AllTrails App: A Bank Fisherman’s Best friend
Keith Lusher 12.10.24
As an avid bank fisherman, I’m always looking for ways to scout for more spots to fish from the shoreline. It all started in the 80s when I figured out that I could buy satellite photos of local areas. The maps were laminated but I treated them as if they were gold-plated. These maps allowed me to scope out ponds and lakes tucked back in the woods.
Fast forward to today. Not much has changed. I’m still trying to use technology to find new fishing spots. This leads me to a discovery I made recently. It’s called the AllTrails App.
At first glance, the app has nothing to do with fishing. It’s actually designed for hikers who are in search of new trails to hike. The app features a comprehensive trail database. But here’s the deal. You can use the trail maps to find access to waterways.
What sets AllTrails apart is its user-friendly interface and rich visual information. Each trail comes with a cover photo and detailed description, which allows anglers to pick out new spots before ever stepping onto the trial.
This past week I used the Alltrails App to find a new fishing spot tucked back into a swamp that I could never get to by foot. I used the app to browse local trails and discovered a public nature trail just minutes from my home—a location I’d driven past countless times. The app’s detailed map showed not only the trail but the surrounding landscape, including a boardwalk that provided direct access to a river and swamp. In just two hours of fishing, I landed four largemouth bass and a crappie, proving that sometimes the best fishing spots are hiding in plain sight
The free version of AllTrails offers remarkable functionality for bank fishermen. You can filter trails by proximity, difficulty, and length, making it easy to find accessible fishing locations that match your walking stamina and time constraints. The app provides important information like trail length, elevation change, and user reviews—details that can help anglers plan their fishing strategy and understand the terrain before arriving.
One note of warning: While the app shows trails that intersect with water, there’s no guarantee that the land is public so I wouldn’t rely on it to point you to public fishing spots. I will say that every fishing spot I have found so far has been public so far.
So if you’re looking for new fishing spots from land, give the the AllTrails App a try.
My recommendation? Download the free version, spend some time exploring, and let AllTrails map guide you to your next bank fishing spot. You might just be surprised how this hiking app can help you catch more fish!
