fishing from land

[ihnclb22]

i dont have a boat, so i was wondering if anybody had any advice from fishing on the shore or docks, thank you very much

[Jim80]

I fish from the bank about 85% of the time I get out , you pretty much employ the same methods as you would if you were in a boat . Target cover, structure and other area's you feel would hold fish . try to cast out on a angle parallel from the bank and work the shore line weed beds and so on . also look for points and work both sides of those . and welcome to the site man there is a lot of great info and great guys around here


Jim

[ihnclb22]

thanks a bunch!!

[Bender]

I wonder too, since sometimes when I travel for work I don't take the boat and fish from shore. I seem to have a lot less luck fishing from shore because I can't see what I am casting to. Also when I'm fishing from shore I cast out a lot of the time, when I'm in the boat I cast at the shore! That being said I have had a few times from shore when I caught some really good fish and had a lot of fun.

[JB]

Try fan casting the pond area, like parallel to the bank

[BassinBrits]

Originally Posted by ihnclb22

i dont have a boat, so i was wondering if anybody had any advice from fishing on the shore or docks, thank you very much

Before going on to the docks to fish we always fish from the shore around the docks with a texas rigged worm. Also try skimming the worm under the dock. Also try casting on to the dock then very gently pulling the worm towards you till it topples into the water, then let it sink naturally and you might get a good'un

[BigBassin144]

Think about this:

Boatless bank trash try to cast as far out as they can from shore to catch fish, yet people og and spend thousands of dollars on a boat and then go fish the shoreline. This make any sense?

BB

[zooker]

Originally Posted by BassinBrits

Before going on to the docks to fish we always fish from the shore around the docks with a texas rigged worm. Also try skimming the worm under the dock. Also try casting on to the dock then very gently pulling the worm towards you till it topples into the water, then let it sink naturally and you might get a good'un

score one fer da brits since they are right..

bb144
move as much as i do and you'll see why..when you are bbt you are confined to a small area. where as if your boat fishing you blow thru that small area in 20 mintues and continue down the bank..


zooker

[carolina-rig-01]

fishing from the bank can teach you a lot. when the bite is tough, you are forced to fish an area out really hard with different baits and different presentations instead of being able to fire up the motor and run to a new spot. at times the catching is a lesser caliber but you can learn a lot.

[ihnclb22]

does anyone have ideas for lures to use...i have 2 spinnerbaits, a buzzbait, 2 crankbaits, 2 jerkbaits, and some small power bait worms (i think their 3 in.) and micro power nymphs....which i love... but im gonna start fishiun a lot more and need some more of a selection of tackle... everythings fine

[Jim80]

You can't go wrong with senko's or a senko knock off or any other soft plastic baits .

Jim

[carolina-rig-01]

i would suggest some 7" powerworms you choose the color but my favorite is black, some more spinnerbaits, salt craws, plenty of hooks and sinkers because if you are fishing from the bank you can't go to your bait when you get hung up so you will lose more baits. actually there is a lot of great advice on baits that is shared on here and a lot of it is from bank anglers so just keep reading post and you will get plenty of ideas.

[jig fisherman]

hey mike,whats up,
anyway here is some tackle that I like
-black and silver rapala original floaters in up to 5 1/4 inches
-1/4 oz. zara spooks
-rapala dt's
-berkley power hawgs
-Lunker City Fin-S Shad
-tubes
-4 inch worms
can't wait till spring, we should try going to the creek when the fish are spawning

[bamabassman]

why don't ya see if you can make to the get together up there? i am willing to bet that there will be a boat you can hop in and if you can make it, you'll learn ALOT from the gang there. just a thought.

[Jim80]

Without a doubt you would get to learn a lot at the get together , and another thing don't be afraid to give new baits a shot . Just because you are fishing from the bank doesn't mean you should cut back on the tackle you have available . I have thrown dt-10's from shore and caught fish on them and have also had a lot of success with jigs and even dropshotting . every lure has it's time and place even from the bank you just have to find what is gonna work for you . The only other advice I could give is to find a couple medium to large ponds in your area and fish them , being able to walk around the whole area gives you more options as to were you can fish and gives you a better shot at finding them , Also get to know 1 or 2 bodies of water real well and fish them most of the time there is nothing better to build confidence then figuring out were the fish are and catching them consistently then as you feel more comfortable and your skill progresses start trying larger bodies of water . One of the places I take my sons is pretty much an over grown mud puddle , standing in one place at the shore you can cast across it in every direction but they catch bass every time they they go and have learned to fish soft plastics so confidently that they no longer want to use live bait . and every now and then you will get a big fish out of spots like that .

http://www.bassfishin.com/bassfishin...&pictureid=154

Jim

[skeeter944]

I learned to fish from the bank, and actually I prefer it. It gives the bass a different look, because most of the time you are retrieving your bait uphill, not downhill like you would from a boat. My biggest tip I could give is not to rush up on the bank, especially the smaller ponds, just get within 20-30ft and just stay there for a few minutes looking for any activity and examine the conditions and then make your lure selection. I throw the same stuff I throw from a boat, its just the presentation is different. Bank fishing will allow you to learn to work a spot ALL the way and this will come in handy later on. Tight Lines!!!

