Docklands

[Sloth]

Was down there for my usual pre-work session this morning and I'm devo . There is now a decent bream swimming around with my micro vibe in its gob. That is the single lure that has caught *all* my bream to date Topped it off by an errant last cast that saw the end of a cranka crank. Sigh.

Learnt one important lesson though. If you're working in tight spaces, have your exit strategy in place before your lure hits the water. I had to work the rod through a gap to get to a school of 15 or so decent sized bream and one took it as soon as it entered the water. Was on for all of 3 seconds before he had the fc around the pylon I was tea-bagging and it parted (fishing straight-thru fc which may not be the best idea). I think I gave him too much time with it ... probably had it for a good 2 or 3 seconds before I struck - mainly due to lack of room to strike. Other than being more prepared and muscling them immediately is there anything else I could have done?

I finished the session slow rolling and twitch-pausin' a deep cranka crank past a bunch of pylons. Didn't seem to attract much attention from the fish that were in the top of the water column.

Is that a valid strategy at docks or is it a waste of time ? So far I've only got the fish I can sight to show interest in a micro vibe, and then, only if I can get into a position to pretty much lower it on top of them. I'm kind of getting stuck in a rut of only tying on a micro.

Loving the clear water and the warmth bringing them up to the surface though. So much more fun sight fishing

Cheers.
Dave

[nick88]

Originally Posted by Sloth

Was down there for my usual pre-work session this morning and I'm devo . There is now a decent bream swimming around with my micro vibe in its gob. That is the single lure that has caught *all* my bream to date Topped it off by an errant last cast that saw the end of a cranka crank. Sigh.

Learnt one important lesson though. If you're working in tight spaces, have your exit strategy in place before your lure hits the water. I had to work the rod through a gap to get to a school of 15 or so decent sized bream and one took it as soon as it entered the water. Was on for all of 3 seconds before he had the fc around the pylon I was tea-bagging and it parted (fishing straight-thru fc which may not be the best idea). I think I gave him too much time with it ... probably had it for a good 2 or 3 seconds before I struck - mainly due to lack of room to strike. Other than being more prepared and muscling them immediately is there anything else I could have done?

I finished the session slow rolling and twitch-pausin' a deep cranka crank past a bunch of pylons. Didn't seem to attract much attention from the fish that were in the top of the water column.

Is that a valid strategy at docks or is it a waste of time ? So far I've only got the fish I can sight to show interest in a micro vibe, and then, only if I can get into a position to pretty much lower it on top of them. I'm kind of getting stuck in a rut of only tying on a micro.

Loving the clear water and the warmth bringing them up to the surface though. So much more fun sight fishing

Cheers.
Dave

Hey mate
Sucks about losing your fish
Without doubt, sinking sticks and vibes are the best for fishing deep vertical structure at the docks
However, hb's/cranks will also work, not as effective imo
Best bet is to cast a hb that suspends/sits below or just under the underside of a pontoon, as close as practicably possible, and start your retrieve. I like a shaky-twitch (twitch on slack line whilst winding) - then pausing every now and again. You can also tune your lure to swim underneath the pontoon which is typically more enticing for a bream than swimming out from cover and smacking a lure.
It works well and now is a good time. Early morning or late afternoon, balmy, humid, overcast conditions should bring on a better bite than midday, especially on fukt days like today. Just don't let the fish see you otherwise your chances of getting it to eat a lure are slim

[Sloth]

Originally Posted by nick88

Hey mate
You can also tune your lure to swim underneath the pontoon which is typically more enticing for a bream than swimming out from cover and smacking a lure.

Thats a great idea. I've been trying to figure a way of getting it to swim under the pontoon by dropping the lure and walking to my retrieve spot but its not worked too well....

How exactly do you go about tuning it - is it bending the tow point, shaving the bill or adding weight to one side?

