Learn How To Fish
Reading The Shoreline
Learn how to read the water, shoreline and structure to find places where fish are more likely to hold.
Why Shorelines Matter
When you're fishing from shore, you can't move around the water the way a boat can. That makes learning to read the shoreline especially important.
Look for places where fish can find food, shelter, deeper water or a change in the movement of the water.
01
Current & Water Movement
Moving water can concentrate food and create places where fish can hold while waiting for something to come to them.
Watch the surface carefully. Look for areas where the current changes speed or direction.
A seam, current break or slower area beside faster-moving water can be worth investigating.
02
Breaks In The Water
A break is an area where the character of the water changes. It may be caused by current, depth, structure or shoreline shape.
These changes are worth exploring because they can provide both food and shelter.
03
Deep Water Near Shore
If deeper water is close to shore, it can be an excellent area to investigate.
The original ShoreFishing.net guide recommends casting beyond the deeper area and retrieving your lure through it.
04
Inside Bends
When fishing a river, pay attention to the shape of the shoreline.
An inside bend is one of the locations specifically identified in the original ShoreFishing.net guide as a place worth trying.
05
Look For Structure
Structure provides another reason to stop and investigate a section of shoreline.
Weed Edges
Look along the edges of vegetation.
Docks & Bridges
Man-made structure can provide cover.
Logs & Trees
Fallen trees and logs can create cover.
Rocks
Rock piles and rocky areas can be worth exploring.
06
Bottom Transitions
Pay attention to changes in the bottom. A transition from rocks or sand to mud, or from mud back to sand or rocks, can be worth investigating.
Put It All Together
Don't look at just one feature. A location becomes especially interesting when several things come together.
Look for food, shelter, current, depth, structure and changes in the shoreline.
Shore fishing is about learning the water. Try different locations, presentations and times, and pay attention to what changes when you get a bite.