While this angler was dropping into a slack water pocket between the spillway wall and the roiling outflow stream, several other folks had scattered along the pedestrian-friendly structure to cast swimbaits, flukes and topwaters for the bass chasing bait in and around the tailrace. (This was one of those times when multiple user groups shared a resource with respectful casting distances.)

The lesson was clear: You can walk the bank and often pick off a couple of bass here and there, but a few factors will accelerate your opportunity like an area of concentrated current. From land-accessible spillways, to drain pipes, or small feeder creeks, the influx of food, oxygen and a different water color can yield slam dunk potential.

Over the top

Having spent a couple days on the Mississippi River following the season finale 2022 Bassmaster Elite in La Crosse, Wisc., Cook and I were fishing the Onalaska Spillway, where Lake Onalaska — a large body off the main river — dumps into the Black River, which links with the Mississippi. While we enjoyed the mobility advantage, this spot provided a front-row look at how easily land-bound anglers can access quality bass fishing opportunities.

A short walk from the spillway, a woman sat on an overturned 5-gallon bucket positioned on a gravel point as she drifted live bait along the opposite current seam. While most of the flurries occurred within a few boat lengths of the spillway, several bass busted bait 50 yards downstream. I’m sure a fluke, lipless bait or a topwater walker would work there too.

Earlier in the year, I fished the tailrace of a small dam in Madrid, N.Y., a charming hamlet near the St. Lawrence River. A pedestrian overlook provided a safe casting platform, from which I used a drop shot to entice several smallmouth, along with rock bass from current seams.

My biggest bite came when I bomb casted a 3-inch pearl swimbait right into the frothy tailrace and let it drift downstream until an opportunistic smallie blasted the bait behind a current breaking rock.

Lesson: Use the water’s natural force to carry your bait to the kill zone.

Drain on the brain

The network of stormwater pipes that manage rainfall accumulation often brings manmade choke points well within pedestrian reach. From personal experience, I can say a small neighborhood drain, culvert or a simple pipe can be pure gold for anglers on foot.

A bare pipe spewing water into a pond or lake brings plenty of drawing power, but your best spots will have cover or structure to keep fish in the same area year-round. Think riprap, docks and vegetation.

The latter proves particularly important, as it offers shelter, as well as food-rich habitat. Blow some water past a grass line or pad field and it’s showtime.

Generally, it takes a day or so for fish to predictably set up on the current edges. Right after a big rain, the water often blasts so heavily, they can’t effectively feed close to the outflow. Rather, they’ll sit 10 to 15 yards downstream, where the current softens and work their way progressively upstream as the flow moderates.

The main stormwater pipes are larger than the ones linking neighborhood ponds and catch basins, so it often takes a week to work a large volume of water through the system. You’ll start to see patterns develop as fish stake out key spots relevant to current speed.

Options are many, but I carry a hollow body frog and an unweighted Texas-rigged Senko. That one-two punch always delivers.

Even between rain events, the deeper current-carved furrows in front of these drains often hold fish that simply appreciate the subtle depth change. If your angle allows you to whip a bait into the pipe and then work it over the hole — money!

So how do you maximize your chances of catching every bass in that stretch? Let’s talk about making the most of your water when bank fishing, using a recent trip I made fishing along a canal in Florida as an example. I was fishing from a friend’s yard and only had about 200 feet to work with, but I could cast all the way across the canal. 

The cover across the canal looked extremely enticing, but starting there would have been a bad idea. Instead, it’s best to start with the water and cover closest to you when bank fishing. 

It’s always been kind of funny how I, and many others that I’ve observed, approach fishing from the bank versus fishing from a boat. When I was in a boat growing up, I almost always threw right up on the bank. But when I was on the bank, I usually threw as far out as possible. 

And this makes some sense when you think about the length of a cast covering a very large strike zone. But when really trying to maximize your water, you’re better off fishing the water and cover closest to you first. 

If you take the first approach of casting as far as possible, you may very well throw past a patch of grass right next to where you’re standing, only to get a bite at the end of your cast and then drag that fish right through the cover closest to you. If this happens, you’ve most likely eliminated any chance of catching a fish in that nearest patch of grass. So start close, and then work your way out farther and farther. 

