Lifting largemouth from summer docks
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On the hookset, I knew the bass at the other end was big. It was the first cast of the night, and by the time I steadied myself on the stern of my brother's boat, the line was tight and the largemouth was off and running, likely weaving my Fireline through the various posts of the first dock just off the deep rise of the warming lake. As I hauled back, I could feel the scrape and a quick pop as the metal did its magic and the fish was freed from any fear of a prolonged battle, left only with a mouth piercing it would probably shake in a couple days' time.
My unpreparedness on the night's first take, and really, the summer's first trip for the bucketmouths making their moves up to the shallow structures and the warm water of the season, was more than evident. There's no largemouth bass in the world in those situations that will wait around after swimming over to grab the perfect placement of a plastic under the cover a dock or a boat lift, before moving right back to the most protected corner of the complex. I should have known better to be ready to set the hook and horse the fish out, but sometimes the enjoyable heat of a summer evening, the gentle lap of light ripples on the water, and memories of a fun weekend coming to a close can be a distraction. I can almost guarantee that won't happen again. However, even the most aware angler can be caught off guard by the wiles of those fish lying in wait for a well-placed worm or tube. Knowing how to get them loose from their lairs is key, and it comes down to three important techniques: the hookset, the haul, and the yo-yo.
When fishing largemouth bass around structure, a powerful hookset is the first, and perhaps most important, part in preventing them from using posts or other obstructions -- man-made or natural -- to break off, change the angle, or otherwise escape. With tight line and a fish securely on the other end, reel down and pull back hard with a hook set going from waist to shoulder. I've often dubbed the act as the "baseball swing" simply for the force applied to the bait to get a positive hook set. Along with that, the powerful pull helps set the stage for battle and gets the fish away from the best portions of their basecamp.
Next, keep the pressure on and haul them out of the last few posts and sections of dock, driving for open water. Once clear of the dock, don't stop. Loosen the drag if you really need to, but consider heavier line if necessary on a rod you dedicate to summertime bass fishing. Keep hauling the fish up and away from any obstacles, noting that plenty of them still exist in the open, such as weeds, water pump mechanisms, and random sunken items that often exist in the shallows. Don't give an inch you can't afford to lose so you can bring the bass to hand. Having a bass wrap around a dock post, a sunken tree or other rounded, elongated item will happen eventually. There's one method that does prove useful when all else fails, and that's the yo-yo. When it seems a fish can't be budged or is buried deep in weeds or wrapped around a stand of lily pads, don't give up and break the line just yet. Instead, open the bail of the reel and let some line out, forming slack. With the pressure off, sometimes a bass will relocate to a safe space or attempt to swim out of the vegetation it's lodged itself in, and in the process, will move the line with it, giving you a straight retrieve or at least one that's a bit better. Slowly reel the line tight after a few seconds of slack, and if you can still feel the fish, start the hauling process over.
My consolation bass for the night of our first summer dock outing was a fat 19-incher that had made the run for the corner post on a dock we had hit hard but given up on. The last cast I made caught the underside of the platform and the final edge of shade where it must have been lurking. With a quick backtroll, I was able to pull the bass from the 120-degree wrap around the last dock post and bring her to hand with the hard haul that brought her loose and into the open water.
While docks provide great spaces for big largemouth bass in summer, they also come with their challenges. Remember to set the hook hard, haul the fish in with all the strength your rod, reel and line can provide, and cut them a bit of slack if they become tangled in structure before giving them one more pull to pop them loose. Keep these strategies in mind, with a bit more attention from first cast to last, and ultimately you'll find more success ... in our outdoors.