Bank fishing vs. boat fishing

[MN Fisher]

33 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

Around here, bank fishing is limited or crap.  Most lakes have significant private shoreline ownership (docks, lake houses, etc). 

You just described Minnetonka perfectly. What bank areas and piers there are - so full of weeds that if you're going after bass - frogs or punching is pretty much your choices...panfish...be prepared to catch more weeds than fish.

[Darth-Baiter]

two things.  Hiking and Mtn Biking. 

 

there is massive self satisfaction when you lace up boots or put on day-glow skin tight lycra and go after fish.    i see water that is unfished this way.  

 

just kidding about the lycra.  i cant wear it.  i get all self concious with my junk's profile all exposed like that. 

 

if anything, this has taught me respect to bank fisherpeople.  i will not EVER fish a bank or waters reachable to a person fishing a bank.  i will move on and find somewhere else to fish.   it annoys me to be casting to some reachable cover only to have  a kayak or bass boat nuzzle up against it and start casting.  

[the reel ess]

2 hours ago, IcatchDinks said:

Thats funny. I'm the opposite. I prefer to be alone when bank fishing, but I enjoy company in a boat. 

To me it depends on whether it's a friend or a stranger. Stranger danger! LOL. I have one buddy I like to fish with in his boat. 

 

 

[Darth-Baiter]

i'd bring my dog, but someone before me beat him with a stick or something.  my dog is scared of fishing rods.  

[Will Ketchum]

I sold my boat when I reached "geezer-hood" and only bank fish now. The best part of bank fishing is shade on a hot day. Another is getting up close and personal with plants and critters.

[Kirtley Howe]

Yeah, getting up close and personal with Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Nettles, Stick-Tights, Rattlesnakes, Water Moccasins, Ticks,,,,,,JUST KIDDING.   I love being close to nature, and bank fishing is a great way to do that. I often see Beaver, Deer, Eagles, Herons, Loons, Ducks of all kinds, and even the occasional Bear. I see raccoon, the occasional fox, and opossum.  I once saw a Moose (a young bull) which is very uncommon for the Souther Tier of New York. Not to mention all the trees, flowers, vines, grasses, etc that you don't see or pay attention to in daily life. 

[the reel ess]

1 hour ago, Darth-Baiter said:

i'd bring my dog, but someone before me beat him with a stick or something.  my dog is scared of fishing rods.  

That's sad. I had a black lab we got at 3 years old that was so trained to go after the decoy I couldn't take her. Every time we'd cast she would jump out of the boat. She was such a good girl. I miss that dog.

[Darth-Baiter]

My brother had a well trained lab.  Duck huntingest dog ever. 
 

one single hike-in fishing trip ruined that dog.  My brother brought his hot girlfriend and she started throwing rocks for him to fetch.  Haha. He would swim down to get them. He would find the one rock!  Underwater!  Duck hunting he would jump in to find a rock to play with for the day.  Haha. 

[casts_by_fly]

2 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

You just described Minnetonka perfectly. What bank areas and piers there are - so full of weeds that if you're going after bass - frogs or punching is pretty much your choices...panfish...be prepared to catch more weeds than fish.

 

Here's the big unlimited horsepower lake around  here.  Admittedly its more crowded because of that, but you get the point.  This is just one representative snip from gmaps.  If you like to fish docks from a boat you're spoiled for choice...

 

[bp_fowler]

48 minutes ago, Kirtley Howe said:

Yeah, getting up close and personal with Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Nettles, Stick-Tights, Rattlesnakes, Water Moccasins, Ticks,,,,,,JUST KIDDING.   

Yup.

 

 

[MN Fisher]

38 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

This is just one representative snip from gmaps.  If you like to fish docks from a boat you're spoiled for choice...

Again - just like Tonka...unlimited HP, but there is a speed limit of 40mph.

Just the area by my normal launch point...less than 1/10 of the entire lake, but the rest is pretty much the same.

[casts_by_fly]

@MN Fisher yup.

[Darth-Baiter]

wow!!  those lakes look awesome!!

[Susky River Rat]

@Darth-Baiter my two main fishing partners are my dog and my dad. My dad doesn’t have a boat. I say it’s my boat but, it’s really my dogs. He is probably the biggest reason I am getting a new one. I also try not to fish where people can get at from the bank. 
 

@MN Fisher my boat probably won’t even get to 40mph. I wish they put MPH restrictions on lakes here instead of horsepower ones.

[MN Fisher]

@Darnold335 - Bass Trek tops out at about 24-25mph WOT...so I know how you feel.

