If you’ve ever eyed a pontoon boat or a very low-to-the-water dock and wondered just how many crappie fish might be lying in that big spot of shade, you don’t have to wonder any more. Grab an ultralight spincasting fishing outfit, a few packets of very light jigheads and some 1 1/2-inch YUM Wooly Curltails and try your hand at “shooting.”
Shooting, which is a bow-and-arrow-type fishing technique for delivering jigs into very tight places, is amazingly accurate once you’ve mastered the technique. The timing and aiming require a bit of practice, but shooting actually is easier than you might expect.
To set up a shot, let a little less than a rod’s length of fishing line out from the end of your fishing rod, press and hold the line-release button ( assuming you’re using spincasting gear), grab the jig by the bend in the hook and pull it back far enough to put a “load” in the rod. Get yourself low to the water, aim the rod where you want the shot to go and let go of the jig just a moment before you let go of the button.
It sounds more complicated than it is and is something that you just have to try. Try it in open water first, and then start aiming for some fishing holes as you get a feel for the technique. The one thing to be careful about is to hold the jig behind the hook point, or, at least to be certain the hook point is facing away. You don’t want to “shoot” your thumb or index figure!
Some anglers prefer spinning gear; however, it’s easier to master the timing with a button than by holding and then releasing line with your finger. Most fishermen like a short (less than 5 feet), very limber rod. A slightly longer rod allows for extra distance, but a 4 1/2-footer is easier to shoot and more accurate.
Once your Wooly Curltail fishing lure lands under a dock, it can be worked a number of different ways, including swimming it back out or twitching the rod to add a darting action. The best presentation varies not only according to the mood of the fish but by the depth of the water under the dock and the amount of cover underneath it.
Many veteran shooters contend that the best way to draw strikes from fish under docks is to use a very light jighead and simply let the offering fall freely though the water column. Watch the line closely if you opt for the free-fall approach and be ready to set the hook with a quick snap of the wrist if the line jerks unusually.
One negative of shooting is that it’s hard to tell how much cover is underneath a dock. Expect to get hung up a lot and know that there’s no practical way to go in after your jigs. Use light-wire hooks and heavy enough line to bend them straight. If the water is too clear for heavy fishing line, bring plenty of jigheads and plan to lose some.