Bank Fishing At Park Lakes

[Heron]

Ok, I bank fish, mostly at lakes that are the centerpiece of a local park or state park.   I catch decent fish, but I don't catch much.  I average about one fish for every 12-15 hours of fishing time.  Ive had little to no luck with most of the baits/techniques that most other fisherman swear by.   My most productive technique for most other places, generally yields nothing-to-very little in these waters.  Only once have I ever caught a second fish on the same day. 

 

So this is the conclusion that Im coming to.....Since it is a public park, these shorelines must just be too over fished.   The fish along these banks probably face a daily barrage of fisherman, at least starting in the late afternoon, when everybody gets off of work.   Weekends are even worse.

 

If this be the case, I am really inclined to think, that one occasional fish, is probably as good as it is ever going to get here.   Im pretty sure at this point, no amount of new lures, new techniques, or new whiz-bang ideas will ever do much to improve my numbers.

 

Time to find me some waters that are not part of a public park, or get out on a boat.

[Ozark_Basser]

I always thought the same thing about my town's little public park lake. I've never caught too much, so I rarely go, but tonight I caught a couple 2-3 lbers out of it at sundown. All from pitching a jig to shoreline cover. This park gets hammered daily. Goes to show you just never really know.

[kcdinkerz]

I mostly bank fish as well, i just cover all three water columns and if no fish/bites then i move on to another spot. Ands it depends on what time of day your fishing, I know from the Lakes I fish that when boat traffic is bad or mid afternoon it's time to go finesse. Experiment with what time of day you catch fish, start memorizing the baits, structure, water column, time of year, other little things that land you fish and soon you'll have a pattern.

[HoosierHawgs]

Just spend some time learning things about the lakes you fish. Where are you catching bass? What on? Can you tell what the main forage is? If the main forage is crawfish, then fish will be less inclined to eat a burning lipless crank, but if the main forage is shad, that may be all they want.

[deep]

If I caught only one fish for every 12 hours on the water, I'd be pretty sure I was fishing the wrong spots or at the wrong times, or both.

[Heron]

If I caught only one fish for every 12 hours on the water, I'd be pretty sure I was fishing the wrong spots or at the wrong times, or both.

Agreed.....Im beginning to think, wrong lake.

[scaleface]

You need to find a different spot. 

[Anantha Patel]

Town lakes are seriously overfished. The fish there are "educated." Try moving to a more secluded lake. 

[Heron]

Just spend some time learning things about the lakes you fish. Where are you catching bass? What on? Can you tell what the main forage is? If the main forage is crawfish, then fish will be less inclined to eat a burning lipless crank, but if the main forage is shad, that may be all they want.

Already have.   This lake has been scrutinized thoroughly over the past few years.   All of that has been established, to the best that can be done while catching only one fish for every 12-15 hours.

[Heron]

Town lakes are seriously overfished. The fish there are "educated." Try moving to a more secluded lake. 

That's what Im thinking.

 

An Interesting thing though....It seems the "park lakes" may actually be even more fished than the town lakes.

[Heron]

You need to find a different spot. 

Werrrdd

[Heron]

I mostly bank fish as well, i just cover all three water columns and if no fish/bites then i move on to another spot. Ands it depends on what time of day your fishing, I know from the Lakes I fish that when boat traffic is bad or mid afternoon it's time to go finesse. Experiment with what time of day you catch fish, start memorizing the baits, structure, water column, time of year, other little things that land you fish and soon you'll have a pattern.

Already done.   Its been a few years, and by now, its safe to say...."Soon," has come and gone.

[lectricbassman]

One thing to try, go at an oddball time when most people arent there. Really early or really late after the pressure has died down. Avoid weekends if your schedule allows. I fish a heavily pressured park pond and have found early mornings at the end of the work week (thus or fri) are very productive. I believe during the work week less people are inclined to fish and the fish get a little more comfortable. On the weekends everyone and their mom is out so the pressure shuts them down. Just my 2 cents.

[Heron]

On a better note, at least the size my average fish is between 2-5lbs.  That's something I can feel twitterpated about.

[Heron]

One thing to try, go at an oddball time when most people arent there. Really early or really late after the pressure has died down. Avoid weekends if your schedule allows. I fish a heavily pressured park pond and have found early mornings at the end of the work week (thus or fri) are very productive. I believe during the work week less people are inclined to fish and the fish get a little more comfortable. On the weekends everyone and their mom is out so the pressure shuts them down. Just my 2 cents.

Thanks, already done.

 

I typically fish early in the mornings on the weekdays because that fits my work schedule, and then I fish evenings on the weekends. 

[Heron]

On a strange note.   I have 8 different zones that Ive selected to fish at, chosen because they seemed to have the most favorable qualities for holding bass.   But, I seem to catch fish most often at the few spots that are the most pressured.  Go figure.

 

 

hmmm,

[Raul]

The fish are "trained" because they have seen "everything". That does´t mean they are impossible to catch, it only means you´ll have to try harder. Now look at it the way I do, one of my favorite lakes is really not for the weak, 2 or 3 fish in an entire afternoon ( which is 1 or 2 more fish than what everybody catches ) but with what I learned ( yup, I´m still learning ) no matter where else I go I do a killing.

[ABW]

I fish a park lake and I'm pretty sure I've caught every single fish in there x3.... just gotta keep fishing. Even though the biggest fish I've actually measured out of there was only 3 1/2 lbs.

[HoosierHawgs]

I fish a park lake and I'm pretty sure I've caught every single fish in there x3.... just gotta keep fishing. Even though the biggest fish I've actually measured out of there was only 3 1/2 lbs.

Where at?

[Heron]

The fish are "trained" because they have seen "everything". That does´t mean they are impossible to catch, it only means you´ll have to try harder. Now look at it the way I do, one of my favorite lakes is really not for the weak, 2 or 3 fish in an entire afternoon ( which is 1 or 2 more fish than what everybody catches ) but with what I learned ( yup, I´m still learning ) no matter where else I go I do a killing.

2 to 3 fish in one afternoon would be nice.

[Jon G]

Try throwing some finesse stuff. Senkos, Roboworms on shakey heads, ect may get you some extra bites

 

Just be different. A lot of fish on pressured body's of water see the same things over and over every day.

[Heron]

Try throwing some finesse stuff. Senkos, Roboworms on shakey heads, ect may get you some extra bites

 

Just be different. A lot of fish on pressured body's of water see the same things over and over every day.

Did that....many times.

[Jon G]

Did that....many times.

Just have to keep on trying. Try putting a 4" roboworm wacky rigged on a finesse jig. It's very different that the fish most likely haven't seen.

 

Like others have said if you feel like you can't do anything to get bit due to pressure find another place to fish.

[HoosierHawgs]

Have you explored the fact that maybe it's just a little stunted lake without good numbers?

[Abuss55]

Like you said, with as much time and effort as you have put into that lake with catching that few of fish I would agree and look for a different spot. Now if you are bound and determined to make this lake work for you my secret is to use my UL gear and my trout stuff; I have never seen someone else target bass with that stuff on the park lake i go to and it works great!

 

 

No one ever said it was going to be easy, and we should be happy it is not for that would just be boring.