Just bought a small lot on Lake Cisco just north of Cisco TX. We have a dock that has a depth of 10-20' depending on lake level with a mainly rock bottom. I'm used to fishing stock tanks with a worm/minnow and bobber. I've never been accused of being a good fisherman and there's plenty of material to prove that correct. Give me a basic idea of what I'll need to drop a line off the end of the dock and hope for the best. Mainly for entertaining the kids and guest. Thanks!

Edit- Reading online there's plenty of bass, crappie and catfish in the lake.

Pieces of hot dog on a hook, just cast out with a small weight or maybe under a bobber has always been cheap and reliable for me.

Try Louisiana jug line fishing.

All you need is a jug (milk, laundry detergent, 2L soda, etc.), line, swivels, hooks, and a cinder block.

Every morning, put something stinky on the hooks (pieces of hotdog works fine) and drop the brick near your dock with enough line for the jug to reach the surface and float. You can put multiple leaders and hooks along the line. Place them closer to the bottom depth, just above the brick. Every afternoon, see if the jug is being pulled underwater. Pull it up and filet some fish for the family. Repeat as often as you enjoy frying up some catfish filets.

You should be able to catch something doing the worm under a bobber technique. Adjust the bobber based on how deep the fish are.

Meat sticks make great catfish bait. Bite off a little bit and fish on the bottom. The skin helps it stay on the hook… and it doesn't make a horrible snack either.

oh no said:

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Try Louisiana jug line fishing.

All you need is a jug (milk, laundry detergent, 2L soda, etc.), line, swivels, hooks, and a cinder block.

Every morning, put something stinky on the hooks (pieces of hotdog works fine) and drop the brick near your dock with enough line for the jug to reach the surface and float. You can put multiple leaders and hooks along the line. Place them closer to the bottom depth, just above the brick. Every afternoon, see if the jug is being pulled underwater. Pull it up and filet some fish for the family. Repeat as often as you enjoy frying up some catfish filets.

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Me and my John boat hate you

Cheap frozen TV bait shrimp from Walmart on a weighted hook with a bobber about 4ft deep from surface, works for East Texas.

SanAntoneAg said:

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Consider sinking brush piles or PVC trees at the end of the deck.

Also, add lights shining into the water at the end.

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We did this in several different places in a private lake. Me and buddy went around Houston right after Christmas and picked up Christmas trees left at the curb in front of houses. We put them in different piles, each pile tied together, in the lake but had to weight them down. Eventually they'd get saturated and sink to the bottom. Turned into awesome crappie holes, just use something silvery.

Get some range cubes from feed store and put them in a weighted bucket with holes or crawfish sack whenever you can. Main thing I would do is brush piles by sinking trees or build some yourself out of pvc (YouTube it) and you'll have bass, crappie, catfish, etc. Especially if there is limited structure on the lake like standing timber.

Do you have bulkhead? Or is it bank to water? Being 10-20feet off your dock I'm thinking bulkhead. You will learn the shad spawn and times for crappie and catfish to come to you!

It's a natural shore line but with big boulders and steep drops. Lake is low right now so I can see some old brush that the previous owners put out. Thanks for all the tips. Hopefully post some pics the big boys.

Quote:

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In Texas, juglining is a legal and effective method for catching catfish in freshwater lakes and rivers, provided specific regulations are followed. Juglines must be marked with a white, free-floating device for non-commercial use, which must be at least 6 inches long and 3 inches wide. This float can serve as the gear tag, which must include the angler's name, address, and the date the jug was set out, and is valid for 10 days from that date. For commercial purposes, an orange float is required.

Juglines are limited to a maximum of five hooks per device, and the total number of hooks across all devices used by a person cannot exceed 100. The line can be anchored with a weight to keep it in place, and a 6-ounce sinker is commonly used to maintain position on the bottom, especially in windy conditions. The jugline should be set in areas where catfish are likely to be, such as flats adjacent to creek or river channels, drop-offs, submerged timber, or old roadbeds.

Some lakes and rivers in Texas prohibit juglining entirely. These include specific community fishing lakes and reservoirs, as well as sections of rivers within state park boundaries. Anglers should consult the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) regulations and check for any water body-specific restrictions before setting juglines. The TPWD also provides weekly fishing reports that can help identify current fishing conditions and patterns.

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As a kid living on the bayou in southern Louisiana in the 80s, I used a milk jug and had no rules.

If the owner of lake front property in Texas wants to drop a jug right off his dock, is a game warden really going to come by and do something about it?

SanAntoneAg said:

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Consider sinking brush piles or PVC trees at the end of the deck.

Also, add lights shining into the water at the end.

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i see what you did there

ought1ag said:

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SanAntoneAg said:

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Consider sinking brush piles or PVC trees at the end of the deck.

Also, add lights shining into the water at the end.

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i see what you did there

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If you have the know how and a little cash, underwater lights are even better. I like the way lights attract bugs ON the water, but man some times during the summer just running lights in the water keeps the bugs off you!

We used to throw cotton seed cake in the water to attract catfish. It worked. I think we got it at Producer's Coop. Is it still available?

This. At our river place my dad used to get cottonseed meal and fill a burlap sack with it and we would sink it. About a week later it was catfish heaven around it.

Cattle cakes work too. Not sure what the cottonseed cakes look like but the ones we used were like a big cigar. A dock fish feeder is really handy. Be surprised how smart and on time the fish can be. If we float and drink beer, the fish think it's time to be fed also. They will come right into your lap.