How Water Temp Affects Spring Bank Fishing

As the weather warms up and we transition from winter to spring, the water temperature in ponds starts to rise. For bank anglers targeting bass, this change in water temp can have a big impact on where the fish are holding and what lures or baits work best. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you hit the banks this spring in search of lunker bass:

Early Spring (Water Temp 45-55°F)

In the early spring when water temps are still on the cooler side, bass will be very lethargic and sluggish. They'll be hanging out in the deepest, coldest parts of the lake or river, often in schools. Your best bet is to fish slow-moving lures like jigs, texas-rigged plastics, or lipless crankbaits that dive to those deeper zones. Live bait like minnows or crawfish can also be productive. Focus on areas with deep water close to the bank.

Mid-Spring (Water Temp 55-65°F) 

As the water warms up into the 55-65°F range, bass will start to get more active and move up onto flats, points, and shallow cover like docks and vegetation. They'll be feeding more aggressively as they prepare to spawn. This is when reaction baits like spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, chatterbaits and topwaters can really shine from the bank. You'll also want to try carolina-rigged plastics and square-billed crankbaits that can cover water effectively.

Late Spring (Water Temp 65-75°F)

In the late spring, bass will be in full-on spawn mode with water temps in the 65-75°F range. They'll be up shallow, guarding their nests. This is when you'll want to target areas with dark-bottomed coves, pockets, and other isolated spawning areas. Wacky rigs, small finesse worms, and creature baits can be deadly. You may even spot some beds and be able to target them directly.

Take a few moments and watch as the folks from W2F provide some great insight into simple ways to check pond temps as well as other considerations when bank fishing in the spring...

Paying close attention to the current water temperature and how it influences bass behavior is key to bank fishing success in the spring. Adjust your lure selection, fishing location plus bait presentation and you'll be well on your way to catching more and bigger bass from the bank this spring.

Fishing for Bass from Shore in Winter

When the water temperatures drop in winter, bass become less active and more lethargic. This makes bass a little harder to catch from shore at this time of year. 

Targeting the right cover and structure however, can help you find and catch more bass during the colder months as long as there is open water available in your area. 

Here are some of the best types of cover and structure to focus on when winter bank fishing for bass:

Wood Near the Bank - Submerged trees, stumps, branches, and laydowns provide excellent winter habitat for bass. The wood absorbs heat from the sunlight during the day, which attracts baitfish. This naturally draws in bass looking for an easy meal. Focus on fishing around wood cover in warmer, sunny areas of the lake.

Docks - Docks provide shade and protection for bass in winter. Look for docks in deeper water, as bass will move a little deeper when the water gets colder. Pitch jigs, creature baits, and grubs around and under the docks. The pilings and posts also serve as ambush points for bass.

Rocky Banks - Rocky banks and riprap absorb heat and provide hiding spots for bass. Target any rocks, boulders, and rubble along banks with crankbaits, spinnerbaits and rattling lipless crankbaits that imitate crawfish. The bass will tuck in tight to structure to stay warm.

Points - Points and tapering ledges are bass magnets year-round. In winter, focus on inside turns or points that are wind-blown. The wave action churns up the warmer water and micro-organisms from below, attracting baitfish and bass. Fish the points thoroughly with crankbaits, blade baits, drop shots and jigs.

Weed Edges - Even in winter, some weeds will remain. Look for edges of weeds or plants left over from warmer months. Bass will gravitate to the remaining vegetation for cover. Working jigs, lipless crankbaits and soft plastics along the weed lines can pay off. Slow rolling spinnerbaits around weed patches can also trigger strikes.

Take a few minutes and watch as the guys from Tactical Bassin' provide some great "on the water" insight in identifying winter bank fishing locations...

Targeting productive winter bass cover and structure from shore simply requires patience. Move slowly, make repeated casts, and cover water until you locate where the bass are hunkering down during the colder months. 

Though there will be days when the skunk wins out, you can find and catch bass even when fishing from shore in winter. Beats just sitting around on the sofa or playing with your tackle collection in my book!

Fishing for Bass from Shore in November

November marks the end of the open water fishing season in many parts of the northern U.S. As water temperatures drop into the 40s and 50s, bass become less active and head for deeper water. 

While bass fishing gets tougher this time of year, you can still catch fish from shore if you adjust your techniques. 

