Challenges as a shore fisherman

[MichaelAngelo]

Some things come to mind.

-Shore fisherman can't cover as much water as a boat
To get around this go shore fishing with a friend and use the "leapfrog" approach down the shore

-More snags
Use cheaper lures, dollarama has lures. Use bait, nothing like bobber fishing with live minnows.

What else can you think of? How do you work around it?

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manitoubass2 Wrote:Here are some tips I can offer. A few things to keep in mind, I fish an area where the water level, clarity and temp can change everyday, So I keep an eye on all details, and after a few years, have tried a heck of alot of techniques, lol.

In muddy water, use black lures or scented baits, or both. Also, in muddy water, lipless crank baits with rattles work well. Any bait that offers some visibility and water displacement, like a spinner bait can be the key.

Learn the current, and where to cast your offerings to get you into your "strike zone". Current, water flow and depth are key here. Only time and practicing will help you learn these.

A "drop shot" rig can work great for casting from shore. If you keep the line taught, it's basically a bottom bouncer.

When approaching a new area of water, put on a round head jig to learn the structure and depth. There cheap, and offer awesome sensitivity.

You don't always have to cast out. Work the shoreline with appropriate bait/lures. Big pike and smallies love the shoreline, and at the right time of year, so do walleye/sauger.

Use braid where you can. It gives you a sense of bottom structure, can offer abrasion resistance and help muscle in fish in awkward situations.

In current, use barrel swivels to prevent line twist. If your bait is twisting, your missing out on fish.

The palomar knot is your best friend, use it wherever you can.

use a 6'6" med. fast action rod where you can. It covers various situations, eliminating carrying too many rods.

Don't move around too often. Pick apart a spot, using everything you got. Make mental notes on the techniques, lures, weather, water level and clarity. Remember all this on every spot, it's important!

Be organized!!!!! It's just so much easier. And you won't miss as many fish or have breakoffs when you can't find your pliers.

Bring food, a healthy mind needs food.

I got more, but that enough for now...

more to come

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(02-15-2012 02:37 AM)MichaelAngelo Wrote:  Absolutely rocking advice you have going manitoubass2. You should post it all in a new thread and it'd be another great sticky for future newcomers to see. This is what this forum's all about. =D

(02-14-2012 01:33 AM)manitoubass2 Wrote:  Don't move around too often. Pick apart a spot, using everything you got. Make mental notes on the techniques, lures, weather, water level and clarity. Remember all this on every spot, it's important!

Now this is totally opposite to what I've been focusing on. I've been focused on trying to cover as much water as possible =P Ironically this is the classic quantity over quality scenario lol.

Well covering water is a great technique for searching while trolling, or for tourny angling. But for a shore angler, it's a huge hassle, at least for me.

When I find a spot, you can usually tell if it will hold fish or not. If you think it will hold fish, fish it, and fish it hard. You'll learn more, and spend way less time trekking around and you can actually FISH!!! lol

You can't learn structure, the water, the surrounding species of fish, baitfish, forage etc without putting in the time on that given spot.

[BarracudaBoy]

(02-08-2012 11:49 AM)MichaelAngelo Wrote:  -More snags
Use cheaper lures, dollarama has lures. Use bait, nothing like bobber fishing with live minnows.

+1! I got a few big 2oz. RedDevil knockoffs that've caught me everything from Pike to Rock bass. And I don't even have to worry about snagging *rock on*

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I think the biggest challenge is definitely water coverage. It depends on how far you can cast, really. And how eager you are to pack up and carry all your gear to a new spot.

[Frank81]

I've never tried the dollar store stuff, mind you I like using live bait more than anything because you're fish outings can be that much more memorable when you have no idea what you might hook on to.

