Bank Fishing

Bank fishing, also known as shore fishing, is basically fishing from the banks of a river, stream, lake or pond, or from a beach. Bank fishing is relatively inexpensive, as a boat is not required for this method of fishing.

Possibly the most important aspect to consider when you go bank fishing is your location. If you are familiar with the fishing prospects in the area, it is best to seek advice first, either from your local fishing shop, a fishing forum or any anglers you might know in the vicinity. Any ponds, streams, lakes or rivers that are deep enough to contain reasonable sized fish are usually suitable for bank fishing. However, the position that you choose to fish from on the bank can also dramatically affect your success rate.

When choosing your bank fishing position, you must consider which spots are most likely to attract fish. Like most creatures, fish require shelter and food. So it is also important to be able to read the surface of the water, in order to deduce certain things about what lies beneath it. With experience, you will be able to tell how different colourations and ripples in the water indicate deeper sections of the river, lake etc. A section of deep water surrounded by shallow water is known as a hole. If you identify a hole close to the bank, you should try to cast your lure further out into the water, and then troll or jig back through the deeper area. As fish require shelter there is a good chance that you may find some in the deep waters of the hole, especially at midday, when the hot sun pushes them further below the surface.

When you are bank fishing you should also look out for sections of water that seem to be flowing at a slower rate than surrounding areas. Again, this is a form of shelter for fish, as they can rest in the slow moving water. Also there will be a higher concentration of food for them in such areas, which will also be easier to catch. So sections of slow moving water provide both of the main attractions for fish. Areas which provide any form of shade, such as docks or overhanging trees can also be good spots in which to find fish. If you can detect any sections of the bottom where the surface material changes from one form to another, this is also a good place to set up your equipment. For example, if you identify a spot where the bottom changes from mud to rock, this is a good location for bank fishing.

The bait that you should use will depend on the type of fish you are trying to catch and often the time of day during which you are fishing. If you are bank fishing during a time of day when fish are feeding, such as at dawn or at dusk, then live bait can be an excellent choice. If however you are fishing during a quieter period, artificial lures can make enough ‘noise’ to attract fish even when they are not actively searching for food. Lures such as spinners, jigs, spoons and cranks can encourage fish to attack them by their motion, colour and sound. Plastic worms can also be effective during peak feeding times.