Follow these tips to improve your chances of hooking up with fall bass from the bank:

Slow Down Your Presentation

When water temps are cold, bass metabolism and activity levels decline. They are not going to chase fast-moving lures. Slow down your retrieves and allow baits like soft stickbaits, lipless crankbaits, jerbaits, and spinnerbaits time to get in front of lethargic fish. Use occasional pauses and twitches to trigger sluggish bass into striking.

Downsize Your Offerings

Big baits tend to work better when bass are actively feeding. In November, you’ll often catch more bass on smaller presentations that require less energy to inhale. Good options include 2-3 inch curl tail grubs on 1/16 or 1/8 ounce jig heads, finesse worms rigged wacky style, underspins, and finesse presentations like the Ned Rig. Stay away from large spinnerbaits and big swimbaits unless larger baitfish are the primary forage in your local waters.

Fish Slow-Tapering Points

Look for long, gradually sloping points that extend into deeper water. Use castable sonar pods (if you own one) and/or contour maps to find areas that drop into 10+ feet of water near the bank. Bass will move shallow early and late in the day to feed up on baitfish using these steeper transition features. Position yourself for casts that run parallel to the slope.

Target Areas with Darker Bottoms

In cooling water, you want to find the warmest, and likely most productive areas. Darker bottom types like mud, darker rocks and sand soak up more solar radiation and warm faster than lighter colored bottoms. Focus your effort fishing from shorelines with these bottom compositions. The warmer water draws baitfish and therefore oredators like bass to feed on them.

Fish On Sunny, Warmer Days

Cold fronts really shut down shoreline bites in November. Target fishing on warmer, sunny days in the 50+ degree range when possible. The sun helps warm shallows drawing more baitfish and bass tend to be more active. Overcast, windy, rainy days make fishing tough. Watch the weather and try hitting the water on the best weather days.

Try Live Bait

Sometimes finicky fall bass want the real rather than artificial baits. Live bait like minnows, shiners, crawfish, and leeches can entice big bites when the fishing is slow. Hook minnows through the lips on #6 hooks and fish under a float or add a few split shots to your line slowly work them along the bottom. Pitch craws and leeches into productive areas and let them sit to draw the attention of cruising bass.

Think Simple

Now is not the time to break out complicated techniques and presentations meant for more aggressive fish. Stick to simple offerings like jigs, Texas rigs, jerkbaits, lipless crankbaits, and paddletail swimbaits and make repeated casts to productive areas. Keep moving until you locate actively feeding fish. A combination of patience and persistence will help you locate, trigger and catch more bass during the last weeks of the open water in your area.

Following these tips will help you find and catch more bass in November, even when fishing from shore. Finding the right location and using the right bait and presentation, more bass including a few big bass can still be caught during the fall to winter transitional period. Do your homework, dress for the elements, and you can extend the open water fishing season well into late fall.

Top Lures for Fall Bass Fishing from Shore

Fall bass fishing from the shore presents a rewarding challenge that can yield some of the most memorable catches of the year. As the bass shift their behavior in response to the changing seasons, the right choice of lures becomes crucial.

Here are several suggestions about the top lures that should help entice those elusive fall bass into striking:

Spinnerbaits & Chatterbaits: Both chatterbaits and spinnerbaits are versatile and can be effectively used to cover large areas of water. With their flashy blades, varying types of vibration and lifelike skirts, these lures create an underwater presence that grab the attention of bass even in fairly murky fall waters. Slow-roll or bottom bounce the both baits near rocky structures, fallen trees, or drop-offs where bass tend to congregate during the fall as they feed up for winter.

Topwater Lures: While the water temperatures gradually drop, there are still moments when bait-chasing bass are willing to strike at the water's surface. Keep a topwater lure like a plopper, buzzbait, popper or a walking bait rigged and ready for some explosive fall bass action. During overcast days or under low-light conditions, try tempting bass near the shorelines or around visible cover by working them with a variety of topwaters and increase your fall bank fishing success.

Soft Plastics: Soft plastic lures offer a wide array of options for fall bass fishing from the shore. Texas-rigged worms/soft stickbaits, creature baits, and swimbaits can all prove highly effective depending on bass cover and forage present. As the bass' feeding habits shift, these lures provide a lifelike presentation that can't be ignored. Experiment with different retrieves, speeds, and colors to match the changing preferences of the bass.

Jigs: Jigs are a go-to bait for targeting bass year-round, but they tend to excel in the fall. Choose a football jig or a finesse jig paired with a soft plastic trailer that mimics crawfish or other bottom-dwelling prey. Slowly crawl the jig along the bottom, imitating a natural movement that bass find hard to resist.

