This Is How You Fish The Shallows In A Bay Boat Without A Trolling Motor!
- By: Luke Simonds
- on
- Found In: Boating Tips, Fishing Secrets, Fishing Tips, Inshore Fishing
Have you had trouble targeting shallow water fish when fishing from a bay boat without a trolling motor?
I certainly had many skunk trips when fishing from boats without trolling motors over the years.
But I eventually learned some very helpful tactics over the years that have totally changed my results.
This past week some Super Community Memebers and I went out on a Freedom Boat Club boat to see if we could catch a slam.
However, the odds were stacked against us:
- We were in foreign territory (none of us had fished the area in a long time)
- We were in a bay boat without a trolling motor or Power Pole
- The tide was very weak the entire time we fished (red box below)
So is it better to wait for a better time to go fishing?
Or just go and make the best out of the conditions?
Check out the video below to find out…
Shallow Water Bay Boat Fishing Trip
Related Links:
– See Detailed Post-Trip Analysis for this Trip [Super Community Members Only]
– Learn more about the Super Community
2 Takeaways
What did you think?
By following the trends, we were able to catch a slam even in these tough conditions.
This proves two things:
- Fish consistently react to their environment given certain conditions… so if you know their behavior patterns, you can catch them even during weak tides.
- The best time to go fishing is whenever you can… don’t wait for “perfect” conditions you’ll miss out on a lot of fun fishing.
3 Conservation Tips
Did you catch the conservations tips? Here they are, in case you missed them:
- Wet the boat surface so you can lay fish down without messing up their outer coat.
- Be mindful to trim up the motor and ensure the blades are above the grass (not just above the bottom),
- Make sure people are in the front of the boat when you’re leaving a spot. This will weigh the front of the boat down, which will help lift the prop above the seagrass.
Conclusion
If you follow the trends and get out there, you can catch fish even in tough conditions.
Have any questions about fishing without a trolling motor?
Have any extra conservation tips?
Let me know in the comments below!
P.S. – If you have a fishing buddy who doesn’t have a trolling motor, TAG or SHARE this with him!
Here’s a link to learn more about it: https://www.reelingfreedom.com/warrior-shootout-tournament
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Here’s what you’ll receive today:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing where the inshore fish are feeding all year long
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in certain areas
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STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Who makes the quietest trolling motor? Mine make a “whirlling” noise…
Thanks y’all. These same principals could be used from a Kayak.
Absolutely! Here’s a recent post that shows some important tips specific to kayak and paddle board anglers in case you haven’t yet seen it: https://saltstrongdev.wpengine.com/articles/3-tips-to-catch-redfish-snook-before-a-cold-front/
Great vid. Thanks for sharing. One thing I noticed is that y’all were not right against the shoreline/mangroves. My wife thinks that we need to “beat the bank” in order to fish structure. This shows that the flat is structure itself. Well done. Be safe.
Thanks for making time to leave the nice comment Byron! Yes, the shorelines aren’t always to best places to fish especially when in a boat without a trolling motor. Instead, I focus on areas with underwater structure and depth changes because both are used by fish like seatrout, redfish, snook, etc. to ambush prey.
Byron! Nice to see you on here. I just joined Salt Strong. There is some great stuff on here. I found this video really good for us without bay boats with trolling motors. Enjoy your Biddison!
good report and i wish everyone would do as you say and be careful of the grass. in ozello ans st martin river there is huge drifts of it because people fly across the grass chopping it up as they go. on that tide you show is my favorite time to fish. a light incoming current with hiding spots is where the trout will be. let the wind and current drift you across and catch fish. red’s and snook are fun, but for some reason i really like the feel of a good trout on my line. i get almost as excited as otis 🙂
Thanks for making time to leave the nice comment Roy!
What do you think of this fishing line. OMNIFLEX BY ZEBCO
I haven’t used omniflex line before, so can’t say for certain. But my gut is always to go with companies that specialize in fishing lines when selecting the line that I’m going to be using… and I don’t think of fishing line when I think of Zebco.
Nice video. Only legitimate excuse not to be fishing is lightning. Like how you all tried covering the entire water column. Fastest way to find the fish. Also, trust your intuition. Thank you.
Thanks for making time to leave the nice comment! Yes, it’s def smart to get off the water any time there is lightning in the area.