[MichaelAngelo]

(02-08-2012 07:46 PM)Frank81 Wrote:  because you're fish outings can be that much more memorable when you have no idea what you might hook on to.

haha I never thought of it that way. The last time I used bate was this summer after the gobey's at Frenchman's bay decimated my offerings again and again! That said on the same trip, somebody caught an impressive freshwater drum (sheephead). Didn't even know they were there....

[Frank81]

(02-08-2012 08:42 PM)MichaelAngelo Wrote:  

(02-08-2012 07:46 PM)Frank81 Wrote:  because you're fish outings can be that much more memorable when you have no idea what you might hook on to.

haha I never thought of it that way. The last time I used bate was this summer after the gobey's at Frenchman's bay decimated my offerings again and again! That said on the same trip, somebody caught an impressive freshwater drum (sheephead). Didn't even know they were there....

LOL, Yeah gobey's can be a real pain in the rear, and there isn't any real way around them. Guess we have to live with them cause is doesn't seem like these invasive buggers are going anywhere anytime soon.... unfortunately.

[MichaelAngelo]

(02-08-2012 09:04 PM)Frank81 Wrote:  LOL, Yeah gobey's can be a real pain in the rear, and there isn't any real way around them. Guess we have to live with them cause is doesn't seem like these invasive buggers are going anywhere anytime soon.... unfortunately.

I heard bass like to eat them... that's kinda a plus lol

[MichaelAngelo]

Absolutely rocking advice you have going manitoubass2. You should post it all in a new thread and it'd be another great sticky for future newcomers to see. This is what this forum's all about. =D

(02-14-2012 01:33 AM)manitoubass2 Wrote:  Don't move around too often. Pick apart a spot, using everything you got. Make mental notes on the techniques, lures, weather, water level and clarity. Remember all this on every spot, it's important!

Now this is totally opposite to what I've been focusing on. I've been focused on trying to cover as much water as possible =P Ironically this is the classic quantity over quality scenario lol.

[walleyepro1]

Never tried the dollarama tackle but we move around alot never really stay in the same spot unless we find a school of fish.We have a nice long park along the river front here and we fish at night for walleye.The walleye come in right along the break walls feeding on the school of minnows so we troll along the break walls by walking using shallow running body bait's or my favorite twister tails with 3/8 to 1/4 ounce jig attached to them very rarely snagging bottom.Even panfishing we move alot until we find a school of them but that's just me i like to hunt for them until i find them then i stay put.

[manitoubass2]

(03-12-2012 08:17 PM)walleyepro1 Wrote:  Never tried the dollarama tackle but we move around alot never really stay in the same spot unless we find a school of fish.We have a nice long park along the river front here and we fish at night for walleye.The walleye come in right along the break walls feeding on the school of minnows so we troll along the break walls by walking using shallow running body bait's or my favorite twister tails with 3/8 to 1/4 ounce jig attached to them very rarely snagging bottom.Even panfishing we move alot until we find a school of them but that's just me i like to hunt for them until i find them then i stay put.

Thats kinda a different scenario though. Most shore fishing spots are not gonna allow you to walk with your presentation along the shore, lol.

That is pretty cool that you can foot troll

[walleyepro1]

(03-12-2012 08:59 PM)manitoubass2 Wrote:  

(03-12-2012 08:17 PM)walleyepro1 Wrote:  Never tried the dollarama tackle but we move around alot never really stay in the same spot unless we find a school of fish.We have a nice long park along the river front here and we fish at night for walleye.The walleye come in right along the break walls feeding on the school of minnows so we troll along the break walls by walking using shallow running body bait's or my favorite twister tails with 3/8 to 1/4 ounce jig attached to them very rarely snagging bottom.Even panfishing we move alot until we find a school of them but that's just me i like to hunt for them until i find them then i stay put.

Thats kinda a different scenario though. Most shore fishing spots are not gonna allow you to walk with your presentation along the shore, lol.

That is pretty cool that you can foot troll

Windsor has a nice long waterfront park with a path all the way along it so we walk it but there are spots we can only cast love that i can troll from shore lol.