OK, here is the deal. I would like to do some bass fishing, but I do not have a boat. I tried walking around the bank or the river and local lakes, but it is very hard on my ankles and knees.

Question 1. Can I sit in one place or maybe move to two or three places every half hour or so while sitting and still catch bass?

Question 2. I have no luck using a spinner bait, now I saw a guy use a plastic worm and he caught a huge bass. He moved all over the lake walking he bank, much more than I can. Can I just forgo the spinner baits, I don't like them when fishing from the bank or anywhere for that matter.

Question 3. The only place I know, I can go fishing at, that rents boats is Busch Wildlife CA. No other lake that I know of rents boats. Do you know of any in the St. Louis Area?

Also, I don't think I know what I am doing. Would any of you mind if I came fishing with you, I will drive to you and watched you catch bass, then I can learn how to retrive or get the lure to look real?

I will buy a 6 pack or 12 pack of beer for the lesson? I don't have the money for a guide they charge like $80-$250. I just want to learn how to work the plastic worm. I will drive to you and drive you to the lake or if you have a boat I can ride with you to the lake. Like I said will buy the beer no more than a 12 pack. Or if you charge tell me waht your fee would be and we can go from there.

Question 4. Where can I find information about bass fishing from the bank for lazy people? I am heavy set and somewhat lazy, but my ankles and knees hurt badly from walking on the bank, I do fine sitting there. I have arthritis in my ankles and knees, doctor told me.

Question 5. What is the best rig for the worm when you can only cast about 8-10 yards, where there are a lot of weeds and grass in the lake. Everytine I cast that spinner, I came back with a bunch of matted grass and weeds. I have read what to look for in fishing a lake so I have that down. Bass like structure, but I can not cast far enough to clear those weeds.

I will upgrade to a 6# test line, I have a 9ft pole. I am getting some texas rigging hooks and weights. If none of this works I guess I will be stuck catching catfish, crappie and bluegill. I really wanted to try for the bass. I am going to give it all I got in two weeks I am buying ab out $50 worth of Lures and extra's going to buesch wildlife ca and give ti all I got, if I dont catch any bass at that point, I am through with bass fishing and going to the catfish, crappie and bluegill. With a limit of 10 bluegill, I just don't have much they are so small. Catfish are only 12" long or so, whish I could get some about 18" or more. If I fished crappie for a living I would starve yet to get my limit on those, just bluegill and catfish.

Well any advice or help appreciated and like I said I can compensate you for it, if need be.

Hey man, i live in st louis too.  Also have no boat.  Busch Wildlife is to much of a drive for me cause of steep gas prices, and since im a college student with no money.  Id suggest going to small local ponds either in parks or just around a neighborhood.  Queeny park has quite a few ponds with bass.  Find a nice shady spot, cast to cover and drag the worm back.  Lift and drag, and you may find a few fish hitting the lure.  Also look at a sinking worm like a Senko, Yum Dinger or Wave Worm Tiki Stick.  Just throw those out on a hook with no weight, let it sink and watch the line.

Question 1. Can I sit in one place or maybe move to two or three places every half hour or so while sitting and still catch bass?

Question 2. I have no luck using a spinner bait, now I saw a guy use a plastic worm and he caught a huge bass. He moved all over the lake walking he bank, much more than I can. Can I just forgo the spinner baits, I don't like them when fishing from the bank or anywhere for that matter.

Question 3. The only place I know, I can go fishing at, that rents boats is Busch Wildlife CA. No other lake that I know of rents boats. Do you know of any in the St. Louis Area?

Also, I don't think I know what I am doing. Would any of you mind if I came fishing with you, I will drive to you and watched you catch bass, then I can learn how to retrive or get the lure to look real?

I will buy a 6 pack or 12 pack of beer for the lesson? I don't have the money for a guide they charge like $80-$250. I just want to learn how to work the plastic worm. I will drive to you and drive you to the lake or if you have a boat I can ride with you to the lake. Like I said will buy the beer no more than a 12 pack. Or if you charge tell me waht your fee would be and we can go from there.

Question 4. Where can I find information about bass fishing from the bank for lazy people? I am heavy set and somewhat lazy, but my ankles and knees hurt badly from walking on the bank, I do fine sitting there. I have arthritis in my ankles and knees, doctor told me.

Question 5. What is the best rig for the worm when you can only cast about 8-10 yards, where there are a lot of weeds and grass in the lake. Everytine I cast that spinner, I came back with a bunch of matted grass and weeds. I have read what to look for in fishing a lake so I have that down. Bass like structure, but I can not cast far enough to clear those weeds.

I will upgrade to a 6# test line, I have a 9ft pole. I am getting some texas rigging hooks and weights. If none of this works I guess I will be stuck catching catfish, crappie and bluegill. I really wanted to try for the bass. I am going to give it all I got in two weeks I am buying ab out $50 worth of Lures and extra's going to buesch wildlife ca and give ti all I got, if I dont catch any bass at that point, I am through with bass fishing and going to the catfish, crappie and bluegill. With a limit of 10 bluegill, I just don't have much they are so small. Catfish are only 12" long or so, whish I could get some about 18" or more. If I fished crappie for a living I would starve yet to get my limit on those, just bluegill and catfish.

Well any advice or help appreciated and like I said I can compensate you for it, if need be.

I will try and help you. First off, it sounds like you want to eat the bass you catch. Although I am not into preaching to people about keeping bass, I do however want to protect my personal areas from getting cleaned out. It doesn't take much to clean out an area of its quality bass, so I probably won't share my hotspots. I only have 2 really good places in the Stl area anyway, and one you need a boat to get to. I hope you understand.

Question 1- Bank fishing this time of year is useless. Any place you can catch a good bass from, so can anyone else. They move deep and move around a lot. That doesn't mean you won't catch them in the summer from shore at times, but you need a different mindset. You need to realize that maybe 3 out of 4 trips, maybe more, will result in a skunk fishing in a public area. But if your only option is from shore, then that is what you do. And yes, moving around is very important. The only time I wouldn't move around is if I was fishing a structure that fish would eventually move up on.

Question 2- Spinnerbaits have a very distinct sound and vibrating signiture that bass can recognize. Most public bass on shore have seen a ton of them this time of year and can recognize them. I have tested this out myself and I know it is true. That doesn't mean you won't luck into a bass every now and then, but you are hurting your chances. Put them away. Be different, be creative. If you really want to use one, reel it in fast and get a reaction bite. A plastic worm is a good bait, as well as other lures.

Question 3- I do not know of any place to rent a boat besides BW. I might be able to take you fishing sometime, but it would be tough. I have several people that want me to take them. The problem is I usually don't know I am going till that night on week nights. Weekends I head to one of the reservoirs to prepare for tournaments next year. But I am sure something can be worked out.

Question 4- If you learn bass fishing, then you will also learn fishing from shore. But with your ankles, it will be tough. You might need to fall in love with fishing and no so much the catching.

Question 5- It sounds like you are using a crappie rig to fish for bass, therefore eliminating 2 key techniques fishing in grass from shore. The 1st is topwater, which would require an offset, single hook, which also requires a heavy hookset, which your rig will not endure. The 2nd technique would be a 1/2 to 1oz sinker punching through the grass. That requires 20# line minimum and a heavy rod for heavy hooksets. It sounds like you need a new rod and reel.

I hope this helps. Feel free to discuss with me anything you would like.