The boatless angler, advice?

[Smoltz]

I'm a bank fisherman.... for now.
Trying to get into the gills
We are having terrible weather. Cool and rain. Most nights are around 48-55.
Day time high topping 65-75 degrees and cloudy. Lost of rain we have had this same weather for about a month now with no change. Crappie spawn got screwed up for us here too.
Water temps keep bouncing around from low 60's to 68. Other day I talked to guy on boat fishing for green carp(bass) n he said it was back down to 66.
I'm not having very good luck. Maybe I need a boat, or maybe I'm not fishing the right areas from the shore. The weather is not helping.
I'm finding very few fish in near shore and no spawning yet. Pennsylvania

Just having trouble getting on fish.
Any advice for me?

[carl hendrix]

HI  SMOLTZ !!  TRY FISHING AROUND ; RIP RAP ;; ( ROCKS; ABOUT THE SIZE ; OF A GOOD  SIZED CANTALOPE !)    USUALLY;; ITS A REAL GOOD AREA TO TRY; AND IF POSSIBLE;; IF THERE IS A LARGE SHADE TREE;; AT THE RIP RAP   FISH;; THE SHADEY AREAS !!  ALL AROUND THE TREE !    BRUCE TOMASELLI;; IS ALSO FROM PA;;;;  PORTAGE PA;; TO BE EXACT;; MAYBE HE CAN ALSO HELP YOU; BUT;; NOT TILL AFTER THE STANLY HOCKY CUP !!  AND;;;;  IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE;; A PENQUIN FAN;;;; IVE GOT A CATFISH FOR YOU ;; LOLOLOLOLOLOL

[Keith Ritter]

Try fishing nightcrawler pieces drop shot style very slowly anywhere you can reach. Cover as much water as possible and figure out a pattern.  Keeping the bait on the bottom and following the contours and bumping cover is a good wt to find Bluegill and shell crackers.

[Smoltz]

Carl,
No kidding. He is basically my neighbor! Small world. Portage is 1/2hr from me. Then he is seeing same conditions and probably fishing same lakes.

I know Jim gronow lives not to far south of me. Bout 2.5 hrs
Thanks for the help!

Keith.
I got hooks just for drop shot. This is first year using that technique and for some reason only used it one time so far. I'll get back to trying that. Thank you!

[Keith Ritter]

Just tie on your favorite hook with a Palomar knot, leave the tag end long, don't trim it and attach as many split shot to the tag end as you like. Use as much weight as you need to get your casts out to where you want them. It really worked for me all winter in open water so maybe it will work for you in tough conditions.

[Smoltz]

Did you drags it back to ya or add any action?
Last time I did the drop shot i just cast it out, when I know I'm on bottom I kept it tight and just held my finger on line. If I got no takes I made a turn or two on the handle and held it again for a few seconds and kept repeating.

[Keith Ritter]

I fish that way after I have zeroed in on some fish. I use a steady retrieve when in a search pattern letting the weights stir up the sediments on the bottom.  I believe that this disturbance attracts fish feeding near the bottom. When I find a pattern then I slow down and fish the way you described. This fish was caught in December. 

[Smoltz]

Thanks Keith.
That's how I'll try it.
That's a nice one.

[John Sheehan]

Smoltz-  Listen to Carl ! He knows what he is talking about ! Especially about fishing rip rap at dam areas!

[Smoltz]

Thanks. I will head his advice thank you.

[John Sheehan]

Sure thing and look forward to your successful catches and pic posts!

[Leo Nguyen]

And of course, if you're half as crazy as me, and don't have a lot of money to dump into a boat, a kayak, or a float tube if you believe in extremism. Cold weathers...pffff. Gale force wind? Baby...Toothy critters? Are you a man or not?

We have everyone here ranging from shorelining to some crazy method of fishing for gills. My 17 years old tried to convince me to use a waterproof drone to fish.

[Smoltz]

Went to a smaller lake today. Found a cove with dark bottom n weeds starting to grow and shallow water... I bet the water temps was 15deg higher than the other part of lake. I went to the mouth of this large cove n fished. Nothing... felt the water with my hand and I was very cold... Big difference.

I can access it by foot. The gills were there! I scouted and fished around. Caught bullheads, golden shiner, perch, pumpkins and bluegills. Not much size but I was fishing to locate. Bigger offerings and Heading back tomorrow to crush them.
57 deg air temps today. Very cool. Monday it's to turn around and be low 90"s go figure. Crazy PA.
Thanks guys.