Throw a black/blue jig or a white/chartreuse chatterbait first, and work the shady dock posts, cable ties, and back corners with a slow hop or steady retrieve. With overcast skies, a falling pressure trend, and a south wind, bass should be willing to feed shallow and use docks as ambush cover. If the water is a little stained after rain, the chatterbait is your best search bait; if it’s clearer or the fish seem tight to cover, switch to the jig.
First move
- Chatterbait: white/chartreuse or green pumpkin, 3/8 oz
- Retrieve: cast past the dock, let it tick the posts, then reel just fast enough to keep it vibrating
- Target: outside corners, shade line, and the first dark pocket under each dock
Why it should work
- Late spring bass are often shallow and dock-oriented
- Overcast + falling pressure usually improves feeding windows
- 16+ mph wind/gusts can push bait to the windblown dock side and make reaction baits better
Backup plan
- Skipping jig or soft jerkbait under the dock if they won’t chase
- Color: green pumpkin in clearer water, black/blue in dirtier water
- Fish slower if the bite feels off after the front
Videos to look at
- Chatterbait Fishing Lure Tips and How They Work Underwater
- Dock Fishing Bass With Underspin Jigs
- How to Catch Bass Around Docks with Wacky Rigs
- How to Skip Docks
Products/lures to look at
- Blackwake Spinnerbait
- Davy Jones’ Buzz
- 4.75" Twitch Jerkbait
- Bass Mafia Custom Balsa Squarebill Crankbait
Make the first cast to the windblown side of the dock line with a 3/8 oz chatterbait, then follow with a skip under the nearest shady slip.
