A lot of people are under the impression that they need a boat to get the most from their fishing. While it does make life a little easier, especially on large bodies of water, you can still find the fish from the shores! Nearly 75% of my fishing trips are without a boat and some of my most memorable and biggest fish have come from the shoreline. Here are some techniques I use when I'm not floating.

Move!
I see it all the time - Angler's pick their spots and don't move for the rest of the day. If you're not catching fish in a boat, don't you usually move? Yes, so start walking! I will fan cast an area with a few baits and if I don't hook up or get a bite, I move on. Normally, I stay in an area without a bite for no more than 20 minutes. This should be all the time you need to find fish. Don't be afraid to get in the water either! 

Stay downstream from a good spot
Another mistake I see people make is standing right next to a good fishing spot. When I see a spot I know will hold fish, I ALWAYS stay downstream from it. Normally, fish will be facing into the current. If you stay downstream from them, you'll more than likely keep yourself in their blind spot. Also, this will allow you to cast upstream and bring your offering to the fish with the help of the current. Fish will normally be hanging out in slack water, watching the current for small fish or forage that comes by. Below is an example: 
Picture
The arrow indicates the area of fast current with deep slack water behind the rocks
Most people stand out on the rocky area and fish the current. The fish are usually holding behind that structure, right beside where people fish from. This will spook the fish, turning this producive area into a dead zone. Stand downstream in the deeper water and cast for the arrow, then you will be rewarded:
Picture
I stood downstream from the photo above (off the picture) and pulled this smallie out on the end of the rocky edge
Find spots that are hard to reach
I love going off the beaten path to find great fishing spots. Why? Because for one, I just love to explore and this will add another good spot to my list of secret holes. Also, if a spot is hard to get to, it probably doesn't get a lot of fishing pressure and the fish may be more willing to bite. Access points are magnets for anglers because they are easy to get to. All the activity of boats going in and out of the water and the added pressure from anglers will usually send the fish packing! 

Change your cast
I see it all the time - anglers casting straight out from where they are standing and just reeling the bait straight back. They may catch a straggler here and there, but they are missing the fish that may be holding right beside them. I rarely, if ever, cast out to the middle of the body of water I'm fishing. Almost all of my casts are made paralleling the bank or a nice piece of cover I find.  Analyze the current, depth, cover and structure of the area and make your casts count! 

Analyze the area
This obviously isn't something you want to do right before you decide to fish an area, but this is an important step for unfamiliar waters. If I find a spot that looks great, I'll go back to it, not to fish, but to analyze the area. Try to get a good idea of what's going on under the water. Find out where the current breaks are (some could be hidden under the water), see what the bottom type is, look for quick depth changes, and look for hidden cover. If you can't get in the water, poke around with your rod or a long stick. You can even explore with a jig, I will tie on a heavier jig (3/8 to even 1 oz. depending on depth) and bounce it along the bottom. Try and paint a mental picture of what's going on under the surface so you have a better understanding of where the fish will be holding.The surrounding banks may also help you understand what the bottom looks like. If the banks are steep, more than likely they continue the same slop under the water too. 

Hopefully these techniques will help you from the bank. Give it a try and I bet you'll get bit!
Add Comment