Keeping it simple is key for beginners to fishing. While you are trying to learn the ins and outs of casting, reeling and retrieving, you will probably be most successful fishing from shore where you can keep your feet on solid ground on the bank of a lake or pond. You can also find good bank fishing along moving water like streams or rivers. And all you need is some basic gear.
These 10 tips will help you make a successful trip along your chosen waterway:
Advance Preparations
Check the forecast. Before you plan your trip, check the weather to help you determine the gear you might need.
Check essential equipment. Days before your fishing outing, examine the rods and reels you’ll be using. Make sure everything is running smoothly. Repair or replace broken gear.
Pack lightly. Pack to comfortably carry everything you need in one trip from your vehicle to your starting fishing spot. A small backpack or tackle bag with a shoulder strap and two or three utility cases for lures and terminal tackle works best. Use live bait to get started quickly. If you’re ready to fish with lures, select lures that will not dig into the bottom — topwaters, buzzbaits, swimbaits, twitch baits and shallow-running crankbaits, plastic action-tail grubs, tubes and plastic worms with size-suited hooks and jigheads.
Include important tools. Bring needle-nose pliers, a lanyard with clippers and a whistle. Tie a cord to your net so you can later slip that over your shoulder, too.
Before You Leave Home
Dress accordingly. Wear comfortable clothes for the day’s weather, including footwear, which can get wet. A jacket or vest with lots of pockets to hold your fishing license (on your phone or the paper version), sunglasses, insect repellent, a hand towel and a camera. And, wear your favorite fishing hat.
Bring comfort items. Beverages, snacks and a shoulder-carry folding camp chair are good to take along. Best of all, bring a friend or family member to enjoy the fun and share stories.
While Fishing
Watch your casting. Don’t disrupt shoreline fishing by getting lures caught in overhead trees, wires or nearby bushes. Be aware of casting clearance around your location. Try side casts, too, if you feel ready. Don’t repeatedly cast to the same spot if the fish aren’t biting. Move around the shoreline.
Vary the retrieves. Don’t use the same speed retrieve over and over, unless you’re catching fish each time. Mix it up — sometimes fast and smooth, sometimes just fast enough to keep the lure a few inches below the surface, sometimes retrieve and pause, sometimes slow, sometimes jerky pops, and sometimes just plain let it waft its way to the bottom.
Move if not catching fish. If you do not get hits or catch anything in 20 minutes, move. Watch other anglers fishing from shore to see how they are doing, but don’t crowd them.
Don’t trespass and don’t litter. Pennsylvania is home to thousands of miles of waters available that are often adjacent to private lands and water. Watch for signs and honor them, and always leave no trace of your visit.
May the fish bite and the memories mount! Enjoy.
Adapted from “Ten Tips for Shoreline Anglers” by Marilyn Black, published in the March/April 2023 issue of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Magazine.
