Bank Fishing Tackle Box?

[Bojangles]

What lures should a beginning bank fisherman expect to use? I am stocking my tackle box, realizing I will be on mostly small, local impoundments with lots of rip-rap, and submerged cover. Are there lures I should probably avoid...just because I don't have a boat? What works best from the bank?

[John J.]

pretty much anything and everything that works from a boat will work on a bank!

[Sam]

Yes.

If there is structure and you can get your treble hooks hung up then avoid throwing them since you cannot "float" over to the tree or bush and pull them out.

Try your Texas rigged Senkos and finesse worms fished weedless.

Try your wacky and shaky head presentations.

Don't forget to give the drop shot a shot!

Try your spinnerbaits, tubes and jigs; your creature baits and lizards; and your brush hogs and beavers, etc.

Topwaters of all kind are good, especially the buzzbait early in the morning and late in the evening.  Trick worms, Pop-Rs, RICOs, Chugg Bugs, frogs and the like can also produce.

You can always give your Rat-L-Traps and cranks a shot if you do not mind losing them.  By doing this you can determine if they are a good alternative to throw.

Or, you can throw a Mann's Minus One and see how that works out.

If you do get your bait stuck in the struture or cover you may want to leave the line attached to the lure so you can get a raft one day and go out and find the lures by locating the floating line.

Keep your pliers in your pocket as you roam the bank to help remove the hooks.

Bank fishing is a lot of fun even if you are limited to the areas where you can fish.

Have fun.

[Other.]

pretty much anything and everything that works from a boat will work on a bank!

I don't know. I tried using a drop shot rig off the bank. Does not work as good.

[Guest avid]

pretty much anything and everything that works from a boat will work on a bank!

Hard to argue with this logic, but the bank fisherman has a major contigency to deal with......namely that he cannot retrieve fouled or snagged lures.

It is why my bank fishing kit is stuffed with soft plastics and offset worm hooks for Texas rigging.  My hard baits are limited to some spinnerbaits, and a couple topwaters.  Cranking from the bank is a bait monkey wet dream

[smallieking]

pretty much anything and everything that works from a boat will work on a bank!

not really  boat positoning is key for good presentation so your baits will produce differently from boat or shore.  my favs are tubes and senkos  the only cranks worth buying are shallow runners      also around dropoff banks and points try some jigs or suspended jerkbaits like the rogue or x rap    

[Daniel My Brother]

I like to be able to move around the bank, that means one rod, and a 3600 size tackle box in an over the shoulder bag, plus a camera and a pair of plyers. that's about it.

Sometimes I bring a spare rod and tackle, but usually leave it in the car for emergencies.

I'd also avoid deep diving crankbaits for the reasons already stated, though I like to have a rat-l-trap to work around rip-rap...Otherwise, jigs and soft plastics should work great year-round.

[Grey Wolf]

Spinner baits , shallow cranks , plastics are your best bet from the bank. Rat-l-traps are great to if you don't mind loosing one once in a while.

I take one rod and reel  spooled with 20 or 30 lb. braid and one extra spool of yozuri ultra soft(6lb. test)

I use a vest that fly fisherman use instead of a tackle box to keep my baits and extra line in , also all the tools that I need. It's just a lot easier not to have to drag a tackle box or bag around.

[KYbass1276]

pretty much anything and everything that works from a boat will work on a bank!

Hard to argue with this logic, but the bank fisherman has a major contigency to deal with......namely that he cannot retrieve fouled or snagged lures.

It is why my bank fishing kit is stuffed with soft plastics and offset worm hooks for Texas rigging. My hard baits are limited to some spinnerbaits, and a couple topwaters. Cranking from the bank is a bait monkey wet dream

x2 I do have a couple of shallow cranks in mine though.

[dman]

Been fishing the banks for years and i got a system down that works great for me.  I dont need much!  Tackle box = no good..to cumbersome.  Get a Creel or a backpack.  To be sucessfull your gonna need to be moving a lot and a "tackle box" will just be in the way.  I keep a plano box in my creel with some jerkbaits, rat l traps, topwaters and terminal tackle.  I have a small Fly box that i converted for my spinnerbaits,  it fits about 6 comfortably.  The rest is packs of soft plastics and a bottle of cb's hawg sauce  Stay away from Cranks...They cant really be fished properly from shore and you will loose a lot of them.  Since you can maintain a specific depth with Ratt L traps these will produce better for you.  I take a baitcaster loaded up with a 1\4 -3\8 oz spinnerbait and a spinning rod with a wacky rigged senko and it usually works so well i rarely have to change it up.  If its a tougher day i'll start texas rigging worms or a senko.  Wear some glasses,  dark clothes and have a great time  

[SenkoBasser]

Rip Raps equals snags. Drop shot with soft baits. Since you're a beginner, drop shot with a "lil joe" and a dilly. I'm assuming you're fishing for whatever will bite so this set up will not only help you aviod snags but will work for bass, trout, panfish, fall fish, etc. Plus its not expensive like some of the lucky craft goodies I was just looking at. 15 dillies will run about $2.50 and 3 "lil joes" will run ya about $6 and if you drop shot or use a weedless hook it'll last you all day maybe two depending on the action.

