A lot of regular bank fishermen think being able to zip around in a boat would be more advantageous and enable them to fish a lot more good looking water, but I still bank fish quite a bit even though I have a nice bass boat and a couple of kayaks. That’s because I find bank fishing has several advantages over boats and thought I’d share a little bit about those advantages as well as how to make bank fishing a little more consistent for anglers.
While covering water is often the name of the game, slowing down and plying good areas with good shore fishing tips and presentations has its advantages. In fact, several of my recent bank fishing exploits have led to me to figure out stuff I hadn’t in my boat, that then later resulted in good fishing in a number of places. I think slowing down and walking the banks of a good looking creek, pond, pocket on a major reservoir can all yield a lot of insight you might miss in the boat.
BANK FISH IN SHORT WINDOWS
The way of the world now seems like we are all more busy than we used to be. For a lot of years I let busy talk me out of fishing because the windows were too short. My boat is in a storage unit. So I have to go there, hook up, drive to the lake and then come back and unhook and then go to the house. It’s adds an hour on to my fishing day, so I have quit going on those short afternoon trips as much.
What I’ve done instead is move around looking for bank fishing spots around the lake, where I can pull up and fish at sunrise and sunset for about an hour. I have had so much fun and some great catches doing that this year. Instead of not going at all I’ve been going for an hour or two here and there all year. And it’s been fairly amazing how much I’ve figured out on those short bank explorations.
LOW LIGHT STALKING FROM THE BANK
One of the things I’ve come to realize is how much the ecosystem comes alive just before dark and just before sunrise. Bugs start coming out in droves, and dimpling the surface. That gets smaller fish active in the shallows and then you start seeing bass coming in chasing those fish. There is just a teaming of life I’ve seen from the bank. I can also see what it is exactly that is active and how they are reacting.
That has led to some really great topwater action for me as well as some fun trips fly fishing, bluegill fishing and using some crazy baits like cicada imitators on top. It has made for a lot of fun evenings and mornings where I can steal a quick hour or two to be on the water.
HIGH WATERS BANK FISHING ADVANTAGE
Another time I’ve seen bank fishing really be advantageous is when you get high water. A lot of the time when the lake rises a lot and goes way back into the trees and cover, the fish will push up really shallow with the water. You can hardly reach where the fish are from a boat because you have so much cover, debris and trees in the way. So coming at it from the bank side is an advantage. Two of the biggest bass I’ve ever flipped up on Kentucky Lake, I did it during record high levels flipping from the bank.
You can also easily access some improved new fishing areas from the bank. Places like boat ramps, parking lots that might get flooded, rip rap, and well manicured lawns can be places that really draw in the forage and predators and make for some really remarkable fishing.
HEAVY CURRENT CAN BE IDEALLY FISHED FROM THE BANK
I’ve also seen times where when a river is running hard, fishing from the bank is better. You can target eddies and not blow by them in the current with your boat. You can make repeated presentations, focus on presenting your lure and not fighting with the boat and land a lot more fish a lot easier.
This was the case for me fly fishing out west earlier this year. We decide to move from spot to spot by car and wade in from the bank on numerous places, rather than trying the drift boat route. So we could take our time in the good runs and eddies to catch several trout from small places we would have blown by if in a boat.
TESTING NOT HUNTING FROM THE BANK
I also like that if I want to see how a lure works, work on casting, and try lots of colors, a bank fishing trip can be a great way to test and hone your tackle. You’re not distracted by wanting to run to the next place or having to battle with boat control in the wind. You’re just focused on your casts and your lures and nothing else. It has helped me develop my retrieves a lot better. It has helped me find the perfect speed and cadences for several lures that I’m really effective with now. Bank fishing helped me be really in-tune with my gear and my tackle.
When you remove a lot of variables from your fishing, you actually improve a lot as an angler. It took a bunch of bank fishing trips to realize that again.
NOT AS LIMITED AS YOU THINK
I spend a lot of time looking at maps, satellite photos and charts to find good areas to fish from the bank. It’s led me to finding a bunch of nice honey holes over there years that I can have a really fun time fishing with just a good pair of tennis shoes or wading boots. I might be-bop around in my truck and make several stops in one short outing of bank fishing. Or I might wander off the beaten path to a creek I found on a map and explore. That led me to a couple of gems in recent years. Places no boat or kayak could go. That held some really great fishing experiences for me.
And honestly, even driving two hours to bank fish a couple of hours has been super rewarding for me. I can’t explain it really. A boat can make so much in fishing more convenient. But it can also add in a myriad of details and problems to deal with that can distract you from your ultimate goal which was to unwind and enjoy your time on the water figuring out fish. I think that’s where bank fishing has had the biggest advantage for me. Making fishing simple and fun again.
