great choices, but there are plenty of artificial bait options that can work even better than live bait at times. Try to bring a variety with you to see what works best with the panfish.

To fish the jig and bobber method, all you need to do is set the depth of your bobber, cast it out, and wait for a bite. If you’re fishing for panfish on a day with some wind, it’s not a bad idea to cast away from the dock and let the waves drift it into place. This can help prevent scaring fish away from your presentation, especially when fishing in shallower water.

Vertical jigging is another option that can work well if you’re fishing for panfish near a dock in deeper water, or if you’re actually fishing from the dock. For this, you just need the same setup as before (minus the bobber) and drop your jig down to where the fish are.

This can work really well in and along some of these weedlines that may be away from the dock, as you can drop them through the weeds and into the areas that the panfish are holding out.

This one is a little unconventional, but it can work well in some cases. When most anglers think of trolling, it’s usually for walleye or saltwater species. However, there are plenty of micro-sized crankbaits that are designed specifically for these panfish. When trolling for panfish, you can find a ton of docks all in a row that should hold panfish, and troll the areas just outside of them. Similar to jigging, these are great when worked along the weed lines near the docks.

If trolling for panfish isn’t working, you can try casting your crankbaits towards the docks instead. Just like if you’re fishing docks for bass, you can work along a row of docks, casting your crankbait next to or under the docks to get a strike.