What baits to use when fishing the shore?

[BigJohnny]

I fish from the shore where mostly the water is 3-5 feet, which rules out a lot of crank baits. What do you guys think I should invest in? I mostly use Zoom super flukes, and Culprit worms. I just bought some senkos. I also have a hula popper, a 1/2 oz spinnerbait, a 3/8 buzzbait, and an X-Rap (I think it's an XS-8, 3-5 foot diver). I resisted the urge to buy one of everything, decided to get some input first.

[zaraspook_dylan2]

id use the hula popper in the mornings/ evenings when the sun is low, and id use the spinner bait and plastics any other time. just experiment

[Grey Wolf]

Why does it rule out crank baits ?

[aarogb]

I also agree that the topwaters would produce best during the low light conditions; but I have caught fish on them in the middle of the day.  If the fish are not hitting the topwater stuff try going to a weightless Zoom Trick worm.  Fish around cover or anything else that you think would be a good bass's home.

[Marty]

I've done a huge amount of shore fishing, and really, any bait can be used that the cover will allow and that is appropriate for the conditions. Topwaters, shallow cranks, spinnerbaits, Chatterbait-style, in-line spinners, and a variety of soft plastics have all accounted for a lot of fish. My three biggest were from shore, two on topwaters and the 3rd on a Senko.

[Hammer 4]

Soft plastics and spinner baits have caught most of my fish from shore. 99% of the time, I'll toss a worm, creature, or a craw..

[Scorcher214]

worms always do me quite a bit of luck from shore. also, spinner baits and buzz baits. i like to cast worms right on the edge of a weed line and work back parallel to it.

[I.rar]

i always throw a fluke from shore. swimming senko has cought me a decent fish or two as well...

[DINK WHISPERER]

Sounds like you got it pretty much covered man! Definately use the top waters in the morning though!

[guitarkid]

1. Keep the cranks, just nothing that dives real deep Ex.( Diawa peanut square bill is perfect for ponds and the likes)

2. Any kind of plastics

3. topwaters- Rebel Pop-r

4. Any kind of rig, T-rig, C-rig, DS-rig, SS-rig etc, etc,

5. jerk baits

6. anything you want to throw, you would never know what they hit until you try.

7. Jigs

8. Tubes

                    -gk

[skillet]

Fished from the bank a whole lot more than from a boat. The only thing I shied away from is cranks. I'd go broke trying to replace lost lures ...

skillet

[SoFlaBassAddict]

I've done a huge amount of shore fishing, and really, any bait can be used that the cover will allow and that is appropriate for the conditions. Topwaters, shallow cranks, spinnerbaits, Chatterbait-style, in-line spinners, and a variety of soft plastics have all accounted for a lot of fish.

I've got to 100% agree with that. I primarily shore fish. There really isn't a type of lure that you can't use. My favorite is topwater early in the morning though. Nothing more fun than early morning froggin.  I don't know how the bass are up there in Ohio, but down here you can toss a frog and catch fish at darn near any time of the day.

[BigJohnny]

Thanks for the input. I've been primarily fishing flukes and texas rigged worms, just haven't had much luck so far this year. The water is still pretty cold here though, I believe it's still in the low 40's.

[Rich K]

I just caught a 5lb 5 oz hog yesterday using a suspending jerk bait - from shore. Just using a jerk-jerk-pause retrieve with pauses as long as 30 seconds (or it just felt that long - could have been 10). I also have been able to catch them here on in-line spinners like Mepps Aglia and Blue Fox vibrax (up top # 5). They seem to really like the blue fox with the nickel blade and blue body lately. I cast that out deep and let it sink for a few seconds and then reel it back in just fast enough to feel the resistance of the blade turning.

Attaching a pic of the fish. She measured 20.5" long with a 15" girth. Rapala digital scale = 5.3 lbs.

[islandbass]

I've done a huge amount of shore fishing, and really, any bait can be used that the cover will allow and that is appropriate for the conditions. Topwaters, shallow cranks, spinnerbaits, Chatterbait-style, in-line spinners, and a variety of soft plastics have all accounted for a lot of fish.

I've got to 100% agree with that. I primarily shore fish. There really isn't a type of lure that you can't use. My favorite is topwater early in the morning though. Nothing more fun than early morning froggin. I don't know how the bass are up there in Ohio, but down here you can toss a frog and catch fish at darn near any time of the day.

Me three. I am shorebound. Don't ever limit yourself just because you're fishing from the shore, even crankbaits. Just choose the ones appropriate to the depth you fish. It's not like a bass is going to think, "Hmmm, that guys is fishing from the shore so we want take anything he throws at us. After all we only bite on lures when they're thrown from a boat."  

[5151]

1/4 oz jigs with Paca craws or chunks, if fish are suspended or at least feeding that way take the craw off and put on a curly tail grub and swim it. Throw a top water in the mix and you have the whole water column covered. really want to get crazy add a fat ika and senko t-rigged weightless and kiss the bait monkey good night.

[rondef]

Try throwing some of the Rage Tail plastics from shore.

[Raul]

I've done a huge amount of shore fishing, and really, any bait can be used that the cover will allow and that is appropriate for the conditions. Topwaters, shallow cranks, spinnerbaits, Chatterbait-style, in-line spinners, and a variety of soft plastics have all accounted for a lot of fish.

X3, 4 ? .......oh whatever !

[jacker]

my fav. is to rip horney toads along the edges of shores and ontop of the muck.

It seems like the black ones work the best.

allways works good when fishing pressure is very high, really fun too!

[CRFisher]

Braided line can reduce the number of lost lures substantially.

I fish topwaters (spooks, frogs, jitterbug), inline spinners (Mepps), rapala's, shallow cranks, occassional deep cranks, spinnerbaits, soft plastic swimbaits, worms, flukes, jigs and pigs, spoons and tubes.  

[Hammer 4]

If you haven't already, try a Slow retrive, i.e. cast, let your bait sit for 30 secs...the twitch it a couple times, let it sit for 10 or 15 secs..then retrive with 1 or 2 slow turns of the reel..as an example, but slow is better than fast in colder water. Also, if possible to do so, try dropshotting wacky style with a senco or finesse worm..that'll get em..

Thanks for the input. I've been primarily fishing flukes and texas rigged worms, just haven't had much luck so far this year. The water is still pretty cold here though, I believe it's still in the low 40's.

[SirSnookalot]

D.O.A.,pearl or rootbeer

but it's a secret