[vxcalais]

Originally Posted by nick88

Hey mate
Sucks about losing your fish
Without doubt, sinking sticks and vibes are the best for fishing deep vertical structure at the docks
However, hb's/cranks will also work, not as effective imo
Best bet is to cast a hb that suspends/sits below or just under the underside of a pontoon, as close as practicably possible, and start your retrieve. I like a shaky-twitch (twitch on slack line whilst winding) - then pausing every now and again. You can also tune your lure to swim underneath the pontoon which is typically more enticing for a bream than swimming out from cover and smacking a lure.
It works well and now is a good time. Early morning or late afternoon, balmy, humid, overcast conditions should bring on a better bite than midday, especially on fukt days like today. Just don't let the fish see you otherwise your chances of getting it to eat a lure are slim

Well done ! I fish with tight drags at the docks, and loosen it off while fighting them a lil once they are away from the snag. Tighten up if using straight through as it has the stretch in it already. Otherwise they have too much room to move and you loose em. Well done on the hooks up at least ! I will only use floating hards after i have had a good outing as for me they not successfull at the Docks. However, sinking crankbaits like Skagit Design Bottom Trank, Rapala UL Minnow/Shad are top class sinking crankbaits to use around there. You can also tea bag them to an extent. Give em a try.

Also I would start off on sinking plastics, like lightly weighted Bream Prawn, Damiki Mikis etc. and see if they take those. Definately cheaper to loose. But you need to watch the line more as you only have one hook, and seem to just mouth em at the moment. The Micros have the advantage of the treble and even light hook them.

[Goody1971]

Originally Posted by Sloth

Thats a great idea. I've been trying to figure a way of getting it to swim under the pontoon by dropping the lure and walking to my retrieve spot but its not worked too well....

How exactly do you go about tuning it - is it bending the tow point, shaving the bill or adding weight to one side?

Hey Sloth, just a very slight tweak of the tow point off centre to the left or right will make the lure track in that direction.

[redfinfisho]

lost a micro with 28 bream to its name recently just gotta start over with a new one and bibbed minnows will work there just not the best technique to fish the area coz you're usually so high up and your fishing horizontally rather than vertically but it will still work

I've only done it once there
Image0395 (600x450).jpg

[Sloth]

Originally Posted by Goody1971

Hey Sloth, just a very slight tweak of the tow point off centre to the left or right will make the lure track in that direction.

Cheers Goody - will give it a go with one of my older cranks.

Originally Posted by vxcalais

sinking crankbaits like Skagit Design Bottom Trank, Rapala UL Minnow/Shad are top class sinking crankbaits to use around there. You can also tea bag them to an extent. Give em a try.

Also I would start off on sinking plastics

I've got a few sinking sticks/minnows/things .. few shinkus, a crazy coloured rapala countdown, daiwa lazy gebajikiin (something like that) that I can try. I really want plastics to work but so far had no joy with them. Feel like a shag on a rock .. stood there twitchin' ... least with vibes it feels like they are doing something .....

I might try tomorrow morning if I get a chance. I don't have any creature plastics really (just lobbys) but will try tea-bagging a powergrub or wriggler before I go to the hards.

Originally Posted by redfinfisho

lost a micro with 28 bream to its name recently just gotta start over with a new one and bibbed minnows will work there just not the best technique to fish the area coz you're usually so high up and your fishing horizontally rather than vertically but it will still work

I've only done it once there

Hmmm... I've seen some of your dock reports.... if you've only got one once on a minnow I'm thinking its not the best idea now .... losing that lure was like losing an old friend ... sigh ... already picked up a replacement though

[redfinfisho]

I havn't been for a while now but they were going strong about a month and a half or so back I'll have to get back down for a couple sessions yer bibbed minnows there can be difficult to use i sight casted that fish off a pylon but he was pretty keen to go for it so if you're seeing heaps high up it could be a successful technique

[Sloth]

I normally don't fish Friday morning as I have childcare drop-offs but with the recent water clarity, sighting so many fish and the change coming through later today ...... decided I could head into work an hour later and work my lunch hour to make it up. I'm sure the boss would have thought the same. He's actually on leave, so I can't check, but I'm sure he would approve

Went to my usual docks haunt and .... a bit of wind chop, not as clear ... and where I've seen dozens of fish in the last few days there were only one or two handsized bambino-breambo. Walked each pylon ... empty... empty... empty ... walked the pontoon .... same deal... oh dear.

