Bank fishing

[Sal329]

Any advise on fishing the banks of lakes? Especially during real wamr months. Latelye I have been pullin out some 2-3lbs bass from a local lake with a soft jerk bait. The water is not crystal clear but it is not muddy. There are areas of grass, the deepest part is only about 15' and that might be stretching it. I use the baby bass color and watermelon. I have not really tried anything else. Seems as it gets warmer I am not catchin as much. I would go 2 weeks ago and catch 5 or from 6pm-8pm now Im catching maybe 2. Any advise is well appreciated. I can also get pics of the areas I fish if that helps any.

[foul hooked]

I too fish a small lake from the bank. I used to try lots of different types of baits with not much luck.

Then I read about the spilt shot rig. I tried it and I am cathching more fish.  I use 4" soft plastics, I work them parallel to the bank really slow. Green lizards and worms seem to work best, but a green 5" Strike King Zero is slowly becoming my favorite.

This is my first post and I would like to say what a great bb this is. Tons of great info.

[Sal329]

I usually fish a weightless worm or senko and that so far is the only thing that lands any bass. Guess I need to try more colors and sizes

[Marty]

I bank fish a lot. If you have visible cover or structure, fish it thoroughly. If not, move around and cover a lot of water until you learn more about the particular body of water. Go often and try to be there at higher percentage times, like low light conditions. Don't rule out any types of lures, as fish can be caught from shore with the same variety of lures that succeed from boats. I'm almost always fishing weedy waters and i use a lot of topwater, shallow crankbaits, spinnerbaits and soft plastics.

Good luck.

P.S. I wouldn't count on using more colors as the magic bullet.

[Sal329]

what colors would you recommend? The water is pretty clear not crytal maybe like a stained color and its shallow.

[ww2farmer]

For clear to sligtly stained water, it's hard to beat the colors you said you were using......watermelon seed, and baby bass. In soft plastics there are really WAY to many color choices IMHO, most are ment to catch fisherman not bass. A good basic color seleston to have is : Watermelon and or green pumpkin, white, black, junebug, pumpkinseed, and chartruese.

[Shad_Master]

I have a couple of ponds and lakes that I fish from bank on a regular basis.  I use them like a labratory to test out different lures and techniques.  Over time, I have learned what "works" at each one -- but mostly through trial and error.  When I hear about a new lure, I take it and try it out.  I some times learn more about what didn't work and why by sticking to this method and this helps me to refine my techniques for later on when fishing a club tournament or a day in my boat.  If I hit on a pattern at one lake, I will try it out on another - if it holds up, I will try it out on the lake.  All fishing should be fun, but bank fishing it strictly fun for me and I never come away disappointed.

[Guest bigtex]

WATCH OUT FOR SNAKES!!!

[Other.]

WATCH OUT FOR SNAKES!!!

Why are so many people scared of snakes??? I dont really understand. I grew up arround snakes and i think there pretty cool. I mean none have ever bitten me or anything. WHY ARE YOU PEOPLE SCARED OF SNAKES???!!! If you do come face to face to a snake just walk away.... and if its a really good spot and you cant afford to move away just keep fishing, its not like the snake is gunna turn into a 1000000lbs monster and kill you...

anyways reading those first 3 sentence's killed 10k of my brain cells....

[Marty]

what colors would you recommend? The water is pretty clear not crytal maybe like a stained color and its shallow.

I agree with ww2farmer. Keep it simple. Some dark, some light. I usually fish soft plastics with two colors, black and pumpkinseed. Would I catch more fish if I used more colors? Maybe, maybe not, but I have confidence that the two colors will suffice.

[Sal329]

I haven't seen any snakes besides a few garter snakes. Yesterday we went out and we seen a 5' gator. The first one I have ever seen in my 3 years in FL.

Fishing yesterday I was using a 2" grub for panfish and caught a 4lb bass. I switch to soft plastics a few worms and jerk type and caught a few 1-2lbs bass. My stepson caught a 4lbs bass on a 3" brown grub plus a bunch of panfish.

[alhuff]

i have found that latley the small spinnerbaits that Strike King and Terminator make work great in small ponds.  also i've done good using weightless worms, black/red shad, i think is the color pattern.

as posted before, pick apart all the cover you can see and take your time.

hope this helps,

Alfred

[Sal329]

WATCH OUT FOR SNAKES!!!

HAHA thanks man. Went to a new spot today at a local park and I hear my stepson scream. I runover and there was a 4' python. I tried to get him (being the dumb NY'er I am, as my fiance says) but no luck.

[langs15]

Pythons in Fl??! wow....

Senkos...in the colors of.....cinnamon w/green and Pumpkin w/Lg. red & Sm. green...wacky rig and t-rig it....it's catch you some fish...no doubt.

[Raul]

WATCH OUT FOR SNAKES!!!

Why are so many people scared of snakes???

Cuz where Bigtex lives that rattlin sound you hear 3 ft away from yer feet ain 't exactly the rattlin bait you,s got tied to yer pole. If you,s were here where I,s live I would say the same thingy adding beware of the scorpions, beware of the fire ants and beware of them 2 inch red wasps that chase you.

[bassmasta7]

Shoulda caught the python ( ;D) and casted him out to see if big mama wanted him.