Most people that start learn fishing basics from their early age happen to do it from the shores of lakes, rivers, and ponds. It is not a coincidence, you know. When we are young, we feel safer on firm ground, and it also allows for greater focus on the task at hand, and that is – reeling the fish out. Sometimes you can achieve better results from the solid ground than going out in the boat.
For times when you are looking to catch bass from the shores of still water beds, you will need to pay attention to some fundamental things. Not doing so hinders your ability to find anything at all and you don’t want this since no one likes to waste time. If anything else fails or simply if you do not have that much time or patience – you could always use a fish finder that will ease up the search.
Before throwing your first hook into the water make sure that you meet the necessary conditions that we show you in this guide. Remember that there isn’t a secret sauce for becoming a successful fisherman after reading a simple article on how to find bass from shore. Your patience willpower and experience will equally be just as important.
This useful guide will point you in the right direction to find a good spot and maximize your chances, yet it is up to you to do all the catching and reeling in.
Scouting the area
Professionals behave the same whether they are catching bass using boats or being on the lake shore or river banks. There are different approaches of course when standing firmly on the ground since your silhouette is more visible.
It is always useful to take some time looking and going around the area you wish to cast in.
Doing so will help you get a sense of underwater terrain configuration and help you visualize the possible spots where the bass is gathering. It will help you locate the choke points and places where smaller fish are gathering. Finding this bass food means that you will have more chances of catching more by targeting exactly that same natural feeding area.
The choice of clothes matter
The first rule of fishing dress code is to stay comfortable no matter the season of the year seeing how you will spend lots and lots of time outdoors. Shore fishing differs from the boat based one because you are more visible to your potential catch. Fitting in and blending with your natural surrounding is the name of the game here so you should always dress up to look the part.
Bass has a good enough eyesight to spot large moving objects on the shore, and this makes them flee from one area to another in no time at all. If you want to draw less attention and further increase your chances – make sure to wear dark tone clothes that go well with the surrounding terrain. It will make you stealthier and less of an obvious eye sore for your prey.
Stay as further away from water as you can
It is always more advisable to keep your distance from the water surface as much as possible.
You will easily spook the fish and be forced to move to another location after too much time spent without a single catch. If you spot a whirl of water when you get to a shore area – your cover is gone, and there is no use staying there.
If possible stay quiet and find an area with tall grass, bushes, or use trees or big rocks to help you stay unnoticed. Finding cover is always the right thing to do as you want to fit in with your surroundings to stay hidden. Another pro tip is to settle down and wait a short amount of time on your first shore spot before your first cast.
Cast in concrete places
After successful scouting and finding the right place and waiting a bit, it is time for your casting, and you want to make every turn count. Bass like to occupy areas in the shade so you ought to pick underwater rock formation or a submerged tree stump as your best bet. Grassy sunken patches are as good of a chance as any so make sure to check out those too and pass them with your bait a couple of times.
Groups of smaller fish are also an excellent opportunity to find bass since those are their food, so the odds are good that they are under a watch. When you face a big area of water under a shadow, you will have to check it out with multiple casts. Bass love to stay hidden in the dark, so you will have more success by focusing your attention on those spots.
Carry the least gear possible
A fact that is often overlooked even by so many experienced shore fishermen might be the last on our list yet it is equally important as the rest. Professionals never carry gear that will only burden them and hinder their movement. You want to carry only the bare essentials for both your comfort and the need to stay easily mobile without getting exhausted quickly.
You can imagine how troublesome it would be if you require covering plenty of shore areas when packing a ton of gear that you may not need at all. Being able to pack up quickly and leave to seek another fishing spot is essential for shore fishing. So, don’t bring things that you don’t need since they will only weigh you down.
The Conclusion
Shore fish catching can be as fun as it gets for both experienced and novice fishers. It requires lots of perseverance and will power yet is one of the most rewarding experiences that you will have. Sure, there are easier ways on how to find bass from shore, and yet there is something special about traditional spot seeking and preparation for the first cast over the still water surface. The fulfillment sensation when you reel in your first catch of the day after so much planning and patience makes it all at the end of the day!
