So I've been without the use of my boat for a few weeks now and have done quite a bit of shore fishing to keep from testing out some single edge razor blades.

Considering the limited amount of shore access on my home waters, I feel I've done extremely well. What the experience has shown me is something I learned long ago, but I've gotten away from: If a spot is worth checking out, do a complete job.  I always break down the entire water column in areas of 10ft. of water or more of water, but when it comes to shallow water, I rarely do. My reasoning is that the fish will react to any bait that passes. I was re-educated to the fact that even in 3ft.-6ft. of water, a fish with a 1ft. strike window will only move 1ft. That leaves a fairly large area where my presentation will go unmolested.  Maybe i should have a tattoo that reads: Top-middle-bottom.

This is a very good lesson for all of us. I'm sure we are alk a little different when it comes to "how many casts" we make at an area. There have been lots of threads about it. I know I probably do not do a thorough enough job. I always try to remember to never make just one cast to an area/spot. Opens up a whole new perspective having to get a bait within 1 to 2 feet of the fish. Really need to pick apart the water column in that case. And really need to be able to identify that 10% of the water that's holding 90% of the fish. 

Fishing the whole water column is something I definitely need to be more conscious of doing. From late spring to mid-fall I'm usually wading shallow water in a very clear river. Say 4 feet or less. And I always assume any fish in the area is going to see and strike my bait so if I don't get bit there are no fish there. But countless times I've changed my presentation from say a jig on the bottom to a swimbait running a foot from the surface and started catching fish.

 

Oh, there WERE fish there.....

I always fish the entire water column regardless of depth!

 

Tuesday while fishing a shallow (3-4') marsh off the Sabine River the pattern was slowly dragging a t-rigs on the bottom. If you sped it up, hopped it, threw top water, spinnerbaits, or crankbaits ya wasn't getting bit.

Unless I'm throwing to visible cover or top water,  I rarely fish anything except the bottom. Plastics, jigs, cranks, spinnerbaits, etc. almost always hitting some bottom. I guess I need to switch it up some.

2 hours ago, Catt said:

I always fish the entire water column regardless of depth!

 

Tuesday while fishing a shallow (3-4') marsh off the Sabine River the pattern was slowly dragging a t-rigs on the bottom. If you sped it up, hopped it, threw top water, spinnerbaits, or crankbaits ya wasn't getting bit.

That's very interesting.  Good to know. I rarely drag baits on the bottom unless I'm shallow and that's mostly pitching into and around vegetation. I will slow roll spinners, swimbaits chatterbaits etc around the bottom. Crazy how finicky some bass can be. Will only strike certain presentations, baits etc while some others are on your lure as soon as it hits the water.