help with bank fishing

[vabanks]

I am starting to get into fishing more seriously. I have fished on and off for a long time, never pursuiting the "big one". My kids are starting to go fishing with me so we use worms mostly when they are with us.

I have a few spinnerbaits and worms, but never caught a fish with them. Wanting some tips on fishing with worms. Can worms and spinnerbaits be fished effectively from a bank? I don't own a boat, so mostly fish from banks (hence my username on the boards).

My local lake (77 acres) has all kinds of fish, and when fishing spinners (or non-weedless lures) I get alot of weeds on the hooks, depending on how deep the lure goes. Because of this, I have been reading up on weedless lures, and it seems the Texas-Rigged worm may be what I need. Can these worms be fished from a bank? What color should I use? How long should the worm be? I know bass like to relate to cover, and believe amongst the weeds there are bass there, at least there are bluegills there.

The color of water in this particular lake is greenish and visibility seems to be 2/3 feet (from where I can see the bottom of the lake). When fishing worms, so I throw pependicular to the bank or can worms be thrown out? What color worm should I use for this color of water when its sunny and overcast?

Any help you guys can provide would help me get started, beause I read quite a bit about guys catching on worms and spinnerbaits, but I been skunked every outing.  >

Thanks!

[BD]

Worms are tough for a while (imho) to get use to, but once you know 'how' to fish them, they work very well. Yes you can also fish worms from the shore.

Spinnerbaits can also be used from the shore, but depending on the oz weight of the spinner (for example a rooster tail 1/8 oz) you can only cast "x" far. However since the bass (here in ok. anyways) are starting to nest shallow, a spinnerbait, or a rat-l trap are very fun and easy to use from the shore.

In a boat during this time here, the guys will cast TO the bank then work out. You are actually fishing deeper to shallow. The last two weekends I have caught around 7 fish. Almost every time, the bass hit about 3 ft from the shore.

You need to remember patience is key, wearing neutral colors (if the water you're fishing is clear), and to not make alot of noise.

Good luck.

ps. great to see you're taking your son!

[vabanks]

Well, my son will be 2 this summer, but daughter will be 4 this summer. Have took my daughter fishing with me, and sometimes she just plays around nearby instead of fishing (short concentration patterns, but that is because of her age).

I know I will be fishing deep to shallow, this is why I asked whether these two lures (plastic worms and spinnerbaits) would work from deep to shallow) because seem like I am not catching a whole lot from te bank. But then I was with my kids. I will take a day off work, and make go at it sometime when it warms up a bit.

I believe most of my problem is with picking colors of my lures (jigs/worms/spinnerbaits). I guess its all trial and error for me, but we sure do you weedy bottoms so I will need to use weedless lures so I don't spend too much time removing weeds from my lures  :-/

Thanks!

[Glenn]

Here ya go!

http://bassresource.com/fishing/shoreline_fishing.html

http://bassresource.com/fishing/bank_fishing.html

http://bassresource.com/fishing/bank_fishing_shore.html

Enjoy!

[Wormy]

I think you will do just fine fishing a worm from the bank. You will need to rig it weedless though like on a Texas rig. A plastic worm IS my confidence bait and once you get the hang of what a bite feels like you will be set. I always keep my line tight and rarely give slack line. I caught my biggest bass to date standing in about 2 1/2 foot of water after a 3 day rain spell and she looks pretty hanging on my wall. I would shy away from crankbaits and other diving baits though, you will get hung up from time to time and may not have a way to retrieve it and that could get costly. Next time you go to Wal-Mart, pick up a package of 6" Culprit worms in Tequila Shad. I have caught more fish on this color than all of the other colors combined. Good luck...

[bassinjack]

yes worms and spinners can be fished vary well in the spring time from the shore the biggest thing barnone is confadence both worms and spinners are preaty much weedless and if your really getting into bass fishing 2 of the best choices for lures to start with you might want to add a few topwater baits to your tackle to and stick with those 3 things

untill you get them mastered

tight lines

  Jack

[LunkerGuy]

My largest fish ever (over 10 pounds) came from a pond in a housing development in Florida so YES, you can whack them from the bank.  I take my 6-year-old son to a small lake by us in evenings during the summer.

What we do is bring a dozen worms with us.  First I tie on an 1/8 oz spinnerbait for my son and I use a topwater.  We walk along the edge and don't cast straight out, but about 3-10 feet off the bank at an angle.  Bass are shallow water fish so throw just off the cover which most of the times is right along the shoreline.  We move along until we determine the activity level of the fish...maybe 20-30 minutes total.  

If no luck, I tie on a texas rigged worm, lizard, or a weightless senko (if its really slick calm).  I continue to fish around my son while he starts catching sunnies and occassional bass with the worms.  We have had 2 hour outings that he has caught 3 bass and 40 sunnies.  I usually am good for one or two big bites.  I set teh hook then quickly give my rod to him to play the fish.  He is realy getting good and these are certianly some of our best times together!  I live for them.

But back to your question...yes, use a texas rigged worm with say 1/8 ounce eight.  Slowly hop, crawl, swim etc it back to you and MOVE often to find the fish.  Cast more parallel to the bank.  Try a buzzbait on summer evenings.

[Marty]

I believe most of my problem is with picking colors of my lures

I respectfully disagree with this conclusion. The problem is much more likely to be something other than color.

You can fish ANY lure successfully from the bank if the cover will permit use of the lure. Try Texas-rigged worms in a 6-7" size. Don't foget other texas-rigged soft plastics, such as jerkbaits and tubes.

I obviously know nothing about your water, but there are ponds and lakes where shore fishing is most productive when fishing parallel to or at angles to the shore, as opposed to casting straight out and   fishing from deep to shallow.

Don't forget to try topwaters during low light periods.

If you have visible cover to target, fish it thoroughly, otherwise, cover a lot of water until you learn what's going on with that body of water.

Good luck.

[Bronze12]

I fish a lot from shore now that I'm off to college without a boat.  I have my best luck with a weightless worm or a weightless YUM Dinger.  I don't have to worry about deep water from shore so weightless is just fine unless I'm fishing really heavy cover.  I just rig the worm texas style and drag it through holes in the weeds or throw to edges or other cover I can see.  Works fantastic but it will take while to get the feel for it if you've never fished this way before.  I keep the line as tight as I can on a pause without affecting the worm to try and feel hits but you have to get used to watching your line.  Hope this helps.

[LunkerGuy]

One other point........If you get to your spot, the ground is bare dirt, there are lots of empty worm containers around you........MOVE.  Fish ain't stupid and usually there are no weeds here either as guys have ripped them out over the years.  Try areas that don't have the grass beaten to bare earth for more success.