Boat position and cast angle

[813basstard]

Question:

If fishing the bank (from a boat) I normally cast parallel. At times (spring, fall) more towards the bank. Then there’s other times it’s more 45 degree to cover both basis. 

Where I mostly fish is very different than Florida lakes. It’s a reservoir that drops quickly from 0-15 feet within 15-20 feet from the bank, and there is literally not 1 Lilly pad. Not 1 on the whole 5.5 mile stretch.

From the info given, this the right approach?

[Todd2]

When alone, I cast parallel or at a 45 with crankbaits and such. When fishing with someone else, usually more perpendicular. 

 

Now jigs, alone or not, I usually pitch perpendicular depending on the situation keeping my casts much shorter, usually targeting some wood around here.

 

 

[Bankbeater]

I'd anchor the boat right over that drop off and cast my baits out parallel to the drop off.  I would work the entire water column.  Top, middle, and on the bottom.

[WRB]

There is an old saying "spring up, fall down" meaning in the spring work lures uphill and in the fall down hill. The logic behind this is bass are moving from deeper cold water to warmer water in the spring and the opposite direction in the fall.

Angles can be critical how bass react to lures and only trail and error can determine what the bass prefer at any given time. 

Downhill, uphill or paralell try em all.

Tom

[813basstard]

3 hours ago, Bankbeater said:

I'd anchor the boat right over that drop off and cast my baits out parallel to the drop off.  I would work the entire water column.  Top, middle, and on the bottom.

Yeah we did that before I got a trolling motor and got fancy. Let the wind drift us into the bank and cast out...caught’em too. Need to stop being so fancy and find the fish. Just got a Garmin 7cv so I’ll really need to stop being fancy and fish where’s there fish...we evidently say ‘fancy’ down here because I didn’t realize how much I said it

[papajoe222]

I would start out casting parallel and working different depths down the drop until contacting fish. Often times there'll be something on that drop that is different (a transition, stumps, cut) that I'll discover doing that.  If there's nothing along the section of the drop I'm working and that includes fish, I'll move down and work a different section of the drop. If I contact fish, I'll work that depth, or structure from different angles and with different presentations until I'm sure it doesn't hold more fish.

With sharp drop offs, I normally look for irregularities or bait fish before picking up a rod. The presence of a structural element doesn't always indicate the presence of fish, but the presence of cover or another form of structure will increase the chances of fish using it.

[scaleface]

  If I find them shallow I will get right next to the bank and fish parallel . If they are deeper I try   to keep the bait in the  strike zone the longest . 

[Catt]

We established structure, how about cover

 

I’ll fan cast from bank shallow out to the drop off, until I establish a pattern.

[A-Jay]

 After considering seasonal pattern,  boat position & casting angle comes into play when considering which presentation / bait I'm planning on throwing.  It's an aspect of my fishing that I place a fairly high priority on. 

Depending on the area / spot, boat position can be the difference between getting bit and not. 

Factors include but are not limited to wind direction & speed, position of the sun (or moon), water clarity, other boating traffic, & whether it's a day or night time trip.  

Prefer to fish into the wind when I can.

Like to have the sun at my back if there is any.

Prefer to fish bottom contact baits 'up hill',  meaning casting deep and work back to shallow.  

Like being able to position so when fishing hazards (cover) the hookset & fight is working the fish away from the badness and out into open water.  Can't always set up that way but if not, I always have a plan ready to help prevent losing 'The One".

Prefer to present baits with any wind blown or established current rather than against it. 

(Bent over submerged weeds can help determine direction - even when it's subtle it matters)

Fish will usually face into it and baits that come from behind them may not generate the same interest as one going with the flow. 

YMMV

A-Jay

[Todd2]

A lot of you guys are dragging from deep to shallow, I don't do that much. Makes perfect sense, you can pitch shallow cover and work the depths from the same boat position. I need to try this more.

 

 

[rejesterd]

I think it depends on the bait you're using, and the conditions.  If it's windy and you're using something that's supposed to imitate a bottom-feeder like a crawfish, you should cast against the wind/current.  They usually move along with the current.  But if you're using something that's supposed to imitate a baitfish, you should cast with the wind/current or perpendicular to it.  Baitfish don't get blown around by wind/current.. they just follow the plankton (which does get blown around).  So when you reel it back against the current, it looks like a baitfish trying to flee after they've spotted predators in the area.  I think that's what the bass are usually looking for. 

 

When it's calm with little-to-no current, then it's more about simply positioning the boat carefully so that you don't spook them and casting parallel to the bank.  

[scaleface]

I have a cousin who fishes the same spots with the same lures as I and  he doesnt do nearly as well . The main difference , my baits spend a lot more time in the strike zone .  

[Pat33]

It all depends on the lake and depth of the water for me.  Parallel is always a good option.  I like to drag worms and jigs off break points. It's hot here and the fish are mostly on deep structure. Don't be afraid to try different techniques. The fish will tell you what they want.

[WRB]

During the day time on our small highly pressured lakes everyone that approaches the shoreline from a boat tends to cast from deeper towards shallower water, especially points. The bass get conditioned to boats approaching and simply swim out to deeper water as the boat approaches. The anglers fish the area without bass being where they are casting. Approaching an area like a point from close to the bank and making long cast to the shallow water first, then fan casting all the way around the area you have a better chance of putting the lure in front of the bass.

Angles can make a big difference, bass sometimes get spooked if a lure approaches from behind them, usually better if it fall or approaches in front of them.

Tom

[riverbasser]

I agree with pretty much everything that was said but with moving baits I believe a bait presented between the fish and the shore is most important. Even if that means it comes from behind, from what I've seen fish just really react if they can trap the bait between them and shore and get more response when that is the case. 

 

On a river this means a lot of parallel and on lakes say a point I've been known to step out the boat and fish the point from land if not in a tournament