Outdoors: No boat, no problem

RIVER VALLEY and OZARK AREA — For someone who truly loves the outdoors and fishing, hardly anything can beat a day of chasing sunfish through a blackwater bayou in an old flat-bottom; time looking for schooling fish at a Corps of Engineers lake in a fast-running bass rig; or an outing for trout spent drifting along some cold-water stream in a canoe. Yes, boats and fishing go together like peas and carrots, in the familiar terminology of Forrest Gump.

But many who love to fish do not have a boat. The costs associated with getting a boat may be too much to handle, the time essential to the boat’s upkeep may not be available, or there may be no place to properly store a boat. Whatever the reason, a good percentage of fishermen in our country are relegated to bank-only action. That does not mean they cannot experience good fishing, though.

For the bank-fishing crowd, there are a few tips to keep in mind to enhance the chances for a better day on - excuse me, near - the water, which is found in great supply right now, considering all the rain Arkansas saw in 2009.

Timing: Consider what the fish are known to be doing at certain times of year. Trout, known as cold-water fish, are more likely to be at or nearer the bank in the late fall or early winter when they spawn - if spawning activity occurs in the stream or river you intend to fish. Otherwise, consider bank-fishing for trout in low-light conditions likethose presented on a cloudy day. You are also more likely to find trout shallow when air temperatures are not too high. As for the warm-water species like crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass and others, those same low-light situations will often have the fish up near the surface and near the bank. The spawn also comes into play for these fish, with crappie and bass spawning early in the spring and bream doing their thing at the end of spring and the beginning of summer. You may also find crappie and bass migrating back toward shallowwater near banks in the fall.

Cover: If you are accustomed to fishing from a boat, you will continue to target the same sort of cover with which you are familiar - logs, treetops, brush, drop-offs, etc. The only difference is that you are flipping the picture 180 degrees. Keeping in mind the typical fish patterns for the season, though, you might want to figure out what kind of bank to fish. Banks can range from rocky to sandy, from brushy to open, from gently sloping to a steep drop-off. Often, the bank’s topographywill give a hint as to how the waterscape looks just beyond the shoreline. The water itself can also provide clues. Look for dark spots in the water that may give away the location of a stump or log. In running water, pay attention to boils and breaks in the current. These surface features betray the fact that something lies below in the river or stream bed.

Quiet: If you didn’t already know, water can transmit sound better than air. In fact, the speed of sound waves in water is generally considered to be four times faster than in air. That said, the Elmer Fudd line about hunting rabbits comes to mind. Indeed, being quiet is even more important for bank fishermen than it is for boating anglers. The general idea here is to walk softly. It is also best to stay up to 20 or 30 feet away from the water’s edge, even before approachingto present a bait or lure.

Sight: The use of polarized glasses will help in seeing what is under the water’s surface, and maybe even in seeing more fish. Yes, it is important for the angler to see the fish and the structure being fished, but it is just as important for the fish to not be able to see you. Wearing clothes that will fit in with your surroundings is the way to go. Do not wear anything bright that blares out against the natural background of browns, greens and other earthy tones. The fish we are after generally are looking up for their food, so we don’t want them to see us and turn away before we get a chance to get them to bite. Some trout anglers take this to an extreme while fishing shallow streams. They will actually even belly crawl to get near enough to a good fish to offer a midge, streamer or woolly bugger.

Presentation: A good rule of thumb on bank fishing is to fish ahead of where you are. This will help in allowing the fish to see the bait or lure before they see and/or hear you. Your casting pattern should begin with the shallowest water near the bank and work outward toward deeper water farther from the shoreline. This pattern can even be repeated a few times in one spot if the fish have not spooked at your presence.

Permission: Asking permission from farmers or landowners to access property they control can get a fisherman into some of the sweetest places to wet a hook.Yes, it is true that public waters exist and some present good bank-fishing opportunities. But getting a chance at fish that are not accustomed to seeing a bankfishing presentation and a chance to fish uncrowded waters is hard to pass up if available.

To find some good bank-fishing opportunities, you need look no further than the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’sWeb site or 2010 Arkansas Fishing Guidebook. Either destination will provide a list of the waters included in the AGFC’s Family and Community Fishing Program. Many of these locations are structured to provide easy access to those who want to fish from the bank or from piers that jut out across the water. In fact, some of the impoundments have special “family fishing” regulations that cater to the young and old in the angling community. These guidelines include the use of only electric trolling motors on boats, keeping the banks from being awash in outboard motor wakes and adding to the serenity of the experience for bank fishermen.

For more information on these bodies of water, visit the AGFC’s Web site at www.agfc.com, pick up one of this year’s free guidebooks or call(866) 540-FISH (3474).

Otherwise, another good place to start in the search for a bank-fishing spot is the AGFC’s Arkansas Outdoor Atlas. This publication showcases a county-by-county breakdown of all the known public and pay boat launches and fishing accesses. To order an atlas, visit the AGFC’s Web site or call (800) 364-GAME for more information.

River Valley Ozark, Pages 166 on 03/07/2010

Print Headline: outdoors No boat, no problem