Describe Your Average Bank Fishing Trip

[Tuckahoe Joe]

What's your average bank fishing trip like?  Some guys talk about 50 fish days and more but I'm assuming this is mainly from a boat with electronics and access to the whole lake.  When you fish from the bank, how many do you usually catch and how long are you fishing for?  Also maybe describe the body of water your fishing or better yet post some pics showing the spots you fish.

 

For me, I usually get to the lake just before sunrise and fish for about 2 hours or so and I get about 2-3 fish per trip.  I feel like I'd do better if there was more fishable shoreline.  It's a 50 acre lake with an average depth of about 5 feet and lots of thick weeds all the way around.  The only spots to fish are the dam (when there isn't water flowing over it which isn't often), 2 small areas along the bank of the creek below the dam, the boat ramp, a small bridge over a lane of water between 2 weed lines, and another small pond which won't be accessible once spring/summer hit and all the vegetation grows in.

 

The Dam

 

The Creek

 

The Bridge

 

The Pond

 

Shoreline Weeds That Impede Bank Fishing

 

 

 

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

Most of my shore fishing is done a ponds and then my results will depend on the pond. Some of them are more numbers ponds that I'll go to just to catch some fish (sometimes after a rough day at the bigger lakes). Those ponds will usually produce 20 or more in a 2-3 hour trip. Some of the ones with bigger fish are a lot tougher, I may only catch 6 fish in that same time span but they'll be much better size fish.

[PABASS]

I will use last weekend, went to a new pond that I have never seen before in person, I used Bing & Google Maps to get an idea of the layout.  It was two very large ponds feed by a small stream.  Weather was partly sunny high of 41 and windy.  The night before I tied on a suspending smithwick and black/blue jig with a zoom crawdad trailer.  When I get to the pond I noticed water clarity which is ultra clear.  I wanted to hit the n/w side of the pond but I figured I needed to work the area first since it’s located on the other side of the pond and with clear water I would spook the fish.  I worked this area for a few minutes and nothing.  On the S/E side of the pond it had a live tree on the bank and deep water, toss out my jerkbait and crap a snag, no o wait a fish it felt like I caught I tree and once the lure came free the bass hit it, reeled in this big girl maybe 3#.  You can see she was caught before.  So I work over the area with my jerkbait then the jig and nothing.  I see a laydown on the N/W side, tossed my jerkbait and lost it on submerged tree, crap.  Tossed the jig and slowing pulling it over the tree and whack 2# bass, pulled him over the tree, this should be a good day, so I had thought.  I worked both ponds for another few hours and even came back the next day and nothing. I saw all the bass this pond had to offer same with bluegill(they were schooling on the N/W side in shallow water), basically a dying pond.  Ran into some locals whom confirmed my suspicions.  It’s a shame because it has the potential to be a great pond, but the owners just left it go.  On the second day I tried, jerkbait, spinnerbait, chatterbait, jigs, and even a drop shot where I had caught the two fish prior.  At the end of the day all of the bass which was only 5-8 where under that tree I caught the big girl.  I might come back during spawn to make sure it’s as dead as I believe it to be, but I have many other ponds that have allot more bass whiling to bite.  This is typically how I attach any new area, assuming I can’t find any topos as well.

 

I just wonder why all if not most Bass where under this tree

 

 

[Felix77]

There's a pond I fish regularly right after work.  I generally go out for a few hours after work so that amounts to about 2-3 hours of fishing.  I have gone from no catches to as much as 8 on that lake thus far.  It's accessible from all around the lake so it get's pressured quite heavily.  On one private lake I caught about 16 in a few hours.

 

In other words it can really depend.

[LWD]

I fish on an 180 acre lake.  There is only one bank I usually fish on that stretches about 100 yards.  Often times I get skunked.  But the other day the conditions were just right and the they were out biting.  

[BrettD]

Most of my pond fishing trips are 2-3 hours in the afternoon from 5pm till dark. On average I catch around 8-10 bass but I focus on quality fish. Some days I will only catch 5 fish but others I will catch 20+. My best day at the pond was 43 fish in 2.5 hours the biggest was about 3#  with most in the 1.5-2# range.

[MCS]

I fish mainly in the morning for an hour or two, mainly an hour give or take is what i actually get. For the year so far I have fished a total of 40 hours about and caught 52 fish with over half being in the 10-15" range. with about a quarter smaller than 10" and a quater of the 52 bigger.  I would say average 1-3 fish some days maybe 10 some 0. But I fish a variety of ponds big and small, young and old(a young pond to me is constructed 5 years ago or less) it all depends on the weather, type of pond and what I feel like using that day. So like Felix said it really depends on a lot of things as long as you are happy with the outcome.

