To shoot a dock, take the head of the lure between the index finger and thumb of the one hand, pulling out just enough line the jig about even with the reel with the rod fully bowed. Releasing the jig shoots the lure forward at the same time the line is released with other hand, thus sending the lure up under the dock.

Safety is an issue, and more than one shooter has lodged a sharp hook in finger or hand upon release. Bailey emphasizes grasping the jighead and not the hook, which should always face away from the hand, thus alleviating some of the element of danger.

The technique demands practice and can be frustrating. But with just a little practice, even first-time shooters can quickly become adroit with the technique.

Baker suggested that many fishermen already possess the perfect dock-shooting practice field at their home. "Raise the garage door," he said. "Practice shooting underneath it. Raise it up as much as you need to get started, 1 foot or 2 feet -- whatever height you need to be comfortable at the start. Then, as you get more skilled with it, drop the door down. Many of the docks that we shoot under only have a few inches of space. You have to be pretty good to get the jig in some of the tight spaces under the very best docks."

During shooting practice, mounting a steady platform elevated 12 to 18 inches off the floor helps to create the feel of actually fishing from a boat on the water.

"It takes time to get really good at shooting," Baker admitted, "and even then you're going to hit the dock occasionally, or shoot short, if you don't have the rod angled correctly. But once you establish a rhythm, shooting gets a lot easier. Then you can focus on the fish more than on the shooting."

SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT
The rod is definitely the most important ingredient in the dock-shooter's arsenal. The preferred rod for shooting is 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 feet long. Baker prefers rods designed specifically for the purpose -- B 'n' M Fishing created its Sharpshooter series of rods just for shooting -- but any extremely flexible rod will suffice.

"I prefer a 5 1/2-foot model," Baker said. "You need a small but quality ultralight reel. And I always use 6-pound-test line. I know other people who use 4-pound-test at times, but you have to be able to get the fish out from under the dock. Six-pound-test allows you to put a little more pressure and get those bigger fish out from under there."

Bailey uses the Sharpshooter rod but occasionally moves to a slightly longer rod. "There are times when the docks are really long," he offered, "and you need that little extra to shoot farther. The longer rod gives you a little more power."

LURES ONLY
Shooting docks eliminates the need for a supply of minnows. Because of the force of shooting, it's difficult to keep a minnow on the hook. Thus, shooting docks is easier with jigs. Some shooters do tip their jigs with some type of crappie "nugget," especially when the fish are finicky. Jigs, however, are usually the only terminal tackle necessary.