There’s another added benefit to this approach — protecting your lure supply. Again, we’re typically operating with a very limited supply of tackle when fishing from the bank. So throwing into the furthest and thickest cover right off the bat could cost you your only lure and end your trip before it can even get started.

And it’s also a good idea to start with a finesse approach, as compared to power fishing. This rotation is contrary to what we usually do when fishing from a boat. Most anglers start with an aggressive bait like a spinnerbait, and then only back off to a worm when they don’t get bit for a while. But starting with a worm gives you the best chance to catch the most fish out of the area. 

You can pick several off starting out this way, and then throw a buzzbait, for example, before leaving. If you started off with the buzzbait, you may have drawn a fish to the surface that didn’t quite want to commit to the buzzbait, and then the fish could get spooked and not bite anything. 

If you prioritize cover and practice patience, you can certainly catch more fish from the bank than you would going right for the jugular. Patience is a big part of fishing, and it will be rewarded in time. And prioritizing the cover closest to you ensures that you get a fresh shot at every fish in the area.

If you implement these two tips on your next bank fishing trip, you’ll be sure to catch more fish. 

While those hefty limits of whopper smallies will almost exclusively come from a boat, there’s no question anglers afoot can also enjoy solid smallmouth opportunity.

Legitimate heavyweights can occasionally fall to shore-bound anglers, but even those of lesser girth still pack that smallmouth punch. This makes a fun target for kid trips or just a casual addition to a picnic, family hike or a brief window of opportunity during work travel.

Current events

Smallmouth scenarios vary greatly, but the key element for bank fishing opportunities is moving water. While a lazy largemouth likes to park its backside in a quiet corner most of the day, the high-strung smallmouth craves current — it’s the DoorDash of the fish’s world.

During his college years at University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, Elite angler Brandon Lester caught quite a few Tennessee River smallies from shore. His advice: Target current breaks such as bridge columns, barge tie-ups, big boulders or laydowns and play the hand you’re dealt.

“When you’re fishing from shore, you don’t have the option of running five miles down the river and hit different spots,” he said. “You have to learn to make the most of what’s in front of you.

“If I’m fishing a tournament, I may fish a dock, catch one and roll on to the next dock 10 miles down the lake. If I’m fishing off the bank, I may sit there and fish a (current break) for 30 minutes and try to catch every fish on it.”

Bridges with fishing decks offer golden opportunities, as they provide a front-row seat to the combination of current and constricting structure (aka “choke point” or “neck down”).

Tackle ’em in the tailrace

Generally, the recipe for smallmouth consistency includes swift water, baitfish and current breaks. Nothing embodies this like a tailrace — the downstream side of a dam. While major hydro-electric structures offer greater quantity, don’t overlook the more modest dams controlling small rivers and streams.

I recently exploited such a scenario in the charming hamlet of Madrid, N.Y. where the Highway 345 Bridge crosses the Grasse River. An overflow dam just west of the bridge creates a small but vibrant tailrace sandwiched between the drop and the bridge.

From a small fishing platform at the bridge’s northwest corner, I tempted a handful of spunky rock bass and a limit of smallies. Certainly not a competitive limit but a limit nonetheless.

Despite the river’s rambling pace, the overflow dam’s tailrace maintained a low roar of white water turbulence. I nabbed a mixed bag by fishing a drop shot with a 4-inch straight tail Roboworm in current seams between the dam’s water control structures.

My better fish came from behind a large subsurface rock pile that bulged the water and created a backside eddy. Firing a 3.5-inch swimbait parallel to the dam, I let the rushing water sweep my bait past this sweet spot and consistently connected as it reached the kill zone.

Air travel limited my tackle options, but a Daiwa Travel Combo spinning outfit proved functionally effective and conveniently mobile. The 7-2 medium telescoping rod comes in a canvas case with plenty of room for several soft plastic containers. I packed swimbaits, as well as drop-shot and Ned rig baits, into a Ziploc bag and packed it all inside the rod case.

Opportunities abound

Smallmouth often spawn in deep water, but it’s not uncommon for river fish to use shallow, downcurrent coves off the main run. Anglers walking riprap banks can easily reach the fish pulling into calm, protected waters.

