Bassin' USA - Bass Fishing Forum Archives

Well, my name is COLE and I am 16 years old. I started fishing about 2 years ago when i caught a catfish. I loved the feeling of catching fish so I kept doing it and now I'm hooked for life! Anyway, do any of you know any tips for catching bass off the bank??? Where I fish there i a weedline about 20 feet long that starts at the bank and goes to another weedline out in the lake. I figured there would be fish there, but I've only gotten 1 hit there. I can't use my boat until I can drive which is in 2 months, and I'm not waiting 2 months to fish, so any tips until I get my boat out and get them lunker??? THANKS, COLE 16yrs

Cole
First i'd like to say it's greet to see other young people getting into the sport. I'm 17 and have a few sponsors and do some part time guiding and tournament fishing so stick with it's a great sport.

As far as catching bass out of the grass i'd like to know if it's matted on top or submerged. If it's on top i would recommend fishing some type of topwater lure such as a buzzbait aroung the grass in early morning and late afternoon, but if they hit it good in the morning don't be afraid to try it during the heat of the day.
If the topwater doesn't work i would recommend in the earlier months of the year fishing around the edges with a spinnerbait i'd say 1/4 to 3/8 ounce GlamourShad spinnerbaits(Glamourshad.com) makes a good shad color which may work good if there's any bait around the grass. Another bait to try in the early months is ripping a rat-l-trap around the edges this can be a good bait if you can make the trap just tip the top of the grass. Once the days get warmer try sometype of soft plastic in the grass. As i just read a article off of bassfan.com about how many people are having success with the senko type baits(looks like a pencil) you might consider that. I would try that weightless and with a heaver weight if you need to get down in the grass, also texas rig the senko. If you don't know what that is e-mail me and i will find you a diagram somewhere. As far as colors for the soft plastics i'd say green pumpkin or watermelon maybe even a little brighter green.
Well i think thats enough i'm sure the other guys will give you alot more in the days to come.
Good Luck.

J.T.

Depending on the grass again, you might try a fluke rigged weightless and weedless, or a 4 inch (5 inch if you can find them) curl tail grub, again weightless. Cast as far out as you can and bring it back over the grass, makes it like a weedless frog but gives it a shad look. The curl tail acts like a buzz bait, but is more quiet. Once you can use the boat, please do us all a favor and remember courtesy and most of all safety, after all, you are the future of the sport and we want to keep you around for a while. Let me know if these tips work for you and feel free to ask all the questions you want.

Hi Cole, welcome to Bassin USA.
When bank fishing it's almost always best to fish parallel to the bank with spinnerbaits, jigs, or topwaters. If like you said the weed beds aren't producing much, try other cover. There should be some natural or man-placed rock somewhere on the lake, these are my favorite areas. Fish them with spinnerbaits or small crankbaits. A jig and pig may also work. If no rocks are present, look for any type of wood structure, trees, fallen trees, stumps, roots, boat docks, anything wood will hold bass. If the lake you fish has mud/clay banks, give them a try with spinnerbaits. There are fish somewhere in your lake, maybe just suspended off the bottom on the outside edges of cover. Top water baits work best in open water. Weighted plastic worms may also work. Don';t be misled that only the weeds hold fish. Weeds are great, but the fish aren't always there. Work different type cover until you hit the honey hole. Glad to see another young angler using our site, turn your fishing friends onto it too. Hope to hear from you again. Johnnie Crain Iowa Pro Staff.

Cole,
After reading your posting I went offline to search my files for an article I had written regarding shore line fishing. It isn't just for bass, but will give you a general all around idea on this type of fishing. The remainder of this posting is that article.
Hope it helps.

A good deal of fishing is done from the shore, and as the ice starts out in early spring many anglers will be looking for
their first shot of open water fishing along the shores in smaller bodies of water.

Most of us got our first taste of the sport as shoreline anglers. Some of the most popular locations are canals, and small farm lakes and ponds. As with all aspects of the sport, productivity can be effected by the method being used.

First, the old idea of being quiet is a definite plus. This is extremely important when fishing shallower, clearer and smaller
waters. In these type of areas fish can be spooked easily. Running up and down the shore, throwing stuff into the water,
and creating all types of other commotion is a big “No No”. When moving from location to location, walk back away from shore, as far as possible, and then quietly down to the desired fishing location. I have seen fly fishermen, out west, sneak up on the fish on their knees, and make casts far back from the
shore's edge. They have even gone as far as wearing clothing to match the land's cover. Before laughing, remember these are
extremely clear and shallow trout streams, and the fish can be spooked very easily.

