Shore and boot anglers who position themselves in the right place at the right time can have advantages over anglers fishing from boats. Fish tend to move shallower to feed, and it’s a lot easier to be quiet standing still in shallow water than it is when casting, jigging, or trolling from a boat.

One disadvantage of the shore angler is the inability to cover lots of water; but covering the right water is the key, and thus the need to fish at current areas and other spots that concentrate fish. The shore angler’s other perceived disadvantage is not being able to reach the fish. But often it’s not necessary to make exceptionally long casts to contact fish, and also, the properly equipped angler is ready to make long casts if necessary.

Wind and current are two triggering elements that can attract fish shallow. Waves continuously rolling through the shallows disturb the bottom and suspend tiny food particles for baitfish to feed upon. Wind also concentrates plankton along a downwind shoreline, which attracts baitfish and aggressive fish.

Bottleneck areas, where wind blows through a narrows, funnel waves between two bodies of water, raising the water level and creating current flow. While some effect is seen on the upwind side, the rush of current flushing out the downcurrent end typically attracts the most fish. Most fish appear to move up into the current from the downwind section of the lake, particularly at night. When the wind subsides (or reverses direction), current generally flows back in the other direction, creating a similar effect at the opposite entrance to the narrows.

Most current areas offer at least a few distinct spots where fish concentrate. Often when substantial current’s present, a distinct spot forms right at the edge of where the current meets the still water in the main lake, causing an eddy. Other times, it’s where deeper water in the middle of the current spot meets the flat in the main lake. Sometimes, it’s where a flat adjacent to the current spot extends farthest into the main lake.

From The Mouth Of Bays—Could be a big bar between a major bay and a big main-lake area; could be a small shallow bay with a bar that projects almost anywhere into the main lake—two things that draw fish to these types of spots.

First, the weed scenario. These are fertile areas in lakes, and during summer, the bars are covered with weeds. The bigger the bar, the denser the weedgrowth; and the better the hatch of panfish, the more likely that fish will prowl through these shallows at night. Bays are key areas for forage like perch and bullheads. These little inch-long fish can hardly swim, and most predator fish just can’t resist. The best bay-mouth bars usually are near the main lake or extend deeper into the main lake. On these spots, fish sometimes will come to you; other times, it’s necessary to wade quietly along a shoreline to contact them.

This is frog territory, too, as are current areas that lead from marshy spots into the main lake. The frogs usually stage during the first cold snap in September, then make their big moves in a series of migrations that may take three weeks, until well into late October. In fall, positioning yourself between fish and frogs can be magical spots from shore.

Beaches & Other Areas—A nondescript type of spot that wouldn’t seem to gather fish, but in shallow bowl-shaped lakes, the prevailing wind often concentrates fish on the windward side of the lake. During the day, look for fish along lipped shorelines—spots where 1- or 2-foot-deep water butts right up against shore. At night, look for where such daytime hot spots meet sand beaches. The baitfish—usually bullheads, shiners, and chubs—roam the beaches at night, looking for food, and the fish follow. It’s a fair spot to wade, although fish usually aren’t funneled into distinct areas. These are good spots for soaking bait on a livebait rig (still fishing from shore), and snoozing between bites.

Fish also gather near harbor mouths at night, to prey on baitfish that move in and out. Rock jetties that project into deeper water also funnel some fish around the head of the jetty. And sometimes lights on a restaurant dock or on any dock attract fish.

Combine the instinctive upward migration of fish to spawn and the fish-stopping qualities of manmade dams, and it’s easy to understand why a traffic jam of fish forms below dams in spring. During spring, fish in large rivers typically are found in areas two, three, or more miles downstream. In smaller rivers, expect the highest concentrations within 100 to 300 yards of the dam.

Below dams, fish may be accessible to shore anglers year-round, with a peak occurring in spring and fall. Fine-tune the time of day the fish will be there—usually early morning. Fine-tune your presentation, too. On small rivers, however, you may need to get up early to secure the best spot before other anglers arrive.

Nighttime is a great time to catch fish from shore. If you’re new to the after-dark boot thing, ask around to find out whether or not a lake is historically known for nocturnal fish activity. Keep in mind, though, that night-fishing from shore may not be popular in the area—so you may need to pioneer your way to a good spot.

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Sometimes, the best spot to cast to is as far out as you can launch your bait. Many rod manufacturers offer longer rods that make it easier for shore anglers to cast a considerable distance. A medium- to medium-light-power, 6- to 71⁄2-foot spinning rod and smooth, longcast spinning reel equipped with 6- to 8-pound Trilene XT line, will suffice for most situations. If additional distance is required, however, using a 7- to 9-foot specialty rod, like a steelhead rod, may make you even more efficient, particularly when fishing in current.

