It might seem unnecessary to use a fish finder for shore fishing, but it can really be helpful. If you know how to use this tool, you can find big lunkers hanging around in unlikely spots near shore. Check out some of our tips below for the best result with your fishing gadgets. And if you’re still shopping for one, check out our latest fish finders reviews.
Scan Your Shoreline’s Bottom
The best way to find bigger fish near shore is to know the shore bottom. Big fish love to hang out near the shoreline because there are so many ambush spots to capture prey. They can ambush all types of fish, even larger ones which makes for a better meal.
Bass (including striped bass), perch, snook, pike and muskey will cruise shore lines looking for deep holes, downed logs, or underwater rocks that act as cover. Anything they can hide behind to surprise an unsuspecting fish is ideal.
Use your fish finder to locate not only boulders but downed logs, and underwater holes. These will appear as deep spots with your fish finder. Once you have one, mark it. But don’t forget that shoreline change every year, and some will change week-to-week. Big storms, floods, and other natural occurrences can change bottom near the shoreline significantly. So, scan yours every time you go out and fish, if possible.
Locate the Best Shoreline Rifts
Shorelines also create excellent rifts, undercurrents and bends where fish will hunt prey. The big lunkers will hunker down on these rift areas and just wait for unsuspecting minnows to swim by. Confused by the currents and changing conditions, it is the best possible place to find an easy meal.
Your fish finder can help locate these current spots. Set up near a bend along the shoreline and cruise along until you find troughs on the bottom. This indicates a current rift–the current will strip bottom away over time.
Next, find the ambush spots in or near the rifts. These can be logs, boulders, or any type of structure.
Park yourself a ways down from the rift and cast into it retrieving your lure against the current and letting it fall back to your ambush spots. Now, you are fishing a rift with perfect cover for big bass, pike or muskey.
Finding Shoreline Channels
Fish will swim along undefined channels near the shoreline. They are not easy to see with the naked eye. They are sometimes just a series of boulders, logs and structure.
These “safe passage” zones are similar to our highways. They provide a relatively easy way to get from point A to point B. These channels are easier to see on a fish finder.
Troll back and forth across the shoreline and note where you see the drop offs on your chart. You’ll begin to understand how the bottom is built, and find the holes, ridges and alleys where fish are likely to be traveling.
Once you have these alley ways plotted out you can start hunting for the big lunkers. They will cruise along these fish highways looking for a passing meal. So, be ready with a big lure and plenty of patience.
Max Sayer says
I personally have never gone shore fishing but I wanted to look up some information about it. I really liked the part that talked knowing where the shore bottom is. I found it really helpful to know that big fish love to hang out near the shoreline because there are so many ambush spots.