Bank Fishing Talk (Jan 2020)

[Capt. BassinLou]

One of my 2020 goals here on UB is to increase the activity on this board. The goal of this thread is to provide bank fishing anglers a place to hang out, and talk about our bank fishing experiences. So please make yourself at home, kick back and let's talk about some bank fishing. 

[Capt. BassinLou]

Let me kick things off.

Most of my fishing, believe it or not, is bank fishing. I do own a boat, and fish from it twice a month, but the bulk of my fishing has always been from the bank.

This weekend has been interesting, Yesterday there was no signs of bass anywhere, but I knew they were there. I started with a spinnerbait, and decided just to cover water on one particular stretch of canal. I covered one block, and had 0 strikes or looks. Next stretch of canal I decided to go with a stick worm with 1/8 oz lead, and 3/0 straight shank hook. After a few casts, I finally felt the tell tale tick of a bass, and set the hook on a decent bass. I made a note of the depth of where the bass was caught and duplicated the cast again,son of gun another tick. Set the hook, and another decent bass.
Duplicated the cast a few more times and again same thing!! With 3 bass caught, my pattern was set. The bass were holding deep along the ledges of canal. Ended the outing with 4 bass landed and 2 bass threw my hook.

Fast forward to today, I made some gear adjustments, but stuck with the stick bait. Covered the 1st block again, with 0 results, hmmm?? Moved over to the next block and focused my attention in a specific  area, and finally a tell tale tick, reared back and stuck a decent bass. The pattern was similar to yesterday, but I encountered less bites. However... the bites I did get today were from bigger bass. 
Landed 3 bass today, and lost one to a thrown hook.

Let's see what's in store for me next week end.  Stay tuned.

 

[kdubracing]

I woke up this morning with dreams of doing the same. Then I walked outside and it was 12 degrees. I decided to stay home and settle for playing in the tackle box.

[ike8120]

 All my fishing is from the bank or a dock. Just to cold for me personally to be fishing this time of year. Will be following this thread.

[apiazza]

I'll be sure to play along Lou.

The other day I stopped by a local lake to throw a bit. Wanted to try working a crank along a deeper channel. I watched my beautiful new crank sail right to where I wanted. As it struck the water there was an interesting knock noise and a bouncing bait....ice.

I went home 

[Capt. BassinLou]

I'll be sure to play along Lou.

The other day I stopped by a local lake to throw a bit. Wanted to try working a crank along a deeper channel. I watched my beautiful new crank sail right to where I wanted. As it struck the water there was an interesting knock noise and a bouncing bait....ice.

I went home 

Yikes!! I hate it when that happens. Lol!!

[apiazza]

Yikes!! I hate it when that happens. Lol!!

I'll admit I laughed pretty hard. The lake wasnt totally frozen but that spot certainly was. Our bigger lakes haven't frozen over yet so I do want try and get out on them when weather permits.

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[fishballer06]

Yikes!! I hate it when that happens. Lol!!

Please, tell us about your experiences with this situation 

[Capt. BassinLou]

Please, tell us about your experiences with this situation 

I was practicing my casting once at an ice skating rink.

[fishballer06]

I was practicing my casting once at an ice skating rink.

For real though, new ice is the worst. Most of the time, its very thin and clear, so you don't know its there. Sometimes there can even be water on top of it, if the wind has been blowing it will push a little water on top of the ice even.

It will put a giant flat spot in the lead on your jigheads whenever you throw a Keitech on top of the ice. I know that much.

[apiazza]

For real though, new ice is the worst. Most of the time, its very thin and clear, so you don't know its there. Sometimes there can even be water on top of it, if the wind has been blowing it will push a little water on top of the ice even.

It will put a giant flat spot in the lead on your jigheads whenever you throw a Keitech on top of the ice. I know that much.

Well I feel a bit better that i'm not the only one to have done it!

[zippyduck]

Well I feel a bit better that i'm not the only one to have done it!

Not the first by a longshot but sometimes a half ounce jig will make a hole. 

[D.W. Verts]

Fishin' from the bank has the same variables and nuances as fishin' from a boat, and comes with its own set of challenges. It's just another rewarding aspect of our sport that many boaters have forgotten, or never knew.

[Cuervo Jones]

I used to fish mostly from the bank as a kid. That was easy when I lived in places like New Jersey, California, and Wyoming. Here in Texas, I only bank fish in a couple of places. Public land isn't abundant here and the access to lakes and streams is largely restricted. Likewise, fishing the bays and marshes isn't really doable from the bank. So my bank-stalking is limited to a couple of ponds in College Station when I'm there dropping my wife off for classes. When she's done with her PhD next year, I'll only have one other place I'll likely fish from shore. And even that is more fun from a float tube. Still, I enjoy fishing from shore as much as possible. I love the simplicity of it!

