# Bulkhead Fishing



## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

I hear a lot about hitting the bulkheads early in the morning. This is more of a question of tactics. How long do you grind it out before relocating if you aren't getting bites? Personally, I will move up and down the bulkhead after a couple of hours. How long is too long for you?


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## mudmasher (Oct 23, 2009)

Okay , I need help. what is a "Bulkhead", is this an East Texas structure ? Do pine trees need to be present ? Im located near Victoria , we got mesquite and oaktrees . I'm assuming this is bank fishing in a public area.


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

A bulkhead is a wooden or concrete wall that prevents the water from eroding the bank away. You find them everywhere. Look around any marina. Now you will never miss them. Heh.


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

So I spent 4 hours on a bulkhead yesterday. Too long? Yep. How about bulkhead conditions...if it's choppy, are the bulkheads too rough for fish to hang out at?


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

BTW...I found the deep water at the LLP bulkhead....covered with trees! Ugh. Couldn't reel anything in off that stuff. Tried fishing under a bobber but couldn't cast it out quite far enough for the deep stuff. Would it be crazy to use a saltwater popping cork so I can cast farther? Maybe set up a 6 or 7 foot leader to get the bait away from the cork? I think the answer is use a lighter line and a slip bobber instead. But how about it...a saltwater popping cork?


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## NitroNX898 (Apr 7, 2009)

Usually, bulkhead fishing is better when the wind/current is pushing the shad up against it. When this happens the fish will be there too. Most all the water I fish is in the 3-4 foot


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## uncle dave (Jul 27, 2008)

I use a trolling motor and ease up and down the bulkheads, very seldom anchor.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

If you are stuck on the bank at say the state park, where you can roam, then locate a group of the snowy egrets, (big white birds) all gathered up in a small spot and looking/fishing intently straight down.
Walk up and drop a shad hooked once through the middle that you caught fresh in a cast net 2' to 3' under a cork, (maybe deeper in places) right at the edge of the bulkhead, 8" to 18" away from the steel. Use a 3/0 sea circle hook and a little split shot about 5" above the hook,...... no 5.378". lol! 

If you catch some there stay there, if not move to the next group of birds.
Go get em, BOI!


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

Thank everyone. I need to get this notion out of my head that I must fish the bottom for catfish and deeper is better. I also need to pick up a cast net. 5.378" above the cork put a 3/0 sea circle hook. Got it. heh.

Man 18" off the bulkhead? When y'all say fish the bulkhead, y'all MEAN it. I don't think I dropped my line 1 time that close in the 4 hours I was there. I think the closest I dropped was about 10 yards out. Derr. HAHA. Gives me hope SS!

That's the other thing. I didn't see any birds except some ducks. I tried working the ducks but got the feeling after a while they were working me. I came to this realization when they left me and sat in front of the next fisherman out there. I felt so used. Freeloadin' birds. The lot of 'em! lol


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

NitroNX898 said:


> Usually, bulkhead fishing is better when the wind/current is pushing the shad up against it. When this happens the fish will be there too. Most all the water I fish is in the 3-4 foot


So don't really worry about the chop that is created on the surface by the wind?


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## Ronborsk (Jan 28, 2006)

I like a little wave action myself but if it is so bad I can't detect a bite I move. Personally, my good spots I cast within a foot of the bulkhead, more than 2 feet away I recast. Don't ignore the docks/boat houses on the lake. Sometimes when they aren't right on the bulkhead I cast under the peoples boat docks and tear them up. I guess think of it as structure, bulkheads as a highway. While most times I read that they are after shad I still catch plenty when I don't find shad but, I do chum a little. About 16 to 20 ounces of soured milo cast out at the bulkheads. 

While many people fish just the morning hours I have had lots of luck fishing into the night.


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## dmzap (Dec 14, 2010)

Didn't fish a bulkhead today, but fished rocks along shore. Caught most of the fish up against the rocks. Farther out the slower the bite. Ended up with a cooler full. Sorry, no pics. Conroe on north end.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

I am not a catfisherman, but I will never forget the shad on the bulkheads one time in April or May. It was not very long after daylight, and I was lowering my boat down from the lift. I had it lowered some and then stopped it to get in and attach my depth finders and GPS. As deaf as I am, I could hear something.... The shad were so thick right against the bulkhead that I could hear the water rippling caused by what was probably literally millions of shad. The huge majority of the shad were anywhere from touching the bulkhead to 6 inches from it.


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

I was DEFINITELY casting in the wrong area. Heh.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

BOI, try the big bridge in Onlaska on the east bank there is a little public access where the bridge ends and the fishing is good when the south wind blows the shad up on the bank. I really want to see a kick a#$ report from you.


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

shadslinger said:


> BOI, try the big bridge in Onlaska on the east bank there is a little public access where the bridge ends and the fishing is good when the south wind blows the shad up on the bank. I really want to see a kick a#$ report from you.


"I'm shakin' the bushes boss. I'm shakin' the bushes!" Heh Thanks SS!


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

What we have here,....come on BOI, give us a good report and you can win that free drifting trip with us, I'm banking on you, lol!
So far Kevbow has put up the best report, but anybody with a good catch and some Pictures will be in the running!


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