Crankbaits: Crankbaits are another go-to option when fishing for fall bass from the shore. As water temperatures drop, bass become more aggressive and eager to chase down baitfish like shad, perch and alewives. Shallow to medium-diving or lipless crankbaits imitate fleeing baitfish, making them effective for covering a wide range of water depths. Choose colors that resemble the local baitfish and adjust your retrieval speed to find the sweet spot that attracts bass.

The five bass lure types listed above are great baits from the bank for catching fall bass, but take a few minutes and watch as one of the guys from W2F provides even more insight into fall bank fishing:

Remember to adapt your approach based on the specific waterbody you're fishing, local forage, and the prevailing weather. With the right lures and techniques, you'll increase your chances of experiencing the thrill of a fall bass striking your line from the shore.

Fishing Shallow Grass Beds from the Shore

Summer is a great time to fish for bass in shallow grass beds. The fish are shallow and active, not to mention that there are a variety of baits and techniques that you can use to catch them even when fishing from the bank.

Here are several tips on how to fish shallow grass beds for summer bass from the shore:

• Look for beds that are at least a couple of feet deep and have additional cover, such as stumps, logs, or docks in or around the grass.
• Bass will often be found on the edges of grass beds where they can ambush prey that is moving in and out of the cover as well as retreat into the beds for shade.
• Wear polarized sunglasses since they often help you see the fish in and around the grass beds.
• Fish early in the morning, late in the evening or other low light conditions since this is when the bass are usually most active.

There are a variety of baits that you can use to fish shallow grass beds for summer bass. Some popular bait choices include:

• Hollow-body frogs
• Spinnerbaits
• Buzzbaits
• Soft plastic worms/stick baits

Take a couple of minutes and watch as the folks from Lurenet provide a little more insight into why bank anglers should target grass beds for summer bass…

Fishing from Shore in the Wind

Fishing from the shore can be a fantastic way to get outside and catch fish, but it can also be challenging, especially in windy conditions. 

Wind creates choppy water, makes casting difficult, plus affects the behavior of bass and other gamefish. When you take the time to prepare and use the right baits and techniques, you can still have a successful fishing trip when fishing from wind-blown shorelines. 

Here are several tips for fishing from the shore in windy conditions:

Check the wind direction and speed - Before you start your trip, take a moment to research the wind direction and speed including gusts. If the wind is blowing toward the shore, it can make casting difficult and your bait may not reach the fish unless you chose the right bait. If the wind is blowing away from the shore, it can help your bait reach further from shore and into deeper water thereby often increasing your chances of reaching less pressured fish.

Don't be afraid to cast into the wind - It may seem counterintuitive, but casting into the wind can actually help you catch more fish in windy conditions. When you cast into the wind, your bait will be moving more naturally with the wind-created current and be more attractive to fish. You can also use the wind to your advantage by casting slightly to the side of the wind, which will give your bait a slightly different drift angle and look to any bass it drifts by during the retrieve.

Use the right baits when casting into the wind - Using the right bait is important in all fishing conditions, but it's especially important in windy conditions. Focus your bait selection on heavier, compact style lures such as jigs, chatterbaits, spoons, and lipless crankbaits with smaller profiles that cast well into the wind. Fish may have a tougher time locating the bait in choppy water, so using a bait that's more visible to the fish or vibrates during retrieve can make all the difference in triggering strikes.

Use heavier weights - In windy conditions, it's important to use heavier weights when fishing Texas rigs, Carolina rigs or with any live bait to help keep your bait from drifting. The wind can can pull your line  causing your bait to move around abnormally. Using heavier weights will help anchor it in place and make it appear more natural to the fish.

Try fishing from the lee shore - When fishing from the lee shore, the wind blows from behind you rather than in your face. This allows you to use baits (larger profile or lighter lures) you could not fish when casting into the wind plus the bait is being retrieved against the current for a different "look" to the fish. I've personally had great success using larger profile spinnerbaits and lightly weighted wacky-rigged soft stickbaits when fishing with the wind at my back!

As always, be patient - Fishing in windy conditions can be frustrating, but it's important to be patient, try different baits/presentations and various retrieves to see what triggers the fish to bite. Don't give up too quickly and keep trying different techniques until you find what works best at that moment. If the wind is too strong, consider moving to a more sheltered spot where the wind might have less impact as you are trying to fish.

Many anglers avoid fishing windy conditions from the bank to avoid the hassles the wind can create. By using the tips provided above and with a little practice, you'll soon be catching fish even on the windy days you used to avoid!