[Susky River Rat]

@MN Fisher I think my new one will be around mid 30s. That’s the jet boat life for you. 115/80 

In all honestly running over 40mph in the river isn’t a good idea

 

[casts_by_fly]

5 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

wow!!  those lakes look awesome!!

when you figure out how to carry your kayak and gear across the country then stop by. Your wife can visit nyc for a couple days to keep her occupied. 
 

 

[BFS-Angler75]

I fish from my boat most of the time. I'd love to go during the evening during the week but not enough time. And when I start planning to go right after work to sneak in 3 hours on the lake in my boat, something goes wrong and I have to repair it lol. I don't think its jinxed, just has some older pieces that just need to be replaced. 

 

When I got back into fishing through teaching my youngest, we started on the bank. She wasn't catching anything so I told her we needed to rent a boat. That started to add up and now, we have a rigged out 16 foot squareback canoe. 

 

At first I only wanted to boat fish after we got into it. Now, during the week, its nice to hike down to the pond in our neighborhood and fish it from the bank. Started catching a bunch of dinks on a wacky rig, then I pulled a 2.5 pounder out of there lol. I don't really enjoy bank fishing when there's a ton of people on the bank. The lakes really close by have limited space, and I don't like to mess around with fishing from spots I'm not supposed to after getting in trouble with wildlife resources in my state one day (forgot to put the life jackets back into the boat, and I brought my daughter with me that day). 

 

However, the more we fish the pond the more we learn about it. Found a bunch of shad swimming around it tonight. 

 

I do know how you feel though. I tried bank fishing after boat fishing for months, and yeah lol... it does feel like your freedom is taken away. But, I've learned recently, bank or boat... just as long as you can go fishing you're good. Just remember what you learned on the boat and apply it to the bank as best as you can. 

[WRB]

1 hour ago, casts_by_fly said:

when you figure out how to carry your kayak and gear across the country then stop by. Your wife can visit nyc for a couple days to keep her occupied. 
 

 

Do it between Dec to Feb and use the yak for a toboggan?

Tom

  

[Pat Brown]

You'll start to feel like a pretty lazy person when you catch your first '30 minute trip to the pond' 9 lber.

 

This time of year, being in the shade of the trees slowly picking apart a drop off sounds more fun than idling around on a drop on a slick calm day where it's 91° and cloudless.

 

Then there's the whole aspect that most bodies of water have entire populations of fish that have learned to feed when people typically aren't there.  This is the bank anglers playground.  

 

It's all a matter of perspective.

 

I still say go earlier or later than you would normally  be boating to really experience the magic of bank fishing and why it's something else entirely and special unto itself.

 

Edit to add totally random thought:  

 

I have lost 20 lbs and my blood pressure is normal for the first time in my life since I started bank fishing from 5-7 am daily.

 

Not saying it's a cure all but it sure as heck beats a trip to the gym and makes the doctor happy.

 

[Zcoker]

When this topic comes up about bank fishing vs boat fishing, I always put my 2 pennies in for the bank guy. I once won a national fishing tournament fishing from the bank. There were over 100 anglers from the big three, Florida, Texas, and California. I think I was about the only bank guy from Florida lol At that time, the Everglades were on fire, literally! The smoke was all over, a yellowish haze, very harsh conditions. Yet I prevailed and eventually won that tournament, which was for three days, Friday, Sat, and Sun. I'll never forget that winning fish, either, last day of the tournament into a late, smokey afternoon, just about to turn in when BAM! she hit a whopper plopper. Over 8 pounds put me in the money along with 1st place and bank fishing bragging rights! 

 

 

All loaded up!

 

 

Everglades on fire

 

 

Winning fish in the smokey glades 

 

[Will Ketchum]

Why do boat fishermen cast towards the bank, and bank fishermen cast towards the middle of the lake?  ?

[Susky River Rat]

@Pat Brown I lost 130lbs. I walk 6-8 mile a day so i try to avoid walking as much when im not working. It also seems like the bodies of water I fish are never not harassed. 
 

@Zcoker that’s a great accomplishment! I would never have done it. 
 

@Will Ketchumi generally do not cast towards a bank.  I think it has to do with the structure and cover of the lake.

[IcatchDinks]

4 hours ago, Will Ketchum said:

Why do boat fishermen cast towards the bank, and bank fishermen cast towards the middle of the lake?  ?

 

I never have any luck when I cast out into the middle unless I'm casting to cover. I usually try to cast parallel to the shore, even when I'm standing on it. 

[Zcoker]

20 hours ago, Will Ketchum said:

Why do boat fishermen cast towards the bank, and bank fishermen cast towards the middle of the lake?  ?

 

Maybe one of those things that people naturally do, like when walking down a sidewalk with another person approaching, both going in the exact same direction to avoid one another lol