For example, Waddington, New York’s Whitaker Park at the mouth of Little Sucker Brook, where B.A.S.S. Nation and past Elite events have launched, offers the ideal habitat. Same goes for the next little cove downstream — on the east side of Clark Point in Little Sucker Brook Park.

A dream in a stream: Bassmaster Elite rookie Cody Huff grew up around countless Ozark streams flowing through the hills and into local lakes. Far less pressured than major rivers and highland reservoirs, these streams hold a largely untapped brown fish bounty.

“These streams flow all the time, and they’re loaded with smallmouth,” Huff said. “They don’t get really big — they’ll get up to 2 to 2 1/2 pounds. Ever since I was a little kid, we’d walk the creeks for them.

“There’s quite a bit of current, so we always threw small baits and let the current wash them behind rocks. We’d catch those smallmouth on light line and ultralight spinning outfits and always had a big time.”

Small crankbaits, swimbaits and Ned rigs are Huff’s choice for creek smallies.

“These creeks are the same every single day, but you can do this anytime the water has warmed up enough so you don’t freeze when you walk in the water,” Huff said. “It’s a great way to cool off in the hot summertime and have fun.”

Captive audience: Elite pro Mark Menendez describes a seasonal occurrence with big-time smallmouth potential.

“When the Ohio River floods, it fills up a lot of little creeks that aren’t a boat length wide. Then when the water falls, Kentucky (spotted) bass and smallmouth will get trapped in small pools.

“That’s when you put on an old pair of tennis shoes and go wading. The ones that you’ll catch are good ones.”

Menendez suggests tiny crankbaits like the Strike King Bitsy Pond Minnow or a 1/16-ounce jig head with a 3- to 4-inch finesse worm.

Food required: With the exception of spawning movements, smallmouth presence is predicated on baitfish. Smallies aren’t window shoppers; they come to eat, and if there’s no food, there’s not smallmouth.

Consider where baitfish and other forage comes from and fish accordingly. Specifically, look for your inflows. In addition to dam outfalls and lock canals, creeks and rivers bring food, so expect the mouths — particularly those crossed by bridges — to attract plenty of smallmouth attention.

These gluttonous predators also eat plenty of crawfish, and if you can reach a bank where overhanging willows are dark with mayflies, you can bet the smallies are in there chewing. Topwater poppers are hard to beat, but Bassmaster Opens pro Harvey Hornes takes a different approach by throwing a Ned rig to target bottom-oriented smallmouth preying on the emerging mayflies.

However you target smallmouth from shore, the most important element is perspective. If you find a few chunks, great, but this is casual stuff — a nice break from the sport’s more demanding side.

Best part about smallmouth: Even the little guys bring plenty of attitude, so even if you don’t catch anything Instagram-worthy, it’s time well spent.

Now, my grandfather was a sustenance fisherman, and a damn good one. He had trotlines crisscrossing Arrowhead, where he lived, at various depths and travel routes of the flathead catfish, his prized adversary. He had also submerged brush around his dock to lure crappie, his favorite table fare. As for bass, he considered them trash fish. Not even kidding.

That said, he did have a small stash of bass lures in his old, three-tray metal tacklebox. There were three crankbaits, a handful of topwaters and some spinnerbaits, still stapled to their cardboard packaging. I opted for the spinner. At 9 years old, I wasn’t good at anything beyond getting into trouble. Still, I could tie a clinch knot. My grandfather made me practice for hours, it seemed. So, armed with my Zebco 33 and one-eighth of the bass tackle inventory from the metal box, I marched down the bank to the flooded trees.

I don’t know how long I was casting the bait toward the cover. I’m not sure how close to the trees the spinnerbait landed or if I had even made a turn of the reel handle. All I remember is that something in the water tried to take from my hands the rod that I was holding. I held on for dear life, reeled against the slipping drag and eventually pulled onto shore my first bass. At least, it was the first bass I remember catching. I had caught plenty of catfish, crappie and bluegill. This experience was different. It’s not an exaggeration to say that one bite affected my life. I wanted to catch another bass. I bet I cast another 37,000 times at that stand of trees. When my parents would drive by other lakes, I’d look for similar flooded trees near the bank. When I went to college, I looked for lakes with bank access. I bought my first house based on how close it was to a lake. And of course, my passion for fishing has molded my professional life.

