Fishing Tips - What to Do When You Don"t Own a Boat
Want to go fishing but don't have a boat? No problem.
I have some solutions for you right here.
1) You can always fish from the bank.
I know it's not ideal and sometimes the fish seem to be just out of reach, but a lot of nice fish have been caught from shore.
Fishing from the bank is better than not fishing at all.
Small farm ponds can produce great results for bank fishermen who target largemouth bass and bluegill.
A few miles from where I live a lot of fishermen gather in a river where water is released from the dam.
Most people fish from the bank for catfish, but I've caught some huge largemouth bass just a short distance downstream in the Spring.
They like to hide close to the bank under logs and other submerged structures.
2) Try fishing from a dock or pier.
Try to find one that isn't too crowded if possible.
You may have to fish at a time of day or night that is inconvenient for most people.
Sometimes large fish hang around the structure of a pier or dock for protection and to hide so they can ambush bait fish.
3) Waders - Trout fishermen have been using waders in streams for years.
Waders are made from a variety of waterproof materials and serve to keep the angler dry as he walks through water that is almost chest deep.
You should know how to swim if you are going to use waders.
You will need to be careful not to step in a hole.
Be sure to take a fishing buddy with you.
Waders are best suited for stream fishing and surf fishing.
4) Fish from a float tube also known as a belly boat.
OK, so maybe technically a float tube is a boat, but not in the traditional sense.
Float tubes offer an angler an inexpensive alternative to a boat and it allows you to reach fish you would not be able to get to from the bank.
You will also be able to access ponds and lakes that are inaccessible to trailered boats.
Be willing to hike in with your float tube on your back and inflate it when you arrive and you can fish remote ponds that rarely get fished at all.
You will need to wear waders while in a float tube unless the water temperature is pretty warm.
I hope you don't mind if branches hidden under the surface of the water tickle your legs now and then.
6) Fish from a canoe or kayak.
Cheaper than buying a boat especially if you include an outboard motor with that boat.
A used canoe or kayak in good condition may be an affordable option for you and can be transported on top of a car or in the back of a pick-up truck.
More and more people are fishing from canoes and kayaks now and some folks even fish in the ocean from a kayak.
7) Fish from a headboat.
For about $60 pr.
person you can go deep sea fishing on a headboat all day.
Headboats usually provide you with all the tackle and bait you need.
In addition, there are mates on board who will help you if you hook a big fish or get your line tangled.
Usually headboats carry about 50 fishermen and also offer half day trips and overnight trips.
You never know what you will catch.
The first fish I ever caught from a headboat was a 35 pound amberjack! 8) Hire a fishing guide.
This is not an inexpensive option, but on occasion it can be really fun and productive.
I have fished with guides on four different occasions.
Two of my four trips produced awesome results, one was so-so, and the other produced one small fish.
In all cases, however, the guides worked extremely hard to provide a good experience.
Don't have unrealistic expectations of your guide.
Sometimes weather doesn't cooperate and other times the fish just don't bite.
However, hiring a guide usually improves your odds of catching fish since these guys are out there almost every day and usually specialize in certain species of fish.
They know where the fish are likely to be, what they are eating, what time of day they are most likely to bite and what techniques will work for catching them.
9) Fish with a friend who owns a boat.
What are friends for? If you can't afford a boat or don't want the hassle of boat ownership, maybe you can fish with a friend who does own a boat.
Quite often boat owners are happy to have other fishermen go with them to share fuel expenses.
Help out with the duties necessary to getting the boat launched, bait ready, and equipment cleaned up, and you may find yourself getting invited to fish with your boat-owning friend on a regular basis.
Take along a digital camera to take photos of your buddy with his prize catch, submit your photos to the local paper or sportsman's magazine, and you will be a hit with the boat owner for sure! Besides that, you will have made a great new friend.
I have some solutions for you right here.
1) You can always fish from the bank.
I know it's not ideal and sometimes the fish seem to be just out of reach, but a lot of nice fish have been caught from shore.
Fishing from the bank is better than not fishing at all.
Small farm ponds can produce great results for bank fishermen who target largemouth bass and bluegill.
A few miles from where I live a lot of fishermen gather in a river where water is released from the dam.
Most people fish from the bank for catfish, but I've caught some huge largemouth bass just a short distance downstream in the Spring.
They like to hide close to the bank under logs and other submerged structures.
2) Try fishing from a dock or pier.
Try to find one that isn't too crowded if possible.
You may have to fish at a time of day or night that is inconvenient for most people.
Sometimes large fish hang around the structure of a pier or dock for protection and to hide so they can ambush bait fish.
3) Waders - Trout fishermen have been using waders in streams for years.
Waders are made from a variety of waterproof materials and serve to keep the angler dry as he walks through water that is almost chest deep.
You should know how to swim if you are going to use waders.
You will need to be careful not to step in a hole.
Be sure to take a fishing buddy with you.
Waders are best suited for stream fishing and surf fishing.
4) Fish from a float tube also known as a belly boat.
OK, so maybe technically a float tube is a boat, but not in the traditional sense.
Float tubes offer an angler an inexpensive alternative to a boat and it allows you to reach fish you would not be able to get to from the bank.
You will also be able to access ponds and lakes that are inaccessible to trailered boats.
Be willing to hike in with your float tube on your back and inflate it when you arrive and you can fish remote ponds that rarely get fished at all.
You will need to wear waders while in a float tube unless the water temperature is pretty warm.
I hope you don't mind if branches hidden under the surface of the water tickle your legs now and then.
6) Fish from a canoe or kayak.
Cheaper than buying a boat especially if you include an outboard motor with that boat.
A used canoe or kayak in good condition may be an affordable option for you and can be transported on top of a car or in the back of a pick-up truck.
More and more people are fishing from canoes and kayaks now and some folks even fish in the ocean from a kayak.
7) Fish from a headboat.
For about $60 pr.
person you can go deep sea fishing on a headboat all day.
Headboats usually provide you with all the tackle and bait you need.
In addition, there are mates on board who will help you if you hook a big fish or get your line tangled.
Usually headboats carry about 50 fishermen and also offer half day trips and overnight trips.
You never know what you will catch.
The first fish I ever caught from a headboat was a 35 pound amberjack! 8) Hire a fishing guide.
This is not an inexpensive option, but on occasion it can be really fun and productive.
I have fished with guides on four different occasions.
Two of my four trips produced awesome results, one was so-so, and the other produced one small fish.
In all cases, however, the guides worked extremely hard to provide a good experience.
Don't have unrealistic expectations of your guide.
Sometimes weather doesn't cooperate and other times the fish just don't bite.
However, hiring a guide usually improves your odds of catching fish since these guys are out there almost every day and usually specialize in certain species of fish.
They know where the fish are likely to be, what they are eating, what time of day they are most likely to bite and what techniques will work for catching them.
9) Fish with a friend who owns a boat.
What are friends for? If you can't afford a boat or don't want the hassle of boat ownership, maybe you can fish with a friend who does own a boat.
Quite often boat owners are happy to have other fishermen go with them to share fuel expenses.
Help out with the duties necessary to getting the boat launched, bait ready, and equipment cleaned up, and you may find yourself getting invited to fish with your boat-owning friend on a regular basis.
Take along a digital camera to take photos of your buddy with his prize catch, submit your photos to the local paper or sportsman's magazine, and you will be a hit with the boat owner for sure! Besides that, you will have made a great new friend.