Ok,. i cant take this no fishing stuff.....so i gotta make it happen

i dont have a boat, and iv read that most bass "winterize" meaning most likely going deep....

my question is this, as a shore fisherman with no boat....what is my best option

1) HIt up the schukill river from the shore, the loading dock, and a few other somewhat shallow areas...

The river has had rain off and on for a week now, the levels are going up and down like crazy

2) go to my normal lakes and try some largemouth from the shore, or even from a blowup boat...they are going up and down as well, but the river just gets messed up and the lakes seem ok

Thanks for the help, i just dont wanna get hyped, and find out my chances of catching a winter or late fall bass is slim unless im in deep water

bottom line, am i wasting my time from the shore in cold weather????

am i wasting my time from the shore in cold weather????

Probably.

I fish ponds in the winter, but it's not generally "cold" in Tennessee. Winter is my best season for smallmouth (in a boat), but fishing big water from shore has NEVER been productive for me this time of year.

Try to find a map of your lake and find the deep drop offs from the bank.

That would be my best guess to do.

Also if you have dams try there as well.If they let out warmer water you can bet there's gonna be a few fish hanging around.

I have pretty much all my stuff put up except one rod...last year i caught a nice bass right next to the ford plant heating dam.So tomorrow i'm gonna head out there and see if i have the same luck as last year.If i do then that means i figured out where some of those bass go during the winter.Hardest part is getting them to bite.

bottom line, am i wasting my time from the shore in cold weather????

It depends, to me catching fish is a bonus.

check out your local bass fishing clubs. i know that some clubs will take anglers with no boats. or you could just show up at the ramp early in the morning and look for a single and ask/beg/grovel/pay him or her to let you go with them.

bottom line, am i wasting my time from the shore in cold weather????

as opposed to what, sitting at home wondering whether you coulda caught one if you went?

i do agree with road warrior though. hit the ponds if you can. even though i have caught cold water bass roaming the banks of big water, it can be like finding a needle in a haystack. as far as most bass going deep in the winter, this is simply not true. i have caught plenty in 3-4 ft. of water with 38 degree water temps. even if they do spend most of their time deep, they will still "move up" to feed periodically. but these windows can be very small and short -lived.

i agree with raul though. sometimes it ain't all about catchin'.

i know, it sounded bad the way i said "wasted time"

my mistake.....i just had a real good fall season so now when i dont catch anything, as great a time as i have, i dont last too long......

thanks for ideas......every time i see somebody going in the water i cross my fingers they will invite me

the one time i caught a nice smallie as a guy by himselfv was getting his boat in the water.....i was hoping when he saw i could catch he would invite me.......but he seemed a little weird and didnt even acknowledge me or my catch.....lol

You'll never catch em if your bait is dry  

bottom line, am i wasting my time from the shore in cold weather????

It depends, to me catching fish is a bonus.

who you kidding Raul?

You only know about winter because they show it on the discovery channel.  8-)

I think you're from the Philly area, so the water temperatures should be getting dangerously cold.  I would advise against fishing in a "blowup boat," especially the way the winds kick up this time of year.  I would suggest to fish from the bank where you can cast to some deeper water near dropoffs, and use live minnows, as it may be your best shot this time of the year from shore.  

I just took my boat to get winterized this morning.  If you're willing to come up to Beltzville for some smallmouth or Mauch Chunk for largemouth in the spring (about 1.5 hours north of you), shoot me a message sometime.  

I too fish from the shore most of the time and I'm still fishing with pretty good success.  I fish the dams mainly this time of year.  Today, I caught 7 bass, one good size one, using a Kastmaster spoon, 3/8 and 1/2 oz.  I'm also still catching them on white flukes and occasionally, on a Bomber or Bandit crank.

I suggust using streamlined lures, like spoons, or use bucktail jigs to maximize distance.  

I caught two small stripers, 22 and 19 inches, with spoons as well.  The fish are still there, it's not like they stop eating during winter.  They're just a little deeper.  Try to hit the water early or later in the evening.  Yes, I'm fishing before the sun comes up to melt the frost on the cars and roofs.

Cheers!

Stand next to the boat ramp with your thumb up.

Don't go out in the raft.  If you fall in, you will most likely die.

All I do is small pond fish and its my best time of year to catch decent ones!

I work the bank that has the deepest drop to the deepest water, preferably if it also meets a "corner" of the pond in question. Bass will move from right up on the bank edge to hanging in the deeper parts of the water colume..

Work a suspending jerkbait like a LC Pointer 78 and X-Rap (I like the 1/4oz. for shallower ponds). Work it slow with 5-10 sec. pauses between jerks..watch that line for the slightest tick, thats the take..

Also use a grub, 3-4" on a 1/8oz. jig head, cast out and let fall to bottom. then just steady and SLOW retrieve, cover bottom thoroughly. I also will try that with a 104 oz. trap in case some "noise" is needed for the sluggish bass to find the lure...

Go fish till the water is totally covered with ice, then reconnect with family till ice starts to melt..plenty of bass to be caught from shore this time of year... (got 3 keepers yesterday, iced up guides was a pain).

Tight Lines!!