Grassy shoreline buckets

(Above: Check out the rear dorsal fin. It looks like it has some crazy bullet hole through it.)

Video of fish above.

When it comes to tossing gear from the grassy shoreline, fantastic plastics are my number one go-to bait. Weedless plastic rigs run through the shoreline muck almost effortlessly and can match just about any forage type. The fish above was caught on a 5” Senko, green watermelon seed (green with black dots). First cast out to the structure and Wham!

The weedbed and moss-line is starting to emerge and this creates natural areas of structure that fish of all sizes are attracted too. I cast at these natural areas trying to reach the edges on the side and front of the moss. The weedbed can be run through if not too dense. The speed can vary quite a bit as long as you don’t run too slow to get the gear all mucked up or run too fast for the fish to react. I like a quick lift and slow drop if that helps.

(Above: Grass bucket number two hanging between two trees and trying to pick off the smaller panfish hugging the shoreline.)

Sight-fishing is where the real action is for the shorebanger in my opinion. This is where a basser stalks the shoreline casting at shallow structure points or fish patrolling in the shallows. This fish (see above) was cruising between two olive trees and nabbing a small bluegill here and there with ambush-like surges. I cast once, twice, three times…nothing. The fish seems to be preoccupied with the small gills. Cast one more time and wham!…

“Oh man!” I exclaim in confused frustration seeing a smaller fish on the end of my line and the big cruiser near by. “That little @#$%^ came out of nowhere!”

The smaller fish came out of the cattails actually and was being nosed by the larger fish. I played the smaller fish for a second or two and then lifted it out as soon as it approached the raised shelf supporting the grassy trail. A soft belly hold release into the shallow water nearby and then repositioned for another cast. My eyes scan for the fish. Nothing. Wait for a few minutes and then move down to the other side of the tree.

“There he is!” I hold my breath and toss out the pumpkin. Another Wham-Happy ending.

It feels good to almost get this bassin’ jones out of my system. The nasty twitch in my elbow that started in January is finally starting to subside. Feels good indeed.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.