[.dsaavedra.]

vertical presentations (drop shot, wacky rig, etc.) dont seem to work as well from the bank, although they still work. dont be afraid to throw cranks either, just dont get upset if you lose a few. weedless lures like texas rigged soft stick baits and texas rigged worms are probably your best bet from shore, at least thats what i do well with.

[Jake.]

Get some spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, top water lures, shallow cranks,  a ton of soft plastics, and jigs and you will be ready to go!

[ejtaylor822]

Get a backpack.  I have one from Cabella's that is great.  Much easier to walk through woods, grass, etc. with a backpack caryying a couple of rods than a tackle box.

I fish almost everything from the bank.  My only comment is that deep diving cranks can be a pain if the bottom is dirty - weeds, sticks, grass, etc.  Drop shotting will work, but, use a heavier weight that you are use to to keep contact with the bottom.  My favorite from the bank are rattle traps and weight less worms.

[tyrius.]

This http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_74352_100011010_100000000_100011000_100-11-10 is absolutely awesome as a tackle bag.  You can carry anything you want with it.  

As far as lures, I fish shallow cranks (less than 6 ft), spinnerbaits, topwater, tons of soft plastics, jigs, etc etc.  About the only things I don't do is deep cranking, drop shot, and C-rig (and that's just because I've never rigged up a C-rig).

[Styx]

This was the best piece of equipment I had for bank fishing http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_1560_100011009_100000000_100011000_100-11-9 It will hold quite a bit of tackle and provides the mobility needed for fishing from shore and wading (which I did a lot of).

[ohiobassmaster93]

i bank fish alot of the time in a local pond/lake i use a lot weight less worms. you can use crankbaits as long as you figure out the cover thats out off the bank. but weightless worms works best for me

[SenkoBasser]

Try this: bank fish a slow to medium current river near a mouth or bottle neck so you can cover the width of the river. Soft plastics, little to no weight casting opposite shoreline slow retrieve. Work the bottom.

Work grassy areas for the pickerel.

[SenkoBasser]

and come back with photos!

[Davis]

vertical presentations (drop shot, wacky rig, etc.) dont seem to work as well from the bank, although they still work.

Going to disagree with you there Dave. Wacky rigging was a big producer for my son, wife, and myself this year from shore. All our biggest fish except one came from Wacky riggin. Either hopping it or even jerking it all the way back to shore. Give it a try if you haven't yet. Especially jerking it wacky.

[grimlin]

vertical presentations (drop shot, wacky rig, etc.) dont seem to work as well from the bank, although they still work.

Going to disagree with you there Dave. Wacky rigging was a big producer for my son, wife, and myself this year from shore. All our biggest fish except one came from Wacky riggin. Either hopping it or even jerking it all the way back to shore. Give it a try if you haven't yet. Especially jerking it wacky.

80% of every shore fishermen here uses the drop shot method(works well!).Wacky rig for me worked well also.Like davis i use jerks with long pauses.I don't have a boat so i'm well limited to shore.

[niteowl]

I've been the guy with muddy feet for years.

My selection process start basic. You did mention small impoundments. Your going to want small minnow plugs lake Rapalas & whatever your brand is, also stay with 3/8th & smaller lures, light line etc. Be stealthy slip up to the water quietly and take your time. Whatever you see on TV you can downsize and try the same technique.

My favorite is the 3/16th oz spinnerbait walmart carries called Mr. Money endorsed by George Cochran made by Strike King. If the body of water is real small or to target an area switch to your plastic worms.

[Bankbeater]

I fish 75% of the time from the bank. I like to use soft t-rigged plastics that I can pull through the brush without hanging up. Since I can't go to the fish, I like heavy tackle that I can will bring that bass to me. I also will use 1/4 to 1/8 ouce jigs, topwaters, and shallow running crankbaits.

[tntitans21399]

jigs and worms first

[BirdNestBen]

Let's see been bank fishing here in Texas all my life... and the tips I've seen so far are excellent... you will need a light tackle box first off and no more than 2 rods since you are walking.....

Here are some top producers over the years....

Strike King Zero Watermelon color- texas and wacky rigged

Powerworm- Electric Blue

Tornado spinnerbait- white/chart.- half hitched

Zara Spook- dynamite for early/late bite

Rat-l-trap-

Gene Larew crawdads

Zoom fluke- white, watermelon, white ice

and- dont forget for those small impoundments- bass pro roostertail copy, and panther martin's w/ a gold blade....

I have a few hard to find lures as well that catch a lot of bass...

billy bass topwater, powerpack topwater, bagley small fry perch...

If I could only have one lure- it would be hard to choose... many places are very weedy and thick especially towards the summer, so I'd pick a Senko/Zero texas rigged weightless with a Zoom Fluke second...

don't forget your frogs- there are many to choose from.... I have an old Strike King topwater frog that has done well over the years..

hope this helps....