How To Bank Fish?

[Fuese54]

What are some keys to shore fishing? It's tough sometimes without a fishfinder, I'm either casting along the shore, in cover, or straight out

[Gungun96]

Bank fishing is usually seen as casting far from the bank towards the middle of the pond but I've had a lot of my success casting along the shore line. That being said, stealth has a lot to do with bank fishing. A spooked fish is usually a extremely difficult fish to catch. Walking lightly near and up to the bank is important and I've even known people to go as far as wearing camo while bank fishing. Best of luck to you and tight lines!

[*Hank]

I catch most of mine by going to a point that has lots of rock type structre and then cast straight out with lures such as Football jigs,tubes,drop shot rigs,C-rigs,T-rigs,Etc.

[scaleface]

 The Texas rig is the one lure everyone should master . It will teach you more than any other lure and when you get proficient everything else is easy .  Learn the T rig and you will see all waters in a new light .

[Big C]

Stand near lake, face water, and cast. 

[Quesenek]

When bank fishing I try to find visible cover such as shade under trees or lily pads for example. If none of those are immediately evident I fish a jig, Texas rig, or Carolina rig to find vegetation or other types of cover, once I find the cover or some interesting structure such as drop offs I usually focus around that spot.

[AdamsEye]

When I fish from a bank blind I look at google maps and the weather. I will fish the wind blow banks, and try and look for any clues I can find from google maps/earth. When I am on the lake fishing, I am looking for life. Birds, tadpoles, bait, etc. If your standing at the bank and the bait fish are present, there should be some bass around at least not to far away.

 

I will also look for any fishing reports on that water, and see what I can learn there.

 

[bigbill]

I use a portable fish finder to learn the bottom structure. Then I know how to fish it. What depth cranks to use. Where are the flats, droppoffs, holes, etc.

[ThatZX14Fella]

If you see a laydown or rocks or something of that nature, fish it. It's probably your best bet. Docks are even better. Caught more fish casting by docks than anything else.

[Turkey sandwich]

Try to stay weedless or at least "snag resistant", carry lures that can cover a variety of depths, and learn to feel cover/structure with jigs, T-rigs, and light C-rigs. Get good with spinnerbaits - around shorelines, they're your best friend.

Just as importantly, learn to read water and not waste time fishing hours on dead water. Find shorelines that have access to cover, access to deep water, changing bottom textures, submerged vegetation, etc. Watch for areas with baitfish activity, active birds, frogs, etc. Pay attention to wind. When it's hot, look for shade. When it's cool, look for shade near the sunny shorelines (ambush points).

[Bankbeater]

Make sure that when you cast that there is nothing around that you will hit with your rod.  I have gotten many backlashes by hitting something with the rod while casting.

[Hogsticker]

Stand near lake, face water, and cast. 

You forgot "repeat".

[blckshirt98]

I only fish from shore and you want to look for points/dropoffs/transition areas(like rocky bottoms to bare flats)/creek inlets/vegetation on retrieves/anything unusual that you see in the water that a bass might use for either cover or as an ambush point.  Keep your eye out and scan the water surface in all directions and look for scattering baitfish either close to the shoreline or in open water as it'll clue you in if there's feeding bass nearby.  Pay attention if there's any wind/current, as you generally want to cast into the wind where you're reeling back your presentation with the current not against it.  When casting I usually fan cast at 30-45 degree angles each way to the left and right, most of the fish (at least early to mid morning) will be feeding within 5-15 feet of the shoreline.  As the weather warms up I'll cast straight out and a few degrees to each side to deeper water to try and find vegetation like grass/milfoil etc because that's where I feel the bass will retreat to as the sun rises and temps go up.

[dumfish]

When I'm bank fishing I like to wade or use a small kayak, when I feel the need to reach more productive area's. I love to find an area of a river that I can wade fish for smallmouth.

[bigbill]

Don't cast too far it's risky with bigger bass. Don't ask me.

[SirSnookalot]

2 ways to bank fish, sight casting IMO by far the best as described in another post.  Blind casting, work a 180 degree fan pattern, then work it a second time and move about 20 yards and do it again.  When fish get spooked, they sense you, don't believe clothing or hiding behind a bush makes any difference.  I've seen many a fish just swim away as I approach, and have caught many that just stayed and didn't spook.