Bank Fishing

[Dwayne Denison]

How many bank fisherman, do we have on here? And, what are some of your techniques for locating fish.

[Josh Milczski (Omaha)]

I strap on a backpack and do a lot of hiking.

[Johnny wilkins]

I rarely get in a boat. 99% bank fisherman here...

[jason grimm]

Well I used to bank fish, until I recently bought my boat. Like Josh said, backpack & some hiking. My old style was a Jansport filled with the bluegill essentials, plus carried 2 poles. Then again the lake I fish is no bigger then 2 miles, so it's easy. Let's assume you fish a bigger lake, I would say try as many gaps in the cattails with a bobber rite in front of them or rock ledges fishing couple feet off the bottom rite up against them.

[John Sheehan]

excellent advise!!

[John Sheehan]

I fish small ponds out in the woods from the bank .May, April, October , November I'll fish from shore at lakes sometimes too. 

[John McKean]

Actually, about 3 years ago, my jigmaking friend from Hawaii (leadfreejigheads.com) and I formed the Association of Shoreline Stalkers (A.S.S.), as dedicated small water bank fishermen ! For that matter,it's my year to be president, so I'm the official A.S.S.head for 2011 ! But ponds and small lakes and streams are mostly walkable and ya just have to keep on jigging (jigs of 1/24 oz and smaller) while moving to locate the concentrations. On most waters, especially used by the public, the trick is to climb through the brushy areas that no one much will bother with, and cast into snaggy areas that others are afraid to work!

[John Sheehan]

A.S.S ha ha!!   

you float fish those jigs?

[Johnny wilkins]

Don't forget the stalking part is more important than the walking part. I love that association - you are 25% more efficient than B.A.S.S. and 75% cooler!

 

Part of our bankfishing in competitions includes keeping still and low while fishing. When you arrive- the fish depart... it takes time and patience to unlock the secrets of those waters in front of you - mainly until the fish settle back in and no longer recognize your moving shape.

 

People without luck are also people who are hyper on the bank.

[Lord of the Fly , Rods]

 I always wear a light blue shirt when I'm out fishing , either stalking on the bank or in the boat,that way when the fish look up at me I just look like part of the sky. Remember sound travels 5 times faster in water than air, so walk softly,and  don't carry too big a jig.

[Johnny wilkins]

Absolutely! I also match whatever is behind me on the bank (unless it is something strange)... We should get clothing that is made up of flexible mirrors.

When I go to competitions I do carry a couple of shirts -

light tan, light green and dark green. Light tan if I am on a rocky bank and the others are obvious to match the grass. If you have all trees behind you get that realtree bark clothing and blend blend blend! As well, as staying still (and quiet).

One way to really move the fish off is to tumble the rocks you are on. If you are walking on those rocks and they are knocking into each other the fish scatter! Nice one LoF!

[JBplusThuy]

You almost made me spray my mango pie on my screen :-)

I, too, fish almost exclusively from shore and would like to become a member of A.S.S, so long as my meager fishing skills will not be the *butt* of too many jokes. If I find a really good fishing spot, will it be known as an A.S.S.h**e? Do you have logo goods, such as an A.S.S.hat? I don't often get to go fishing these days, so I guess I will only be an A.S.S some of the time ;-)

[John McKean]

As mentioned above, ya have to approach quietly,never bump the shoreline rocks, and fish as if you were a non-moving, prowling STORK (at least I THINK that's what onlookers are calling me!!). I also like to wear match-the-background clothing (altho the extremely successful storks and cranes are white!!). You can jig with very limited arm movement, tho a sensitive float can often keep ya moving even less-gonna experiment a lot this year with LOFR's porcupine quill concept ! As to the kayak -remember this can be an excellent tool to get you to distant,knarly shorelines (saves tons of time from hiking thru nasty shorelines,bugs, and snakes!!), where ya can then hike in limited,select sections for shoreline stalking (just don't fish where you beach the kayak!).