To be successful as anglers without a boat, here are a few simple bank fishing tips to remember. Some of the more practical things are remembering you will have to be more committed to catching fish when bank fishing. You are limited to the areas you can fish, so stay dedicated to finding the bite. Another thing bank fishermen should remember is attention to detail is critical. This could be as simple as walking a bank and seeing a frog jump in and get hit. By paying attention as to what the fish are feeding on will give you a better shot at hooking fish. The last thing one must remember is bank fishing will take practice. You may not be the best at bank fishing after your first fishing trip, but the more you do it, the better you will become. For you to achieve your full potential at bank fishing, we have crafted our top tips that will help you catch more fish.

Bank Fishing Tip #1: Map Out Your Targets

Targeting structure while shore fishing will catch you more fish (Photo Credit: Newsday.com)

When you finally pick out your next location to bank fish, do a little prep work. Like all fishing, there is some science behind it. Refrain from casting immediately and map out your target locations. Maybe the area you are fishing has a fallen tree, a shaded grass flat during a particular part of the day, or even a metal dock on it. These could all be structure and vegetation that holds fish. Fishing around these locations would be smart. The game plan of where you will be fishing will be half the battle. You will be way more successful at bank fishing when there is a plan in place then blindly casting the bank.

Bank Fishing Tip #2: Try To Stay Invisible

Invisible? Isn't that impossible? Yes, it is pretty unrealistic to be 100% invisible. That is not what we mean by this. When bank fishing a lot of time, you will see the larger bass sitting in the shallows. By keeping a low profile when fishing, you will avoid scaring the fish off before you can even cast on them. Often when fishing areas from the bank, finding cover can be tough. Ensuring your shadows are not cast out onto the water is critical to not spooking fish. Always look to see the direction of sunlight that is cast on you and fish the opposite side of the bank. This will eliminate the shadow silhouette you cast away from the water. By remembering this, you will never spook another fish and have a better shot at catching them.

Bank Fishing Tip #3: Where To Cast

Fishing down the bank will yield more strikes (Photo Credit: Soy Outdoor)

Knowing where to cast can be the key to success when bank fishing. For some reason, every bank angler wants to cast out toward the middle thinking they will hook up on a big fish. That usually is never the case. You have already mapped out the key locations now cast on them. The majority of fish you will be targeting will be shallow, looking for food. Throwing down the banks will put your lures in front of hungry largemouth bass and will result in more hookups. Make sure to give a spot two or three casts before you continue walking down the bank. Often you will entice a fish enough that it will force a reaction strike. By doing this over and over, it will result in more strikes.

Bank Fishing Tip #4: Minimize What You Bring

Minimizing what you carry will make for a better fishing trip (Photo Credit: Slick and Twisted Trails)

Unlike fishing on a boat, everything you bring while bank fishing will be carried, creating more stress on the angler. You do not have the luxury of taking all of your gear. It is because of this you should bring the bare minimum needed to be successful. You should always pack light because there will be a lot of walking around when doing this type of fishing. It makes no sense to carry multiple rod and reel combos and a huge tackle box. Picking out the right rod and reel is angler dependent. One of my go-to rod and reel combos is a Florida Fishing Product osprey 3000 on a lightweight ugly stick. This combo has caught fish time and time again. When shore fishing wearing a backpack is an excellent alternative to a tackle box. Packing two trays of lures, one being jig heads and soft plastics, while the other being a mixture of topwater, crankbaits, and any other type of swimbaits should give you everything you need. This will save you the headache of carrying to much gear and allow you to enjoy fishing from the bank.

Bank Fishing Tip #5: Match The Hatch

The saying, "big bass eat big baits," has always been true. Although when bank fishing, you are limited to the amount of ground you can cover. This is one of the downfalls of shore fishing. This is where getting creative, and opening your eyes to your surroundings comes into play. Realizing what the bass are feeding on can make you 10x more successful when bank fishing. After you have assessed what they are feeding on, try to match it with your lures and baits. If they are feeding on minnows or small frogs, try throwing that instead of a large spinnerbait. You are trying to fool the bass to get a strike, why not do it with the food they are eating daily.

If you love bank fishing, why not do it properly and catch more fish? By following our simple guide to shore fishing, you should become a better angler. If you have any questions or concerns, then leave a comment below or email us at [email protected]. If you have any other tips for fishing from the bank, please share it with the community and comment below. Send us all your bass fishing pictures to be featured on our social media page. Knowing these five tips for bank fishing will set you up to be successful on your next shoreline fishing trip.