Considering how that one bite changed my course for the better, I can’t help but hope the millions of kids picking up a fishing rod for the first time will experience similar results. In 2020, it is estimated that 10 million people tried fishing for the first time. Lockdowns, shutdowns and quarantines will inspire adventure to the outdoors, it seems.

If you or someone you know is new to bass fishing and needs help finding access, visit takemefishing.org. This website is a great resource for beginners. Another option for bank-bound anglers is to look at Google Earth maps and identify public boat ramps. Almost all public ramps will have docks and adjacent bank access from which to fish. Lake dams are another great spot to cast from the bank. Many dams offer exceptional access to anglers, and bass love to feed on bait dazed by the flow of energy generation.

Although I have a boat, bank fishing still occupies a healthy percentage of my annual fishing time. I still look for a stand of flooded trees a long cast away. I still fling a spinnerbait. And I’m still hoping that next bite is something bigger.

State fish and wildlife agencies provide some of the best information. All 50 states have such agencies, and all the agencies have websites with fishing sections that include where-to-go information. You can find links listed on the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies website. Provincial agencies in Canada are listed there as well, along with organizations like the Recreational Fishing & Boating Foundation that can help in your search.

You’ll find useful information of all kinds on these websites, including descriptions of the fishing waters; interactive maps; locations of fishing piers, bank-fishing areas and boat ramps; fishing regulations; license information; weekly fishing reports; state and lake records; fish identification tips; and much more.

Continue your internet search to find helpful information on these fishing destinations, too.

Family and community fishing waters

State fisheries agencies often establish agreements with municipalities that allow them to manage small lakes and ponds to provide urban fishing opportunities. These waters usually are kept well stocked with fish and provide excellent bank fishing. Special fishing events, beginner fishing clinics and tagged fish contests often are offered by participating agencies, with a special emphasis on fishing activities for families, kids and retirees.

State park fishing waters

Lakes, ponds and streams in state parks are worth learning about, too. Most are easy to fish, with good bank- or pier-fishing options. Rental boats often are available as well. Weekends and holidays may draw lots of visitors, especially in spring and summer. But during weekdays and cooler months, you often can enjoy fishing and other outdoor activities with few interruptions. Plug for bass in the morning and hike a trail in the afternoon. Enjoy a refreshing swim followed by some fly fishing. Cast for catfish, then swap fishing tales by a campfire. Opportunities are many.

Federal waters

Public fishing opportunities abound on many federal areas, too. For example, our national forests and grasslands encompass more than 150,000 miles of streams and 2.5 million acres of lakes in 43 states where guests can enjoy superb fishing opportunities. You can learn more about them here.

Fishing is available at more than 270 national wildlife refuges, 29 national fish hatcheries and many other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters, too. Virtually every type of sportfishing is represented, from remote fly fishing in Alaska to saltwater fishing along the coasts to fishing in cities like Minneapolis and Philadelphia. Visit www.fws.gov for more.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages 12 million acres of lands and waters as part of its responsibilities, and many of the agency’s projects, most of which are near major metropolitan centers, include first-rate fishing facilities such as river- and lake-side walkways and trails, fishing piers, docks and launch ramps. Visiting the Corps Lake Gateway online is a good way to start mining information.

Blue-ribbon fishing in scenic settings also can be found in many national parks and Bureau of Land Management areas.

Private waters

The fishing locales discussed so far are all publicly owned, but many more great fishing spots can be found on private land. Farmers, ranchers and other landowners often build ponds, irrigation reservoirs, watershed lakes, livestock tanks and other waters, and many are stocked with bass, catfish, bluegills and other fish. Fishing privileges often are reserved for family and special friends, but many times, if you ask permission in a courteous, direct manner, the owner will welcome you to visit and catch a few fish.

Be sure to follow all rules you’re asked to abide by, such as size limits or catch-and-release fishing only, and show respect for the landowners and their property. Close gates, don’t litter and never damage fences or crops. Offer to share what you catch, and send a thank you note afterward. If you act responsibly, you will probably be welcomed to fish again. If you don’t, you and fishermen who come after you may get turned down.