Tarpon are common dock light residents from South Texas to Florida.

Fishing the lights can be a cinch some nights. However, most lighted structures are around suburban or urban neighborhoods, so high fishing pressure and crafty fish are the norm. You can’t motor right up to a city dock, slam a hatch lid, stomp up onto the front deck, cast and hook every fish in the joint.

Which Dock Light Is Best?

There is much debate about which type of light is best. There are fluorescent bulbs and incandescent bulbs, and halogen and sulphur lights, and the latest rage is the underwater “green glow” lights, such as those made under the names Hydro Glow and Green Magnet. The latter can be hung over the water or submerged if waterproof.

I like relatively dim, yellowish, shaded incandescent lights that hang very close to the surface. First, the glare factor is minimal, affording a good view underwater. A low-hung light shines a smaller halo, but can really bring in the fish. This is not to say a “blue” halogen light is worthless, unless it is positioned so far overhead that it throws a wide swath of weak light. And don’t expect any great shakes along a dock line with so many bright lights that there is no dark water between them. In that case, you might find more fish well away from the lights, where there is a discernable dark edge. I once heard an angler claim that incandescent lights close to the water are “warmer” and draw more fish on cold nights, to which I chuckle for obvious reasons. Though the light type plays a role in the number of fish to be found at a dock, don’t forget that factors such as the structure’s proximity to good tidal flow—which transports forage under that light—might be more critical.

Lures, Flies and Tackle

Dock Tips and Tides Dock light fish wise up quickly. Even when you’re as quiet as a burglar, hooking just one fish can put the rest down for a time. And depending on the fishery, “down” may mean it’ll take five minutes without casting before they feed again, or it may be an hour or even more. As in most fishing, your first cast to a sighted fish is your best chance to hook up. But if fish aren’t visible at the surface, I like to toss my fly or lure well outside the lighted edge, and let it sink a bit before fishing it through. Then I gradually cast closer, and then right through the illuminated water. Of course, if the fish are clobbering bait at center stage, you must put the goods right on ’em right then, while they’re most gullible. Delay your cast more than a few seconds after a feeding melee, and you might get the cold shoulder.   Present flies or lures upcurrent and retrieve with the flow.   When it comes to casting distance, just find a happy medium. You’ll need to be accurate from a comfortable casting distance that won’t spook the fish. Calm nights are best for spotting fish under a light, but a bit of a chop can help “take the edge” off. Some of the best outings I’ve had at docks took place on windy nights when I seriously considered staying at home. The tradeoff is it’s tougher to make accurate casts, with either fly or conventional tackle, and to keep the boat positioned. I normally anchor up off a dock rather than struggle with my electric motor when I brave the windiest nights. Some docks produce best on falling tides and some on risers, but as long as there is current, there should be fish feeding somewhere. And a ripping spring tide, during new and full moons, can be spectacular, though dock regulars in my area claim that a full moon “weakens” the dock light effects, and encourages fish to roam around and feed elsewhere. —M.C.

Big baitfish come into dock lights, but small forage species are more common. When glass minnows and grass shrimp are most abundant, fish can be especially selective, giving fly fishers a decided advantage because they can fish flies that match the hatch in size and color. In general, even a 2-inch streamer can be too big some nights, so be armed with smaller stuff tied on No. 4 hooks. Clouser Minnows tied with bead chain or small dumbbell eyes, Glass Minnows and bonefish-style shrimp flies can be deadly. I’ve caught lots of snook on white, No. 4 Crazy Charleys. The go-to attractor dock fly in Florida these days is a Norm’s Shminnow, which is simply a white-and-pearl takeoff of the Woolly Bugger. It passes for a minnow, or a small shrimp when tied in tan or brown. I tie light wire and heavy mono weedguards into some dock flies, which allows me to cast them among pilings and under docks with less chance of snags.

When casting artificials with conventional gear, stick with small plastic shrimp or jerkbaits, molded minnows, and the smallest floater/diver plugs you can find. Small jigs can be deadly, too, particularly those with marabou tails and copious flash. Again, match lure size to forage on hand. Spin or casting tackle in the 10- to 15-pound class is ideal.

Fly rods in the 6- to 9-weight range work for docks, and your choice should take fly size, fish size and physical makeup of the dock into consideration.

Generally, docks with lots of debris, or boats tied up, or other tight quarters call for beefier fly rods to horse fish out. Floating lines suffice much of the time, though a clear, slow-sinker can be a night-saver when floating grass is around, or when fish are suspended deeper in the water than usual. Leader length depends on spookiness of the fish. For bite tippet use fluorocarbon in super-clear water, though mono in the 20- to 30-pound class shouldn’t put fish off too badly.

Dock Light Fishing Coastwide

Dock light fishing is not a Florida exclusive. Capt. Frank Crescitelli, of Staten Island, New York reports that weakfish in fishable numbers can be caught around lighted docks in Little Neck Harbor.

“It’s a summertime deal,” says Crescitelli, “and I mainly fish the docks in my skiff by drifting, and using my electric motor for positioning. However, if you’re shorebound, you actually have the advantage because you can fish a dock more thoroughly.”