Dock: Approach lanes, rigs, and casting

Fish the outside first to avoid sweeping your line across the interior

Keep the boat outside at a controllable casting distance. Start with the nearest outside corner and progressively work into deeper shade. Skip casts should follow water lanes that offer an exit, avoiding cables, hulls, and personal property. Practice low-trajectory skips in open water before attempting tight gaps.

With a wacky, give it room to fall naturally and watch your line; with a jig at a piling, let the initial fall complete, then make small lift-fall moves. If your line lays over a crossbeam, reel in and recast—don’t drag and wedge it deeper. When hooked up, steer the fish into open water; don’t let it cross other posts.

Starter tackle and swap criteria

For open shade, use a 7' M/F spinning rod, 2500 reel, 10 lb braid to 10 lb fluoro leader, 1/0 wacky hook and a 5-inch stickworm; a weedless hook is optional. For rough wood pilings, use a 7' MH/F baitcaster, 7:1 reel, 15–17 lb fluorocarbon, 3/8 oz weedless jig with a 3-inch craw.

Rigging, baiting, and gear details: Wacky and Neko, Skirted Jigs. If you need to compare boat positioning and execution, continue to Related Tactics.

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