So stupidly I fished the empty pylons cos heh, they might be down deep Suffice to say ..... tumbleweeds and crickets

Saw one decent school swim along the edge of the pontoon at one point and in my excitement somehow managed to birds-nest my reel ... lol ... had to cut the line in the end to sort it out. Suffice to say they were long gone.

So time to leave for work came and it was all a bit depressing. Where I go has two areas I like to check. They are like yin and yang. Where one will be in sun and have a bit of wind chop or current... the other will be in shade, calm and still ... you get the idea.

Just happens that area 'Yang' is on the way back to my car so I figure one last drop of the micro vibe.....

BAMMM!

My new PB Bream



31 Fork, 33 Tipper.... nothing by the general breammasters standards but the best fish I've pulled.... nice dark back and a fat old girl

The old micro vibe is dead ... long live the new ...

[Goody1971]

Well done mate, that's a nice looking bream!

[Sloth]

Cheers Goody ... there are some decent fish around at the moment ... quite a few very small ones too.....

When I hooked into her the water around it went nuts with big silver flashes ... were probably a dozen or so of similar size... was pretty cool


Oh and I better explain myself to VXCalais .... I had my soft plastics with me I decided I'd switch to them once I had one on the micro vibe to restore my mojo. Didn't think it would be the last cast .... Honest

[vxcalais]

Originally Posted by Sloth

Cheers Goody ... there are some decent fish around at the moment ... quite a few very small ones too.....

When I hooked into her the water around it went nuts with big silver flashes ... were probably a dozen or so of similar size... was pretty cool


Oh and I better explain myself to VXCalais .... I had my soft plastics with me I decided I'd switch to them once I had one on the micro vibe to restore my mojo. Didn't think it would be the last cast .... Honest

lol well done ! Your fishing a great area, and well done ! When i fish that area, I wonder if sloth is around, its like your sacred ground now. Nice size, and would test your gear real well at that size ! Keep at it, and keep using those micros until your satisfied......then try something else. By the way, I lagging you in to your boss due to pure jealousy !

[Piscateur]

Great 100th post

[Gagga]

In contrast to what others have suggested I actually use a very loose drag when fishing the docks. I use the rod tip to try and 'guide' the fish clear of the structure. By going easy on the fish they don't become too aggressive and are therefore less likely to stitch you up on a pylon. Having said that I still loose plenty of lures to fish, comes with the territory unfortunately. The other major difference is I fish out of a boat, which obviously makes the task a lot easier.

Good luck with your efforts Sloth. The micro is a cracking lure and easily one of my favourites!

Cheers
Corey

[Sloth]

Originally Posted by Gagga

The other major difference is I fish out of a boat, which obviously makes the task a lot easier.

I wish Yep, landbased dock fishing requires a bit of agility and some interesting casting techniques. Borrowed a few bass techniques which seem to be working for me. Only a couple of place I know where you can get the lure under the dock with any kind of accuracy from the dockside. A boat would be a joy to use

Originally Posted by Gagga

Good luck with your efforts Sloth. The micro is a cracking lure and easily one of my favourites!

Its my go to for the docks for sure. Just works. I've even "pole fished" it and just lowered it on top of grazing bream on a fixed length of line and its been taken as soon as it entered the water. Was devastated I lost my first.

Hard to tie on anything else to be honest, but I want to get my first on SP this summer.

I enjoy fishing with a lighter drag but I extracted this one from a pylon between two mooring ropes (a little naughty) so giving it too much lee-way wasn't an option.