What do you bring bank fishing?

[RyanDR]

I do a lot of bank fishing as I'm currently in college and don't have access do my little Jon boat about 10 months out of the year. I always want to bring way too much. I know I would be fine with just one tackle box and throw a bunch of stuff in there and one rod. But there's always the "what if" and I'll need all my baits. Recently I've been bringing 2 rods and 2-3 3601 size tackle boxes + whatever random plastics and crap I think I'll need in a backpack. 

I sometimes miss the days where I was first getting into fishing and only had one rod and a few lures.

So what do you all bring bank fishing? 

[MDBowHunter]

When I did bank fish I would just take one rod and a hip sack like people wore back in the 90s. I always hated having to get everything together just to move 20 yards down the bank and so on. Since a lot of lures that work great from a boat absolutely suck from the bank, I'd just toss in a couple spinnerbaits, one or two shallow diver, and a pack of worms with a couple hooks and sinkers. I found I actually caught more fish just because I spent more time fishing and less time trying to keep track of my belongings. Plus I was way more mobile, I didn't have to stick to one spot. I was always moving down the shoreline just as you would in a boat. I found a fly fishing vest also works very well for bank fishing, just a little warmer then a hip sack.

[uhhhmike]

I don't have a boat, so I'm always on the bank. Backpacks are definitely the way to go. I bought the Cabela's advanced angler backpack and it has plenty of storage for a variety of different baits. I also bought a browning bait binder to minimize the amount of space my plastics take up. I really like taking just one rod to stay mobile, but sometimes ill take up to three. I leave my pack on most of the time unless im planning on staying in one spot for a while, much easier to just pick up my extra rods and set them down when im ready to cast back in. I take two trays of terminal tackle, one tray of cranks/topwaters, and a tray of jigs/spinners. All of this fits nicely in the backpack along with a bottle of water and a couple snacks haha. Sometimes it's hard to decide exactly what to take in each tray, but if you know where you are going to fish and the what to expect for water clarity it generally helps to narrow down what type of bait and which color you'll be throwing

[YoungPlug]

I always bring a Medium 7' spinning rod with braid to fish things like weightless senkos, wacky rigs, shakyheads and even poppers. These are confidence baits for me and work most of the year along the bank. I also will occasionally bring a second rod for light crankbaits/spinnerbaits/buzzbaits if they want a moving bait. As far as storage goes a good size backpack with your tackle trays and things like a rain jacket, pliers, sun protection, and water on stand-by. Those cover the bases for me, good luck!

[Mobydick]

I do a fair amount of wading, which is close enough to bank fishing. I have been recently using a 5.11 Tactical Bail Out Bag. It has been working great the last few years. I can easily fit about 15 packs of plastics and a small box of about 13 to 15 hard baits and still have the pocket on the back empty. I usually carry just 1 rod since i'm out all day, but I have on occasion carried a second one by tucking the butt of the rod in my belt behind me.

 

Tight Lines!

[Brayberry]

I do a lot of bank fishing.  I use a bookbag as most people do.  If I'm going to a new lake, I'll carry 2 rods, 1 spinning, 1 baitcaster, typically once I know what's there and what I'm fishing, I'll just take one or the other.  I bring a plano box with my hard baits, I stick my jigs in a zip lock bag, 5 - 10 bags of soft plastics, a spool of extra line.  

[Dye99]

Small hydra pack with water, tackle, and snacks...Two rods, One spinning for finesse, one bait caster for power fishing...

[JRammit]

Spent many years bank fishing before i got my jon boat!... Being mobile was everything, so i got a backpack from BPS that held 3 trays on bottom and water/snacks on top... And kept all my soft plastics in a clear, zip up pencil bag

Only carried 2 rods and typically fished slower... T-rigged or weightless plastics and hard jerk baits mostly

Always had a few spinnerbaits on board, but left the crankbaits at home

Spoons are a great bait to throw from shore too!... They cast like a bullet, cover alot of water and give fish something they dont see every day

[loudcherokee]

I primarily bank fish, and find myself carrying everything but the kitchen sink 😞

I have a BPS backpack with 10 3600 sized boxes, attractant, pliers, leader, etc in it, a shoulder bag sized for 4 3700 sized boxes but I took the boxes out and this is where I keep all my plastics, and 5 rods.

I ordered a rod caddy from cabelas that let's me carry all my rods at once and makes moving around super easy.

LC

 

[Ohio Yakker]

If this is what you take bank fishing I can't imagine what you'd take on a boat haha.

When I bank fish I take a small BPS tackle bag. It can hold up to 5 small plano boxes, but I normally only bring 2-3 and use the extra space for soft plastics. It has 3 zippered pouches that I keep pliers, scale, and a water bottle in. 

[Crankinit]

for the ponds around here I bring a bps tackle bag, an assortment of topwaters, spinners, plastics etc, and two rods, a baitcaster and a spinning rod.

