Thread: Fishing the banks?

Well, I'm no LOZ expert, but we were there all of last week and caught them consistently close to the banks. We had out best luck around the points where a cove and creek channel met. Looked for rocky banks, and fairly steep (like say 45 deg, not shear bluffs). We drifter the boat out about 30-40 feet from the bank and casted right up to it, brought it back with a slow to medium retrieve. Caught some real close, but a lot of them seemed to be out from the banks in 5-8 FOW. Also had good luck around secondary points within the coves. Hope this helps some, I'm sure others will chime in.

I slow cruse the banks looking for pee gravel and sloping banks that go to deep water, then I look for small cuts in the bank, logs, trees laying in the water. I also look in the back of coves and any cove with a rocky or gravely bank . root ball half in the water are good, small coves say 50 yard deep and trashy are verry good to me, and if you find a spot, it will be a spot for years. sometimes we fish the deep bluffs where ther is a good poing on one end seems they will stage in the deep water then move to the point to spawn. in the spring time is the time to hit a spot it you dont find them in 10 mi. move and keep that up till you find them good luck and hope this helps.

This may seem like the obvious answer, but depending on what area of the lake you are fishing, they may not be ready to do their thing quite yet. Could be waiting for that next day of sunshine or it's just not their time yet. We caught them on the banks almost 2 weeks ago at LOZ, wayyyyyy up the Gravois as soon as we found muddy water, but maybe that part of the lake happened to warm the fastest. Water temp/clarity/weather have just as much to do with the fish being on the banks as the actual topography........ sorry if that totally missed your question.

U

Fellas thanks for the advice. It sounds like we were just fishing the wrong banks. We were fishing the banks with chunkier rocks and sharp edges. Will definitaly keep this in mind for the next time.

Interesting thread, learning a lot about bank fishing

Agree on the 45 degree sloping banks, with cuts or nicks in the banks. But don't be afraid to burn some gas looking for the spawning beds. Once you find the pattern and water temperature and water clarity; exploit the pattern. Like areas should produce. We often spend an hour or two developing the pattern then it is good for several days. Any color of jig should work unless the temperature changes then it's time to run and gun and find the new pattern. We may spend 5 minutes in a spot, 10 casts and zero fish we move. Don't waste time waiting for the fish to come to you, go get them.

Originally Posted by Bruce Carp

We may spend 5 minutes in a spot, 10 casts and zero fish we move. Don't waste time waiting for the fish to come to you, go get them.

This is a lesson I just haven't learned yet, despite being told on more than one occasion. I think I'm improving, but I still feel like I waste too much time on one spot/technique.

Joedog you aren't the only one. We have a bad habit of doing that ourselves. I think yesterday was the first time we have gone out and forced ourselves to stay on the move until we found a spot that produced for us. Although we did have a habit of sticking around a little bit longer once they slowed down. We got on a couple of docks that were good right out of the gate. Then it would slow down and after about 10 minutes we would decide to go after our next cast and we would end up hooking one more and change our minds and stay but would end up making 15 to 20 more cast before we forced ourselves to move. But that being said it was still a great day. We couldn't have asked for a better day weather wise and production.