[MrMcDoogle]

So when the bass open in the bay on March 1 I am looking to hit it hard and do it all spring. I first got into fishing last year and did the whole bridge/pier thing and just got into the surf. This spring, especially early spring I am thinking I'll have more success from the sod banks.I got some questions. I don't have a boat. How do I locate sod banks that I can access from land? I got a pair of chest waders so a little mud is not a problem. But where do I start? And if I see a sod bank, how can I tell if it's worth walking over too and if it is even safe to do so? I will be mostly around the Ocean City/Longport/Somers Point area.

 

[Greenman]

MMD
Couple of years ago I was asking the same questions you are now
There are a lot of great guys on this website that are willing to teach and share info if you are receptive to learning
Nothing beats time on the water
Become a regular at the local tackle shops (always good for info)
Find the bait and you will find the fish
Try to figure out how they feed and you will be able to find out where they feed
Put up a post and ask if anyone would like some company
Bring the coffee, gas, beer, whatever
Better yet would be to charter a guy like Insomniac down south
If you really listen it is amazing how much some of these guys know
There is also a lot of different personalitys on the site but everyone is bonded by a common insane thread
Shoot me an email in a couple of weeks and you can hop on with me

Bdubbs, Chunking, Lilfishermen, Looslyspooled4, and Phisbone are a couple of guys that really helped me

Lastly make sure you ask Eelball for permission to fish in his bay (and don't send him piks contrary to your posts)

 

[RyanF]

Locate em on google earth or good old fashioned scouting. Check em out during the day, get comfortable and then go back after dark if you want to catch bass consistently. The middle of the night, alone with sub 50 water temps is not the time to push it in unfamiliar areas.

Blurple bombers, jerkbaits on a head, swim shads, the normal stuff will get you into some fish...

RyanF

 

[bdubbs]

look for spots that have rips that set up withing casting distance from you. think skinny water going into drop off's or skinny water in close proximity to deep channels .... start there.

also fish the bridge lights many slow nights have been saved by going to these fish magnets.

 

[eelball]

Lastly make sure you ask Eelball for permission to fish in his bay (and don't send him piks contrary to your posts)

Ohh boy.

Advice. Go looking around during the day. Scout out areas for everything.
Parking. Need a place to park, where people cant see my, oops, i mean your truck
Water depth. Shallow , deep. have a couple places with different depths.
sandy bottom, mud bottom, creek mouths.
The # of spots will only be limited by how much effort you put into locating, and are willing to walk to.
Make sure you check your spots out during the day! That way you know what you have if yoou decide to fish at night.
Make sure you can get to and from with a higher than normal tide. Don't wanna get stuck someplace once a little creek you crossed gets to deep.
If its a place your not totally safe at, its best to fish with a buddy.
Go looking at low tide, its easier to read the water.
I have spent entire days just scouting areas. Some pay off, others dont.

 

[PAPete]

heheeheheheheeh

 

[insomniac]

Thanks Greenman.

So when the bass open in the bay on March 1 I am looking to hit it hard and do it all spring. I first got into fishing last year and did the whole bridge/pier thing and just got into the surf. This spring, especially early spring I am thinking I'll have more success from the sod banks.I got some questions. I don't have a boat. How do I locate sod banks that I can access from land? I got a pair of chest waders so a little mud is not a problem. But where do I start? And if I see a sod bank, how can I tell if it's worth walking over too and if it is even safe to do so? I will be mostly around the Ocean City/Longport/Somers Point area.

Like Ryan said, get on a map site and try to find quality satellite images of where you intend to fish.

Early in the year , March/April, the fish will tend to be off the secondary waterways.

If you look at the ICW (intracoastal waterway) as the main artery that runs through the backwater, there are "creeks" that branch off of it in many directions but typically towards the west.

What you'd want to do is explore the narrow creeks that branch off those secondary water ways. Narrow, as in you can cast across them on a good throw.

These small waterways twist and turn through the backcountry and have many coves , flats , and even some deeper cuts.

Find one that is directly accessible by land. DO NOT attempt to cross even a small creek. The mud is head high deep. I avoid even trying to jump across. If you were to get stuck it could be a death sentence. The tide may drown you or you might succumb to hypothermia. I've seen people get stuck out there and if there wasn't someone with them to call the coast gaurd they would have been gone. They needed a helo to pull them out.

You may know all of this but I feel better putting this caveat out there for everyone. I've gotten stuck pretty good before and it can happen to anyone.

So once you find your fishing spot there should be a little bit of current flow and it's know time to work all of the creek bends , small coves (minute indentations in the marsh), and creek mouths. Make long casts as well across the creek and try to hit the other side (right at the shoreline). Many times the fish will follow the plug/soft plastic halfway across and smack it hard once it's almost to the other side. There is no telling where fish can be as they are often traversing the area , going from feeding spot to feeding spot.

 

[f-fin reel]

Thanks Greenman.



Like Ryan said, get on a map site and try to find quality satellite images of where you intend to fish.

Early in the year , March/April, the fish will tend to be off the secondary waterways.

If you look at the ICW (intracoastal waterway) as the main artery that runs through the backwater, there are "creeks" that branch off of it in many directions but typically towards the west.

What you'd want to do is explore the narrow creeks that branch off those secondary water ways. Narrow, as in you can cast across them on a good throw.

These small waterways twist and turn through the backcountry and have many coves , flats , and even some deeper cuts.

Find one that is directly accessible by land. DO NOT attempt to cross even a small creek. The mud is head high deep. I avoid even trying to jump across. If you were to get stuck it could be a death sentence. The tide may drown you or you might succumb to hypothermia. I've seen people get stuck out there and if there wasn't someone with them to call the coast gaurd they would have been gone. They needed a helo to pull them out.

You may know all of this but I feel better putting this caveat out there for everyone. I've gotten stuck pretty good before and it can happen to anyone.

So once you find your fishing spot there should be a little bit of current flow and it's know time to work all of the creek bends , small coves (minute indentations in the marsh), and creek mouths. Make long casts as well across the creek and try to hit the other side (right at the shoreline). Many times the fish will follow the plug/soft plastic halfway across and smack it hard once it's almost to the other side. There is no telling where fish can be as they are often traversing the area , going from feeding spot to feeding spot.

MrMcD, Insomniac Dan provided some fishing Gold right there, which takes years to learn (or one bad accident if we're talking about getting stuck in the mud). He's increased my fishing knowledge about 12 years worth in the past 3 years. Get out on the water in these creeks, but satellite images are a great start to narrow your scouting efforts. Good Luck!