Long rods not only make it easier to cast farther, but allow you to point the rod tip up in the air to keep excess line off the water’s surface, achieving a straighter drift with, say, a float rig. Conversely, the more line there is in the water, the more the current forms a bow in your line and makes your lure or drifting bait swing in an arc downstream from your position. While fighting a fish in current, meanwhile, laying the long rod tip over sideways places more line in the moving water, adding friction while turning the fish’s head sideways to the flow and enabling you to tire the fish quicker and easier.

Correct line selection allows for longer casting, too. Superlines are thin, strong, and limp enough to fire lures long distances. Yet bulkier line is sometimes needed to achieve a proper sink rate, as when using a jig and soft plastic body. The only drawback to using superline is that it may let your lure dive too deep or fall too fast, particularly in shallow-water situations.

The next best choice is 8- to 10-pound monofilament. Limp lines throw farther than stiffer ones, while the increased thickness and water resistance of 10-pound-test mono makes a jig-plastic combo sink slower than with skinny superline, thereby staying in the strike zone longer with shallow swimming retrieves. The stretch properties of monofilament also serve as a shock absorber when fighting lively fish right below your waders. Superlines don’t stretch, so you must carefully set your drag and gingerly fight the fish.

Spinning reels with larger-diameter spools allow for even farther casting. Larger spools create larger coils and less friction as the line spills off the spool. A tapered spool (larger at the back, often called a longcast spool) also allows line to fly off the spool more freely and helps prevent line from tangling.

A variety of lures and techniques work well from shore, but being able to add a few yards to your toss can sometimes make all the difference. A longer rod equipped with the right reel and spooled with the right line is worth the investment.

Boots—Waders or hip boots take you out, away from shoreline debris and obstacles such as trees, brush, cattails, or submergent weeds that border the shoreline. Waders also help maintain a lower profile, which lessens your chance of spooking fish in shallow water.

Tackle Box—Select a small tackle box that fits into your wader pouch or the front of your waders, one that holds a small selection of jigs and soft plastics, minnow imitation crankbaits, or both.

Tackle—Use minnow-imitating crankbaits, like a #13 Rapala, Suspending Storm ThunderStick, and Smithwick Suspending Super Rogue, to fish current or rock shorelines. In weeds, light jigs slide over the tops of the weeds, heavier jigs rip and fall through them. Use 1/16- to 1/4-ounce jigs for most shore fishing. White, yellow chartreuse, black, and purple are good soft plastic color options. Another good lure option is a jig rigged with a large soft plastic shad body that resembles a perch, shiner, or shad.

Clothing—Layered clothing is best. Hooded sweatshirts, long underwear, and wool socks. Bulky clothing restricts casting and causes wader straps to put uncomfortable pressure on your shoulders. Wear your rain jacket as protection from cold winds, rain, waves, and fish splashes.

Rod, Reel, Line—Medium- to medium-light-action 6- to 71⁄2-foot spinning rod and smooth long-spool spinning reel equipped with 6- to 8-pound XT line.Slipbobber rods should be longer than 7 feet, possibly up to 10 feet long, in order to cast farther in calm conditions, and to control line and drift in breezy conditions. The added rod length coupled with a modest tip action also helps set the hook, both picking up slack and eliminating the near-90-degree line angle formed by your bait dangling below the float. Reel until you begin to feel the fish, sweepset the long rod, and the fish is on.
Stringer Options—Clip-style stringers are a top choice. Thread-through stringers also work, but you have to untie and retie the stringer to your waders each time you keep a fish.

Bait Containers—When using medium-size minnows, rigging a pop bottle with a string is a compact way to transport them. Larger minnows in the 4-inch class use more oxygen, so a flow-through minnow bucket, like Frabill’s Flow Troll, may be your best option.

Light—During low-light hours, shore anglers need light for retying, unhooking fish, and moving about. Many companies make comfortable headlamps with high-beam and low-beam options, and also a pivoting lamp head.

Cooler—Store an iced down insulated cooler in your vehicle to transport fish.

Bug Spray—On warm fall days, insects may make an unannounced visit. Spray before you head out or pack a small squirt bottle.

Float Tube—Exception to the rule. Tubes give shore anglers extra mobility, stability, and a place to sit. Use tubes to reach places just out of casting range, to travel over areas too deep for wading, or to navigate rocky shorelines. They also allow you to rest your legs every so often.