[cassidyta]

Top Water from shore has worked well for me as well. I will use a spook or a popper and stand a few feet from the shore and work a fan pattern.
I also think that shore fishing will make you learn pitching and flipping better. Too many times you find your self in a situation where it is the only way to get your bait in the right location.

[Fishnngolfn]

Originally Posted by cassidyta

Top Water from shore has worked well for me as well. I will use a spook or a popper and stand a few feet from the shore and work a fan pattern.
I also think that shore fishing will make you learn pitching and flipping better. Too many times you find your self in a situation where it is the only way to get your bait in the right location.

Ain't that the truth. I do a lot of bank fishing. I have learned to skip the bait to many places. Also it is a lot easier to avoid the trees, bushes, and shrubs around you if you use a smaller rod. I use a 5 1/2 foot rod when fishing in overgrown areas. Of course a longer rod is alright if there are not any obstructions.

I will try and post some pics of the areas where I fish when I get a chance to go back out. The weather here is rather nice and a bit warm. I may convince the wife to let go out one last time this year.

[islandbass]

I bank fish 99.9% of the time. Matter of fact I've only fished from a boat once. The same lures that you would fish from a boat would work.

It also couldn't hurt to fish from the dock either. It can be tough at times but just fish every section thoroughly. If the fish are there, you'll catch your share. Shallower cranks, topwaters at the right times, and the drop shot have been very productive for me.

[wareagledc]

small rattle traps.
wave worm tiki sticks 5 inch. in sweet potato pie or black and blue.
shallow cranks.
small jig n pig if there is grass or laydowns. also black and blue
and my favorite small black buzz baits early morning and late evening.
use spinner baits if it is cloudy.

[Fishnngolfn]

I am a guy who prefers plastics. I use a spinning rod with braid as the main line and a fluoro leader. I fish with 2/0, 3/0, and 4/0 EWG gammy hooks. I use many different types of plastics and they are easy to change out to give the fish different looks and colors.

Here are a few tips that I have use to expand the versatility of the plastics while bank fishing.

- Buy a flyfishing chest pouch. I absolutely love mine. I have this one. I use a small 4 section box to hold my hooks, weights, and a few mepps or rooster tails. The bag is large enough to hold one of those boxes, a small digital camera, line conditioner, pliers, nail clippers, about 4 bags of plastics, and a small fluoro leader spool. It is lightweight compact and keeps me from lugging a tackle box around or stuffing my pockets (which can be very uncomfortable if those pliers turn the wrong way).

- Any plastic can turn into a topwater lure. Just keep the tip of your rod up, twitch a lot, and reel in to keep it at the surface. If the fish are hitting topwater, they will not care if the plastic you are walking the dog with is a fluke or a 7 inch worm. They are usually attacking the commotion.

- Make sure your first few casts are about 10 yards from the bank. I have scared off some hogs by walking right up to the bank without casting to where I am walking up to first. Sometimes this is not feasible if the bank has a lot of cover (tall weeds, trees, and brush).

- As far as weights, I use the pinch on weights with rubber on the inside to pinch on the line without damaging the line. This turn a regular setup into a carolina rig in seconds. I also use some finishing nails sometimes. These can be easily inserted into many plastics if you are looking for a faster drop. They also can give the bait a different action than the fish are used to seeing when falling which can trigger strikes.

I have a few more ideas but these I consider are the most important for me.

Good luck.

[cassidyta]

One of my favorate things to do from shore is to skip a frog from the bank to the water. Try to hit the high point of the shore and have the frog land two or three feet into the edge of the water. It takes a lot of practice but I have had strikes before the bait hit the water.

[Fishnngolfn]

Originally Posted by cassidyta

One of my favorate things to do from shore is to skip a frog from the bank to the water. Try to hit the high point of the shore and have the frog land two or three feet into the edge of the water. It takes a lot of practice but I have had strikes before the bait hit the water.

I have not tried that but I have had a fish jump at a worm, fluke, or lizard before it hits the water. It never ceases to surprise me when it happens.