The Dock is their Classroom
By Scott Bonnema
To a kid, a dock is a plank into the aquatic world. From it they survey the
fish’s world with an osprey’s perspective, inspecting clam trails in the sand;
crayfish cautiously reaching from beneath rocks; baby bluegills hovering inches
below the surface in the shade of a pontoon.
To a kid, and his or her mentor, be they a mother, father, grandpa or neighbor,
the dock is both an underwater observatory and a classroom. A fledgling angler’s
first experiences begin on that jettison with a simple float, garden worms, and
eager panfish. Nothing beats a bite, regardless of size and species. Youth don’t
carry scales and rulers either, but can manufacture yarns from the smallest
catches.
From that inaugural hook-set – likely a sunfish, maybe a bullhead – to step two,
where boats and baits enter the fray, a piscatorial genetic code is deposited in
hopes of creating a future fisherman. And during that impressionable period
opens a passage to lifelong bass fishing, if the opportunity is seized.
To our benefit, largemouths, like bluegills and pumpkinseeds, gravitate to docks
and piers to seek shade, shelter, and shore lunch. And they’re a captive
audience, loitering well inside casting range, and quite tolerant too, even
receptive to poorly operated baits. Docks are a proving-grounds for lure
presentation. So rifle through the tackle box and gather some goodies, including
your Fuji QuickSnap Waterproof 800 to capture the moment. Be generous with
tackle too. Donating a few baits helps a kid build a personal arsenal and
fosters pride through ownership.
Specifically, when it comes to tools for teaching, spinnerbaits provide lovely
visuals and they’re easy to manage. Let a kid fling it out there and watch the
blades agitate and line throb. Spinnerbaits are heavy and easy to cast too,
encouraging and permitting the judgment of casting distances. Pick a pad and try
to hit it. Then, let him or her experiment with retrieval speeds; burn it across
the surface; slow down and bulge it; drag it right across the sand. And explain
when and where spinnerbaits meet the criteria hand.
Shallow-running, floating stickbaits also encourage strikes and are ideal for
hurling off docks – beware the trebles, though. Kids love the minnow-mocking
colors, profiles, and slick swimming ways. Let ‘em pop it on the surface in
search of an eruption, while of course teaching patience. Go to twitches, and
then controlled jerks just a few inches down. Try straight retrieves and super
scorches. Experiment with different makes and models. They’ll learn a great deal
about how certain crankbaits run, and more importantly, how to customize and
control retrieves.
Plastics are good too. Rig up a weightless and weedless soft jerkbait and have
your student guide it through the nastiest dockside terrain, such as pads,
rushes, or milfoil. They’ll learn the importance of weed-fending lures and that
most cover is penetrable, and potentially juiced with bass.
The learning never ends on the end of the dock. To this day, from my dock, I
test the merits of newfangled lines and supposed-revolutionary crankbaits. And I
never pass at the chance of showing a kid where a big pig resides and how to
catch her attention. Docks simply don’t discriminate against age…
Scott Bonnema
classicbass.com Pro Staff
