I want to know why there are not more articles about how to catch or what to look for when fishing from shore. All the articles are mostly on catching anf finding fish from your boat with your electronic equipment, when you fish from shore you do not have electronics to use, so what are some tips for the shore fishers on catching bass, crappie, and trout, ect...

The simple explanation is that boat, motor and electronics manufacturers buy ads here, in the mag and on the TV show!

Now for the difficult explanation...the biggest reason you don't see a lot of shorefishing info is because most folks these days don't have any! I shore fish almost exclusively...and it's not nearly as hard as most people make it. They've become so dependent on those boats and electronics that they overlook the obvious. For example, when you're on the shore...you're in shallow water...with the better part of the "structure" poking up outta the drink. Who needs electronics when when you're standin' there lookin' at the structure? Look for downed trees, rocks, weed beds, boat docks, piers, anything visible that you can cast to. Any of those things will hold fish. And the best thing you can do, in order to be able to see underwater rocks and weed beds, is get yourself some nice polarized sunglasses. They will find shoreline structure just as good as electronics...but are a bit less expensive.

well said, Mo! I've been mostly shorefishing the past couple years but have the itch to got the boat going again.

Thanks Mo, it would be nice to see even a small article once and awhile in the magazines. I help take care of my Mom since my father past away in 2001 so I do not have the money to buy a boat. So right now shore fishing is all I can do, but for me I really would rather get a kayak. There is a boat on my cousins property that she does not use and I have been tempted to pull it out of the shrubs and see if it is still water worthy, and then see about selling or trading it for a kayak. She told me I could have it but it has been sitting there a long time and I was afraid there may be a snake nest under it. Maybe before the snakes wake up next year I will pull it ou of the shrubs. But I really enjoy fishing even from the shore, one end of the Lake I fish has lily pads and the other has some old posts sticking out and then there is the dam next to a creek to a waterfalls. I have not caught any keepers but that really doesn't matter, it is just fun to catch them and bring them in. I just wish they handed out manners to the people who have boats around here, they will run your line over or if they see you just caught one then they will move their boat where you are fishing and not move that you havre to find a new spot to fish. One guy told me that the boaters have all the rights that is just not cool at all. I think if there someone fishing a spot from shore then you should look to a different spot to fish. Can you tell me what tackle is best for the weedbeds and lily pads?

Posted By ljaungst71 on 22 Oct 2012 12:25 PM  Can you tell me what tackle is best for the weedbeds and lily pads?

Probably the best thing to start with would be a simple weightless Texas rigged worm. Being weedless...it will pull through the pads or weeds without getting stuck. Working the edges of the pads with topwater lures like Hula Poppers and Jitterbugs will work too. Later when you get your confidence built up...you can venture farther into the cover with topwater frogs and buzzbaits...but make sure you have heavy enough tackle for this. Also you mentioned the other side of the lake has old posts...that is a great place to fish crankbaits. try to bounce a squarebill crank off those posts...literally bump the post with the lure...and be ready! I suggest using cheap crankbaits for this...as lost lures is a possibility...but think of it like this: You buy a dozen worms...you fish them once and they're gone. Same thing with a lost lure, but if you're catching fish, that lost three bucks will never bother you!(unless it was the last one in your tacklebox and they are still biting!)

Thanks Mo, I will try these suggestions, when I was younger I fished on the river with my Dad in a boat. Now that it is just me I have to limit where I fish since I have no boat, and I really love to go fishing it helps pass the day since I am not aloud to work. I just have to go early in the morning or towards evening to limit sun exposure. But when it is cloudy I try and take advantage of that to. I have a fishing barometer is that a good tool to have and use. I have 3 rods I use they are filled with 6 lb., 8 lb., and 10 lb. monofilament. All using a spinning reel I just started to use the spinning reel this year, I found I do like them better than the closed face reels. It is starting to get cold here in Pine Grove, Pa so I am not sure how much more fishing I will get in. The last few days have either been rainy or very windy so I have not gotten out in about a week now. I plan on trying to this week yet before it gets to bitter cold and nothing will bite.

Shore fishing the desert lakes here in Arizona means you are primarily fishing for sunfish. There is just very little good habitat accessable from the rugged shore lines of these reservoirs.
Now, that said, I rarely use my "fish finder" for much more than a depth indicator. When the water gets shallow, I start scanning for structure to fish. The boat provides access to shoreline you can't access on foot here. So, what I'm saying is, I'm a shoreline fisherman that uses a boat as it is the only way to access enough shoreline to be productive.

I understand that you can not fish from the shore everywhere, I was just seeing if anyone had tips for those that fish from the shore. Like what to look for, what is the best conditions for fishing, what lures or baits to use. And what is the best line weight to use on my reel.

Well, always look for structure; timber, stumps, vegatation, rocks. Transition zones, where the shore line goes from rocky to sandy or grassy. Points jutting out into the body of water. Shallow flats that drop off further out. These are all good indicators of fish in the area.
I'm old school and use mono line for nearly everything. I use 10 to 12 pound test on most of my reels (bait cast and spinning), with 4 pound on my ultra-light, and 17 pound on my channel cat rig. I use 80 pound braid on my flathead cat rig.
Hope this is of some help.

Thank you yes everyone has been a great help, it is different fishing without my Dad to ask questions of, so sometimes I am not sure if I am doing things right, or if there is something I am missing.

Here is a excellent article on reading the water http://midcurrent.com/techniques/re...the-water/

ljaungst71,
  You may want to try this site  http://outdoor-fishing.com/index.php  Sign up is free and easy...and there are many members there from PA. There may even be some in your direct area...who can give you first hand advise about that lake you're fishing. Good luck and "tight lines".
                                                                    

Around the lilypads....try a Hula Popper at dusk....ESPECIALLY if there are no waves / "wind ripples".

Cast it....let it sit until ALL the "ripple rings" have disappeared.

Give it a light tug...then wait again. Keep doing this until you have the lure back to shore by you. It may take 5-10 minutes to to this.

No bites...repeat.

Sooner or later you will get bit

Also...since it is fall...you may have dying vegetation ("brown"). The dying vegetation sucks oxygen out of the water. Baitfish won't be there....and neither will the predators.

IF you can get a depth map  of the lake...this would help you target drop-offs etc...

Just my humble experiences

Dave's advice about the Hula Popper is quite accurate. You can also use a Jitterbug in the same technique just to throw something a little different. Both very easy to use and deadly lures.

If you scroll down on this webpage you will see a post about "Resources For Bank Fisherman". Check it out when you get the time to do some reading

http://www.fishingclub.com/community/forums/aft/37696

Posted By bass or bass? on 24 Oct 2012 06:57 PM
Dave's advice about the Hula Popper is quite accurate. You can also use a Jitterbug in the same technique just to throw something a little different. Both very easy to use and deadly lures.

Thank you  and please don't let your frustration with this site MAKE you go away

I sees Mr Mo said Hula Pops above Mr Dave post. I would give credit to Mr. Mo and He said Jitterbug also.

Hey guys...what am I?...chopped liver??scroll up...I mentioned both the hula popper and the jitterbug two days ago!
         

Thank you all for your advise, I did try out my jitterbug and had some hits, also tried a popper and had some hits. I did see a beautiful golden trout jump half way out from where I was fishing.I do not think the water temp. was right for the fish, I was in it up to my knees and it was not as cold as you would think it should be for October. I also had a cormorant swimming around me it was not one bit afraid of me, so I think it was chasing my fish off.