Jake Whitaker has a proven history of success when fishing around marinas and boat docks. Call it a fishing strength, confidence factor or both.
“The reason why I like docks during fall is the bait congregate in the larger marinas, using the boat slips and walkways for protection, as they migrate up the creeks,” he said. “That, in turn, attracts the bass.”
Whitaker discovered three particular sweet spots in the marina where he is fishing.
“I don’t know what it is about those three slips, but it’s where there is more bait and bass, than anywhere else.”
My hunch is the renters of those slips planted brushpiles for their own fishing pleasure. What else he noticed was the bass he caught had the white skin tones that are giveaways they came from deep water. That could be an indicator his spot is capable of reloading. As he catches and keeps fish, more move in.
Also key is that Whitaker is capable of matching the tiny size of the shad being fed upon by the bass. He is casting a swimbait on a 1/8-ounce weight with a 1/0 hook.
When I spoke with him this morning at the ramp, Whitaker was eager to hit the docks to find out if they reloaded, after he caught 11 pounds, 2 ounces, for an overall weight of 25-5.