Bank fishing season is here

This time of year when the water begins to cool and the wind blows from the north the largemouth begin to feed up in the shallows.

This means that the fish are within casting distance for bank anglers and there can be some really big fish caught from shore.

I have always joked that when you fish from the bank you cast as far as you can to the middle but when you finally get a boat the first thing you do is cast to the bank.

It’s like the grass is greener thing and it doesn’t make any sense.

Sometimes of the year the fish are deep while other times they are shallow and right now they are in the skinny water so a bank angler has the advantage.

The way to approach the fish is remembering that the fish are right next to the bank so move quietly to the water and start casting when you get close but not right at water line.

The fish may be at your feet so get close enough to make a cast then throw straight ahead and work the bank that you are going to be standing near.

Once you get done with that move up and cast parallel with the bank starting right next to the shore then move out from there.

Finally you cast towards the middle but only after you have covered the bank completely.

The baits I like to throw usually look like a baitfish like Flukes, spinner baits, Pop-Rs and Whopper Ploppers.

If I don’t get a strike then I throw a soft plastic worm or bug bait to follow up.

Once I am done with that I move down the bank and start all over again. If you see any type of structure like a stump or laydown focus on that first then work your way around it.

I can’t tell you how many fish I have caught in less than 6 inches of water sitting right next to a twig or stump just off the bank.

So the next time you see a bass guy fishing from a big boat remember that you have the advantage this time of year and fish shallow.

What’s biting, where...

The offshore guys had a rough week with the wind loosing half of the week to bad weather but when they did get out they did pretty good with some boats targeting mahi while others looked for tuna.

The blackfin are showing up in good numbers with some yellowfin in the mix and even the occasional big eye mixed into the catch.

Closer to shore the blues are active along with some great Spanish fishing.

The piers are having pretty good results with the drum taking top prize this week.

Some days are better than others but the big drum are out there along with plenty of puppy drum tagging along.

The Spanish and blues are active of metal baits while the mullet like blood worms.

In the sound the striper seem to be abundant and I am just starting to get reports that they are moving up the rivers.

The schools of baitfish are coming up the tributaries and the rock fish are following them closely.

Watch you electronics and keep an eye out for birds but the bridges are your best bet right now with the sound bridge in Edenton starting to pick up first.

In Coinjock the canal has some fish but the numbers are not there.

What fish are there they make up for in size with fish over 25 inches being caught in the canal near the bridge.

The largemouth bite is on also with fish moving towards the mouths of the creeks and up into the creeks.

Spinner baits, top water and Flukes are the bait of choice for these fish because they are on a shad bite right now.

You should always have a soft plastic pegged and ready to go in case you miss a fish or see a piece of cover that needs to be flipped. If anyone gets out this week let me know and send me a report to fishingwithmike921@yahoo.com or hit me up on Facebook at Fishing with Mike.

Source: http://www.dailyadvance.com/Sports/2018/10/27/Bank-fishing-season-is-here.html