[doyle8218]

I bank fish 95% of the time because I live on the water and it is very convenient. I use to carry a ton. Now I carry one rod. A nap sack with a day box I preppare for the day. A hook and terminal tackle box and a worm box. Assorted tools and equipment.

[DogBone_384]

I use a Spiderwire Backpack and two two-piece rods.  It holds more than I need, including the rods.

[buzzed bait]

a backpack with whatever i feel like putting in there...  between 2 and 4 rods, depending on where i'm going.

And if you have one, take the scale and avoid the "how much does my new PB weigh" thread....

[Joey Bass]

Wow, I'm in the minority here with Loudcherokee. I have 5 rods (3 spinner and 2 baitcasters) as well as my Abu Garcia tackle bag. I stick the kitchen sink in there. More boxes in the car if i need them

I like to use the different lure setups without changing lures all the time. I know i am probably a little goofy but I am still learning some new lures and techniques so i bring a lot with me.

[Senko lover]

I take a backpack crammed with baits and lures. As @Master Bait'r always says, take out what you don't find yourself using periodically, you'll end up with less weight and get rid of baits you probably won't have every thrown anyway.

[Scarborough817]

i just try to go out and work on a new technique or something i want to work on a little more

[Team9nine]

Quote

I sometimes miss the days where I was first getting into fishing and only had one rod and a few lures.

Sounds like you already know the answer

1 rod, 1 reel and whatever baits I can fit in a pocket, a paper bag or a small belt clip box (more trout-like), along with a pair of pliers/cutters and my camera phone for pics. Mobility rules -  As for my thoughts on "what if"....."what if" you drag all that crap with you and don't need/use any of it  no thank you...

-T9  

[Nitrofreak]

Keep it very simple, most of my bank fishing is on the river systems here in Va., as others have stated, mobility is everything , so the less you have to pack and carry the more you can enjoy the long stretches of fishing from the banks, besides, when I'm bank fishing, 99 percent of the time I like to feel the same as my presentation, weightless... Or it could be that I'm just getting old and really don't want to have to carry all that stuff anymore.

[Onvacation]

I bank fish three to four days a week.  I always carry a spinning rod (med / fast) and a bait caster which varies depending on what I think I am going to throw.  My BPS backpack is always with me and I carry three 3600 boxes in it which vary depending on the season. Always have some plastics too.  In the colder months, I carry a cheap rod with 40 lb test on it so that if it is slow, I can hook a Deeper onto it and map out the pond/lake.  It has helped a lot in regards to taking a look under the water.  

[loudcherokee]

Well, after today having a fairly large snake attack my live target panfish and take it under, then having another large snake swim right up to me and start crawling up the bank at my feet, I may be adding a howitzer or Dillon mini gun to my bank fishing arsenal! Along with the snakes I saw a manhole cover sized snapping turtle go after 3 large bass. Gotta love bank fishing!

I'd still take my snakes and turtles over the gators you guys have in FL and LA any day!

LC

[JRammit]

 

Critters can make bank fishing interesting!

One night i was catfishing, using glow sticks as strike indicators and a racoon grabbed the glow stick and yanked my rod off the holder... I had to chase it into the bushes to get my rod back..... I let him keep the glow stick

[the reel ess]

2 rods, tackle box, a small cooler with a few beers. 

If I can drive close to the water, I bring the arsenal. That would be private water.

49 minutes ago, loudcherokee said:

Well, after today having a fairly large snake attack my live target panfish and take it under, then having another large snake swim right up to me and start crawling up the bank at my feet, I may be adding a howitzer or Dillon mini gun to my bank fishing arsenal! Along with the snakes I saw a manhole cover sized snapping turtle go after 3 large bass. Gotta love bank fishing!

I'd still take my snakes and turtles over the gators you guys have in FL and LA any day!

LC

I had an owl try to snag my Jitterbug twice last night.

[BaitMonkey1984]

I dont often bank fish but I have been trying to downsize the tackle on the boat. And that is hard because I am a Tackle junkie. Have a garage full of baits. But recently, I have been trying to really get dialed into a bite and bring only a few baits. For example, if they are hitting a square bill I will pack a 3700 of square bills in the colors that are working. However, I keep a small "emergency box" which includes 5" GYCB watermelon creme laminate worms, Keith EZ shiners, Berkley Crazy Chigger Craws in Green Pumpkin, and a white spinner bait. Those lures there will cover most conditions and can fit all those in your pockets. 

[Steveo-1969]

I generally bank fish from late fall to late spring on a river and carry a spinning rod, baitcasting rod, and a small tackle bag.  Late spring through fall I'm wading with the same small tackle bag and 1 rod.  I only fish with jigs, t-rigged plastics and small paddletails so the small bag is big enough to carry everything I need.