How Does One Go About Fishing A New Lake?

[crappie_jiggin]

I was just wondering how you all go about fishing a new lake or a lake you haven't been on, but maybe once or twice with no luck at all.

I know allot of looking and searching, but just what is it you look for and what seems to be the best areas for different times of the year. We all know that spring time is the easiest time to find fish on the banks or in their spawning areas, but it's those summer and winter patterns for a new lake is what I was wondering how you go about finding fish. Understand brush piles are always a key for crappie, but what else and what leads you to those areas.

[Frank300]

I was just wondering how you all go about fishing a new lake or a lake you haven't been on, but maybe once or twice with no luck at all.

I know allot of looking and searching, but just what is it you look for and what seems to be the best areas for different times of the year. We all know that spring time is the easiest time to find fish on the banks or in their spawning areas, but it's those summer and winter patterns for a new lake is what I was wondering how you go about finding fish. Understand brush piles are always a key for crappie, but what else and what leads you to those areas.

I will spend a half a day or more in my boat using structure scan to locate rock and brush piles, lay down trees, etc. Based on the time of year some piles will have fish on them while others will not. I mark the structure via waypoints on my HDS 9. After I have completed that I will go back to any waypoints that are holding fish to see if they are interested. I will be doing this at Wister next month. I have never been on that lake.

[IkenI]

I like to stroll (slow troll with a rod in each hand) while watching the Garmin for structure and marking it. We will see if this works late next week as I am going to Pine Creek for a few days. Haven't been on that lake in over 30 years. It's a pretty lake. I'll have a tent up at Lost Rapids if anyone wants to join me.

[Josh Jones]

If possible try to target bridges, bridge pillars, and docks. You can't go wrong on any lake. They offer shade, covers, and brush in some cases

[TimY]

Hard to beat trolling crankbait's and a lot of fun

[Eufaula boy]

First I will contact anyone that I know that has been on the lake before, try to find out where the dangerous areas are so I don tear my boat up. Then try to get some general information about water clarity, techniques, structure, etc. then try to pull up a map, I know on the crappiemasters site they have navionics lake maps you can look at before you even leave your home. Also most fish finders and chartplotters have good mapping of the lake you can have a plan before you arrive. As for time of year winter, spring, summer, fall, then depth of the lake, and water clarity I have basic rules I fish by to find fish. With the electronics we have now days it has taking a ton of time on the water out of it. EB

[Lonnie84]

I would start right here on CDC, I like to look for patterns so I will go back as many years in the archives as I can; usually 4 or 5 years for what ever lake I'm planning on fishing, by now probably all of the lakes here in OK have some history on CDC. I then just look thru the post that are roughly covering the same time frame that I would be fishing that lake, if it's a popular lake you'll find a lot of info, if it's a smaller lake and doesn't have much info then you could pm some of the posters that have frequented the lake and see if they are willing to help. I just had a person pm me earlier for the same reason and like most of the CDC folks I tried to offer up as much help/info as I could.

Good Luck!

[Crappie Reaper]

Just give me a call before you launch. I know everything and that starts with me knowing nothing. JK, look at a map of the lake, creek channels, possible ledges, flats/humps/steep drop offs, etc. A decent down/side scan helps. Depending on the time of year and what other lakes in the same climate are doing. The most important thing are those little white specks that are all grouped together hanging around a drop off or brush. You'd be surprised how many nice crappie are shallow in the standing timber when water temps are in the 80's.

[crappie_jiggin]

Great information guys, keep them coming for those who haven't posted. I just got off a 12 hr midnight shift and then went to the lake and scanned for 5 hrs and I got from it was a very good red tan(forgot the sunscreen). I was able to mark about 15 spots. I'm still trying to get use to this Lowrance HDS Gen 2 touch and I am not as happy with the side scan feature as I was with my Humminbird that I sold. Now as far as the down scan I like it way better. I just can't seem to see piles as clear with it. I go ahead and mark what appears to be some brush and then go back over it with my down scan to check and I bet I erased over 40 marks today that wasn't anything at all. I guess I need some real help with a new lake and how to use these fancy electronics we have now days. I played around with the contrast and a few others settings and just can't get that 100% clear image while side scanning as I did with the other one. With it when you saw brush to the side you knew it was brush this one just doesn't pull it in. Ok I know I'm rattling on here.

So who's willing to give me all the intel I need to help me find some fish. Just pm me so everyone else doesn't know who is giving me all the good stuff......

I may have to call in the big dogs for this if I have to. Talking about Tommy Boy, but I don't want to have to use that card.

[Ranger09]

Let's just use a Keystone as the lake I had never been on before. 3 years ago EB and I were going to pre fish for our tournament trail. We got the best weather forecast as we could. Pulled up goggle earth and looked for areas we could fish with the forecasted winds. I used google earth, navtronics mapping, and already had a good idea depth of water these fish should be in at this time of year. Next wasn't find structure, channel breaks, and flats in the area we choose. We mapped with our HDS units for several hours finding all the structure we could in a 3 mile stretch. First we spider rigged those areas to find active fish. Didn't happen. Next we went to knocking the bark off wood doing what I do best and that's a cast n drag technique we wore em out after we went through our boxes finding the right color. I will also say it's ok to watch, listen, and ask questions from locals. You can also usually find out technique, baits, and areas just by striking up a conversation at any local tackle shop. A lot of time when I hit a new body of water I will just watch the locals for sometime to see what they are doing and area. I know EB does as well.......Ranger