[fishballer06]

Fishin' from the bank has the same variables and nuances as fishin' from a boat, and comes with its own set of challenges. It's just another rewarding aspect of our sport that many boaters have forgotten, or never knew.

Very true. The main thing that separates bank fishing from boat fishing (in relation to fishing along a shoreline), is that in bank fishing you are always bringing your lure up in elevation (in relation to the bottom), and in boat fishing you are generally fishing your lure down in elevation (in relation to the bottom).

So even though a bank and boat fisherman could be fishing the same water, each is giving the fish a different presentation.

[Smallie_Stalker]

One thing that always made me laugh was I know a guy who when he bank fishes always tries to cast as far out into the deeper water as he can. The same guy when in his boat puts the boat in deeper water and makes long casts towards the shore. 

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[Capt. BassinLou]

We will be experiencing a big cool down tonight in my neck of the woods, I know... I know... no where close to what some of you are experiencing now,    but for us its going to get COLD. I bring this up, because I believe this cold spell may cause another wave of bass to spawn.

[zippyduck]

We will be experiencing a big cool down tonight in my neck of the woods, I know... I know... no where close to what some of you are experiencing now,    but for us its going to get COLD. I bring this up, because I believe this cold spell may cause another wave of bass to spawn.

When I saw the weather report I wanted to pack up and head down your way. You Floridians should be knee deep in spawners soon.

[Capt. BassinLou]

When I saw the weather report I wanted to pack up and head down your way. You Floridians should be knee deep in spawners soon.

Some insane bags have been caught over the last couple of weeks in Central FL. The major tournaments didn't fair well, but did talk to some of the locals when I picked up my boat this past weekend, and 35-40lb bags were common.  Crazy!!

[big g]

For the last 40 years I have fished from both the Bank and the boat every week.  At least 4 days a week I fish from the bank and have a pattern I always use to try to figure them out for that day.  I am fortunate to have 7 man made lakes that surround the area I live at.

1). I always check the wind direction and wind speed before going.  If it is howling I always keep the wind to my back to make things easier and keep slack out of the line for better bite detection.
2).I will then chose a body of water that meets the conditions.
3).I will look for structure that is available at that location.  Drop-offs, underwater boulders, points.
4).I look for green veggies within casting distance.  The greener the better.  Two or three types of veggies together are better then just one type.  Always look for unusual movement of water plants.  This is a tell tale sign of a hunting predatory fish.
5). Some these lakes have big flats that go out from the bank 30 or 40 yards.  I look for isolated clumps of vegetation on these flats.  If the sun is bright these isolated clumps are better then massive fields of weeds, because all fish near the isolated ones will seek shade from these clumps of pads and other grasses.  These a magnets for bass once the sun gets high in the sky.  An isolated clump may hold four or five bass all seeking shelter.  Never pass up an isolated clump.
6).Changes in water temps I will concentrate on ledges and drop-offs.  Bait fish and Bass will move up and down these ledges seeking changes in water temp, and O2 levels.  Early and late in the day the ledges will also provide shade from a low sun in the sky.
7). I always look for Happy Water with subtle ripples of bait fish in open water.  Bass and other predators are often under the bate fish ripples, with the predators herding them.
. These lakes have large open water areas, and often have skimmer birds flying at surface level with their lower beaks in the water.  These are bait fish signs.  Bass are often below, always try hunting bird signs.
9).Because of all the shore vegetation treble hooks are out for me from the bank.  Texas rigged, wacky jig heads are what I throw the most.  If its slow I will always down size, and then slow down, sometimes just slow pulling a Texas Rig up the drop off, stopping close to the bottom.  Over the years, many big fish have been caught all times of the year at the base of a drop-off.
10). With limestone rock everywhere in these lakes a light weighted plastic will cause a lot less headaches than a heavier bullet weight.  Heavy weighted lure will hang up on the jagged rock walls and ruff boulders that are everywhere in these man made lakes.
11). I am a firm believer in 15 to 20 pound floro in these crystal clear lakes.  Braid will get torn-up on all the ruff rock and not as good with real clear water.  Believe me I have tried an array of different lines.
12).Always move slow when walking the bank.  There are snakes and gators even in places you would think are free of them.  If you see them, they see you, and that goes for the fish too.  No sudden moves.

Just a few observations over the years.  That's the game plan for almost every bank fishing trip.

[Capt. BassinLou]

Good stuff there George, thank you for sharing!!

[zippyduck]

Big g,
That should be an owners manual for bank fishing.
Well done sir.

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[apiazza]

I might actually print that out. That's a really good step by step thought process for finding spots.

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[Bassinkorea]

The last couple of weeks here have been unseasonably warm with air temps in the mid to high 40's. I hit a few bank spots and have caught decent numbers of bass, albeit small bass, but more then welcome in January. Only technique I have had any success with has been a dropshot.

[zippyduck]

BK,

Good to hear you are catching something in January.

But where is the proof ?