Along the same line as being quiet, is a gentle cast. Try not to splash the water unnaturally. Finesse floats, such as used
by Mick Thill, should be considered for bait or small jig anglers. Fishermen using artificial baits, such as for bass, should have a good selection in the smaller varieties.

When going after panfish I will use a Shy Bite or Mini Stealth float, with a small tube, ice jig or Mini Mite. For bass I
use 1/16 to 1/4 ounce spinnerbaits, crankbaits, topwater, jigs, and slip sinkers, floating/jerk worms, 4-inch finesse worms, 2 and 3-inch tubes (thick-walled, salted tubes), and 4 to 6-inch lizards and ribbon tail worms.

Cover as much area as possible from every location. In this way a person doesn't have to walk down the shore. Movement can be made from spot to spot as previously
discussed. In order to cover more area use a fan cast system. Start by paralleling the shore, and then move outward until a full
180 degree area has been covered. Watch the location of the longest casts that paralleled the shore. This is the next location to which to move, and start another series of casts.

Points are fished similarly, but if another location offers the opportunity to cast across or up a point, by all means go do
it. Before walking out to the end of a point, parallel cast the sides. Once out on the end of the point cast in a complete fan.
This can cover almost a full 360 degrees, depending on the narrowness of the point.

Little shoreline depressions or small coves are often good fish holders. Stand towards the mouth and cast towards the back. If a wind line is cutting across the mouth be sure to parallel it, fishing both sides with several casts. Wind lines are best fished from the downwind side, especially if casts can be made past the upwind side of the cove. In this way the bait is being retrieved with the wind current and into the fish, as if it were coming with the natural flow of the other food.

Dams and rip rap are always excellent fish holders. Parallel casts are usually best, but don't pass up the chance to fish into these areas if a dock, point or some other area offers such a cast.

Docks, as with any type of fishing, are top-of-the-list fish holders. Try to fish the sides of the dock before walking on it.
Flipping and pitching the area can produce some good bass. Also cast some spinnerbaits from an angle that will it allow the
bait to run past the front edge of the dock. When it is time to walk onto the dock go quietly, and then ease a plastic worm or
jig into the water, and work it slowly around the entire structure. Another good bait for this type of fishing is a tube. From shore try skipping the tube under the dock, and hang on for the possibility of a big strike. Docks are also prime areas for bluegill and crappie.

Fallen trees, brush piles and stumps are always good fish holders. Make casts around the outside edges before moving into the holders. This way the more active fish will strike before the possibility of a snag, which might spook all the fish in the
area. It is always good to fish snagless type rigs, such as a Texas rigged worm or weed guard jig, in this type of cover, but
it is even more so when fishing from shore.

A light wind can be a great helper when fishing a float with a jig. Cast the rig upwind and allow it to drift and bob
along. This is extremely effective for fishing a shore or weed line edge, which is being paralleled by the wind. The wave
action will bob the float up and down, thus providing action to the jig. Just let the float drift along, and when ever it goes under or stops, set the hook.

Weed lines were just mentioned, and these can
sometimes be a pain when fishing from shore. Many times a floating/jerk worm, or topwater spoon or frog will produce fish
that will bust through the weeds to take such a bait. Otherwise treat the weeds like an underwater extension of the shore. Often
the weeds will create their own points, and if they are close enough to the surface, or the water is clear enough these can be
spotted. They are very good areas to fish. A similar situation goes for isolated areas of weeds, which can be large or small,
and grow a little ways out from shore. I like to call these “weed islands”.

Shoreline anglers may be limited in some respects, but if these few simple steps are followed productivity should be increased. Remember, a bank angler can catch just as many fish, and have just as much fun as a person in a boat.

Cole, I learned a lot of fishing in my younger days along the shore, and still today I fish from time to time, in this manner. I'm sure the majority of us caught our first fish from shore. Hope some of the tips in this article will help.

Until next time, get out on the water, and enjoy a great day of fishing.
Dan

Cole, in this month's issue of Bassmaster Magazine there's an article on bank fishing. Hope you are a B.A.S.S. member, if not, try to borrow one. Johnnie Crain, Iowa Pro Staff.

Great to see that I am not the only bank fisherman. Depending on the type of grass you are talking about you can use a weightlees 5" senko and let work its magic in those weed pockets. I also like working spinnerbaits though it. Also make long casts so you don't spook the fish. Good luck