Enhanced Bank Bass Fishing Tips

Bass fishing from the shore can be a rewarding experience for anglers of all skill levels.

Here are several tips to help you catch more fish when on your next bank fishing trip:

1. Learn the water: Before you start fishing, take the time to study the water and learn about the different types of structure and cover present in the water you’re fishing that bass prefer. Look for deeper areas, surface and submerged weed beds, laydowns, docks, boulders, and any other structure or cover where bass are likely to be holding.
2. Use snagless rigs and baits: If you are fishing in an area with a lot of weeds or wood, it is important to use a snagless bait. This will prevent your bait from getting hung allowing you to keep fishing despite the presence of bait snagging cover.
3. Consider using live bait: Live bait, such as worms or minnows, can be very effective when fishing for bass from the shore. The scent and movement of live bait can attract bass and entice them to bite.
4. Try different lures: Popular baits when fishing from the bank include spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, various soft plastic baits, jigs with trailers, and topwater lures. When the water is clear, use color patterns that mimic the types of bait present in that water body. When the water is stained to dirty, use brighter colors (yellow, red, orange) or black to create a visual contrast with surrounding water conditions.

Ten Tips To Become a Better Bank Angler

Whether you are a dedicated bank angler or a boat owner that hits the bank a few times a season, there are a number of things you can do to up your bank fishing success.

Here are ten tips to help you become a better bank angler:

1) Take advantage of every opportunity to hit the bank even if it’s only for 30 minutes or so. The more you go, the more experience you gain and better angler you’ll become.

2) Low light conditions such as around dawn, dusk or when it’s cloudy are typically best since bass tend to be shallower and more active.

3) Find ponds, lakes or streams with relatively deeper water and abundant cover within easy casting distance of the bank.

4) Keep your tackle selection simple and straight forward since you’ll be walking the bank and covering water. Two to three rod & reel combos for different techniques plus a
small tackle box with baits tailored to the conditions you’re fishing works best.

5) Remember, a stealthy approach is always best since shallow bass are often sensitive to strange sounds, different shadows and vibrations originating from the bank.

6) Learn the types and approximate location of cover present in your bank fishing waters, especially submerged cover not easily located with the naked eye.

7) Though most bank fishermen often cast out towards deeper water, shallow bass are often just off the bank and holding on shoreline cover. Always fan cast each spot
starting with casts parallel to the bank working around through deeper water and ending paralleling the bank in the opposite direction from where you started casting.

8) When fishing a spot, use a variety of baits that cover the water column (topwaters for the surface, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits for mid-depths then
worms, jigs, grubs to probe the bottom cover). Always let the fish tell you what baits they want and how the want it presented.

9) Check the wind speed and direction before you head out and use that information to help select the best bank area for current weather conditions.

10) Keep a fishing journal of all your trips noting pertinent conditions and fish catches for future reference.

Personally more than half my fishing trips each season are from the bank and I employ each of these tips as appropriate each time I am fishing from the bank.

Using these tips has helped me learn the ins and outs of each bank fishing location and definitely helped increase my bank fishing success rate!

Casting Tips When Bank Fishing

I've often heard anglers comment that they think it's funny seeing boat anglers often cast at the bank while bank fishermen cast out away from it towards the middle.

Though there are times when the bank angler should be casting out from the bank (see below), more often than not casting parallel to the bank will produce not only greater numbers of fish but larger ones as well...

Take a moment and watch as Bassmaster emcee Dave Mercer demonstrates why it's often better to fish parallel to the bank...

As long as the surrounding trees and bushes allow, I usually fan cast at each spot I visit while bank fishing since many of my local fishing spots have a number of submerged weed patches within easy casting distance from the bank. 

Even so many of the bass caught strike after making parallel or near parallel casts during my fan casting process!

Thoughts on Fishing Shoreline Lay-downs

Most bass anglers search the shoreline regions of the waterway being fished for prime surface cover potentially harboring the biggest bass in an area…

Personally, I get very excited each time I find a tree that has crashed from its former place on the bank sending the trunk and radiating array of branches into the depths creating a myriad of bass-holding ambush points beneath the surface!

Recently I came across a video from a well-known bass fishing celebrity, Bill Dance offering his approach for fishing fallen trees he finds in his favorite honey-holes.

Take a moment and watch this short video from BD and hear what he has to say…

Like Mr. Dance says, in our excitement to get hooked up quickly, we often fire our baits into the heart of the lay-down and probably miss many more bass catching opportunities around the outer edges and unseen deeper branches…