I'm interested in targeting the larger species, but unfortunately don't have a boat. I use to fish on the banks at Benbrook Lake in Fort Worth and caught more carp, small channel cats, and hybrid bass. Never caught a big cat. I've used the santee cooper, slip sinker rig, and three way break away rigs. Any tips or recommendations for me. Would it be worth investing in a surf rod to get my bait out into deeper water in the lakes?

Out Deeper can help but big ones are caught next to the bank at times. Fish 4-6 Rods scattered. Varied leader lengths. 10' ProAnglers are Great Rods as well as 10' Eagle Claw Water Eagle Rods. . Try different baits and different cuts of same bait - fillets vs chunks vs heads. Bigger baits usually help get bigger fish but not always. Download Navionics App to your phone and try to fish next to where you see under water creek channels or old roads or dropoffs, humps, bowls, railroad tracks, gravel roads.

Come to Grapevine / OakGrove Park Sat and you can see several bank fishing setups.......

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/12028445/G'Vine_Bankfest_Sat_Jan_28th_8#Post12028445

Bankfest Click Here

Very cool - thanks! I will try to make it out