[lmbfisherman]

Wow, you guys catch a lot in your local ponds.  I fish two side by side located in outside the city line often, it is pressured like crazy! It is man made, it was built by prisoners back in the early 1900s I believe.  It is connected to a man made run off (small pond) and a creek.  The creek is connected to the main river that goes through the city at two points.  I am lucky to catch more than 1 fish in 2-3 hours.  I will get skunked every now and then.  I have never caught as many fish as some of you guys posted ever, especially bank fishing!  Crazy.  I have never caught any LMB from the larger pond still. It's a good pond in the summer to frog, I didn't get into frogging until late summer, but when I did start it was a lot of misses.  The bass seem to short strike a lot ...of course in the beginning I also got too excited.  Had to learn to breathe and then SET THE HOOK! 

[Felix77]

Wow, you guys catch a lot in your local ponds.  I fish two side by side located in outside the city line often, it is pressured like crazy! It is man made, it was built by prisoners back in the early 1900s I believe.  It is connected to a man made run off (small pond) and a creek.  The creek is connected to the main river that goes through the city at two points.  I am lucky to catch more than 1 fish in 2-3 hours.  I will get skunked every now and then.  I have never caught as many fish as some of you guys posted ever, especially bank fishing!  Crazy.  I have never caught any LMB from the larger pond still. It's a good pond in the summer to frog, I didn't get into frogging until late summer, but when I did start it was a lot of misses.  The bass seem to short strike a lot ...of course in the beginning I also got too excited.  Had to learn to breathe and then SET THE HOOK! 

 

Trust me.  I have had my fair share of skunked days at my lake.  A lot depends on how you are fishing these pressured lakes.  Keep this one things in mind and you shouldn't be disappointed.

 

Learn something new every time you go out there.  It could be a new spot which became accessible for some reason, a new method, a new retrieve, whatever ... If you get skunked then at least you are walking home a smarter fisherman.

[Fishes in trees]

Back in the day when I was a bank fisherman, I found having the right gear helped.  In the case of a pond ringed with weeds which impede access, the right gear is a set of waders, or at least hip boots.  These will get you off the bank a little bit and improve angles, so that it is easier to fish the outside edge of the weed line.  In the summer time, just go wading, don't be afraid to get wet.  If you live in an area with lots of leeches, you might want to re-think the "just go wading" part.

[Felix77]

Back in the day when I was a bank fisherman, I found having the right gear helped.  In the case of a pond ringed with weeds which impede access, the right gear is a set of waders, or at least hip boots.  These will get you off the bank a little bit and improve angles, so that it is easier to fish the outside edge of the weed line.  In the summer time, just go wading, don't be afraid to get wet.  If you live in an area with lots of leeches, you might want to re-think the "just go wading" part.

 

Big time snapping turtles may also deter you from getting into the water too much.

[fl_bass]

Back in the day when I was a bank fisherman, I found having the right gear helped. In the case of a pond ringed with weeds which impede access, the right gear is a set of waders, or at least hip boots. These will get you off the bank a little bit and improve angles, so that it is easier to fish the outside edge of the weed line. In the summer time, just go wading, don't be afraid to get wet. If you live in an area with lots of leeches, you might want to re-think the "just go wading" part.

Lol I worry about alligators and water moccasins. No way am I goin into S. Florida waters. Just today I am by a lake and one of the Gator Boys was cycling by and asked me if I saw the gator. Lol great fishing here but...

[Bankbeater]

This time of year a bank trip starts about 9 AM.  We drive out and look at a couple of ponds to see about ice, fishing pressure, and water level.  After deciding on a lake we normally take 2 to 3 rods apiece.  This works out good because my partner likes cranks and I like plastics. We can cover more water with the different baits, and if the fish are biting, we can put together a pattern pretty quick.  We usually stay for 6 to 7 hours, and hit the area pretty good.

