I take more stock in what is happening at the boat ramps, if the ramp is busy something may be going on, if its busy 3 or 4 days in a row something is definately going on. Last year if I were going to a lake the next day I tried to drive around it the day before and check the ramps for traffic, dont take long to figure out where to start. Have few folks I will call and tell which stump but dont broadcast that too much.
Had a good friend that fished the Scuna river side of Grenada for years, dead now, we rarely seen each other but talked 3 or 4 times a week starting in Feb till May or so. Water depth, how deep, and color and we were good to go.
I apologise Big C, to answer your question I dont think pics and lake hurts, heck I came up there during the dang FJ and only caught 1 fesh, lake sho aint in no danger from me.