Sometimes the sound of a boat in the water is red flag to the big old fish in the lake.
On foot, if you quietly approach the shoreline close to dark, and keep a low profile, you can catch those big old lunkers off guard.
I caught my best bass that way a few years ago.

Try black Beatle Spins, they'll catch bass, crappie and others and can be fished through cover. Surface frogs and Zoom Speed Craws work for me along the banks. I rig the Zoom Speed Craw weightless on a Carolina rig on 8 pound line. With a spinning reel, I can make decent cast and cover lots of area. I'll buzz em fast at first then slow down if getting no bites. I always carry other topwaters such as Super Spook jrs and buzzbaits, along with Texas rigged worms, spinner baits and square billed crankbaits. Throw what you have until you find what the fish are biting. Good luck and good fishing.

Stay after them, and repeat for years.

Are you fishing rivers or lakes. I usually fish from shore at most of the lakes in NJ. However I have topographic maps that I'll bring with me. You can identify areas that should hold fish that you can reach from shore.