[Brayberry]

The 2 small ponds I fish are packed with small bass up to around 15 inches but not much bigger.  So on average, I'll spend 8 hours there fishing, and catch between 40 - 75 bass a trip ranging from 10 - 14 inches.  I prefer quantity over quality any day

[paul.]

i don't really have any set "rules" for my bank fishing other than one.  i rarely cast straight out unless i'm casting to a specific target.  i am always trying to basically parallel the bank at increasingly narrower angles until  my casts are coming in parallel only a foot or 2 from the bank.  this draws fish in and creates the funnel attack scenario.  if you can get a bait between the fish and the bank, you have just increased your odds of catching it considerably.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Varied responses as I expected.  I'd like to try wading but there are 'no swimming/wading' signs all over my lake so I guess that's out.  I think this season I'm gonna try and use more baits that the local tackle shops don't carry.  Maybe give the fish something that aren't used to seeing every day.  Hopefully that will make a bit of difference.  This guy I work with and fish with sometimes keeps talking about getting a boat.  It sure would be nice to get off the bank. 

[Brayberry]

 I enjoy bank fishing, its more relaxing to me, more peaceful.  No worries about boat control and such.  On my little ponds/lakes I use a lot of 1/4 oz spinnerbaits, senkos, small topwater frogs, tx rigged 4" lizards and rc 1.5 crankbaits. Smaller baits, fished relatively quick 

[Tuckahoe Joe]

 I enjoy bank fishing, its more relaxing to me, more peaceful.  No worries about boat control and such.  On my little ponds/lakes I use a lot of 1/4 oz spinnerbaits, senkos, small topwater frogs, tx rigged 4" lizards and rc 1.5 crankbaits. Smaller baits, fished relatively quick 

That sounds a lot like me.  1/4 oz Spinnerbaits, shallow cranks, frogs, and t rigs mostly.  I really do like bank fishing and I guess since I usually only have an hour or 2 in the mornings, a boat would really be more trouble than its worth on those days.  But I just feel like I'm missing out on so much of the lake.

[Felix77]

That sounds a lot like me.  1/4 oz Spinnerbaits, shallow cranks, frogs, and t rigs mostly.  I really do like bank fishing and I guess since I usually only have an hour or 2 in the mornings, a boat would really be more trouble than its worth on those days.  But I just feel like I'm missing out on so much of the lake.

 

They say the grass is always greener.  I don't have a boat either but I think of bank fishing as my time!  It's relaxing, peaceful and there is very little to worry about except where you are walking and where you are casting.  Doesn't get any simpler than that.

 

Don't get me wrong I love fishing from a boat, or my canoe,  but I will take what I can get, when I can get it.  Most of the time it's the local bank.

[MCS]

Varied responses as I expected.  I'd like to try wading but there are 'no swimming/wading' signs all over my lake so I guess that's out.  I think this season I'm gonna try and use more baits that the local tackle shops don't carry.  Maybe give the fish something that aren't used to seeing every day.  Hopefully that will make a bit of difference.  This guy I work with and fish with sometimes keeps talking about getting a boat.  It sure would be nice to get off the bank. 

 

I think that statement above is true. I think people tend to go to walmart or dicks and pickup whatever is on sale or a lure they are familiar with, senkos, flukes, trick worms and ribbontails. Same goes for color of a lure too, people tend to buy watermelon, shad etc. throw something a little off, like a red bug or a blue or a tail dipped in a color.

 

I agree with Felix about the boat. I like my quiet bank fishing time, watch the sun come up catch a few fish, no nagging bosses or screaming kids or motors or nothing. I would love one for the family and maybe do some inshore fishing then I think about all the up keep and money, they seem like too much trouble. Especially for bass fishing, it is such a one dimensional boat.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

I think that statement above is true. I think people tend to go to walmart or dicks and pickup whatever is on sale or a lure they are familiar with, senkos, flukes, trick worms and ribbontails. Same goes for color of a lure too, people tend to buy watermelon, shad etc. throw something a little off, like a red bug or a blue or a tail dipped in a color.

 

I agree with Felix about the boat. I like my quiet bank fishing time, watch the sun come up catch a few fish, no nagging bosses or screaming kids or motors or nothing. I would love one for the family and maybe do some inshore fishing then I think about all the up keep and money, they seem like too much trouble. Especially for bass fishing, it is such a one dimensional boat.

Didn't think about that.  Gas ain't cheap and then what if something needs to be repaired or whatever.  I've considered a canoe or kayak but I can be kind of clumsy sometimes.  I can just see me going to set the hook and tipping the thing over.

[PondBoss]

Get a tube, I fish out of one almost exclusively when the water is warm enough (60*).  You can put in just about anywhere, and you can fish way more places than you can in a boat, plus you get some exercise.  If you are pond/small lake fishing a tube is the way to go.