Shore Fishing for Bass

[Scott]

On those fishing shows, you always see the pros fishingfrom a boat. I am only fishing for bass from shore with a spincasting reel. Any tips or suggestions would be great ASAP. Thanx

[Mr.Wiffle]

senko's

[basscatcher]

plastic worms, flukes - red shad, baby bass

[jglassguy]

on some lures you may want to try casting paralell to the bank on the retrieve

[Stick-em]

shallow runnin crank

[mike0062466]

I do a lot of shore fishing, but my waters may be vastly different from yours. First, what JB said about fishing parallel to the bank (or at angles) is a necessity at many of my ponds. It's almost impossible to catch anything by heaving a lure way out there.

Some of my guidelines, in no particular order, are:

• If you have visible cover or structure that you can target, fish it thoroughly.

• If not, don't spend a lot of time in one place. Keep moving and cover a lot of water until you find out what's going on with that body of water.

• Be stealthy; don't go stomping around close to the shoreline.

• Get out there as often as you can.

• Try to be there at higher percentage times, such as morning, evening and overcast days.

• Don't drive yourself crazy thinking about all the great fishing beyond your casting range. Nothing you can do about it, so don't worry about it.

• Don't rule out any particular type of lure; any lure that can be used from a boat can be used from shore depending on conditions.

• If you have some water that's not heavily fished, don't go telling a lot of people about it who might be meat hogs and will go and clean the place out. Just tell a few of your friends who can be fully trusted.

Good luck, hope this helps.

[mblk181]

Spray a nail apron with camo colors.....two will do...and use it to carry your tackle in, small boxes, lures, pliars, etc. Won't have to carry a box and spook nearby fish with vibrations.

Start from each spot by casting parallel to shore both ways, then fanning out. When moving, walk away from the water, then over a bit and back to shore....don't walk along the edge as you will spook fish.

Fish inside weed edges thoroughly....
Cast beyond stumps and bring your lure to it.....same for lilypad clumps and any other objects you encounter.

Try skipping your lure under swimming rafts and the like.

Fish swimming areas after dark when not being used.

Put bug spray or sunscreen on before you get to the water. Best not to be moving around any more than necessary.

Don't fish in a hurry.....take your time....

[Rob Mak]

when i used to shore fish i used to fish the shores of a local lake using spinner baits and a shallow shad rap. i have caught a lot of fish on both of these since. the one lake i used to drive to the launch area-not in the ramp area but along the parking lots. and any creek i could find that flowed into the lake. i have caught plenty of bass just running either lure right next to the cement bridge wings or banging it off rip rap.

please note as a boater poeple fishing from the launch docks are very annoying. tho folks who fish the area around the ramp while standing/sitting on the ground are not. if you fish a bridge area that has cement sloping sides above the water line beware of wakes slapping on the alge covered sections as wet alge is slicker than a booger on ice.
almost fell out of a boat when i see a guy do it..

zooker