Locating Crappie on unfamiliar lakes

When fishing a new lake for crappie, what is the first thing you will look for? I've heard to look for drop offs, structure, etc.
Just curious what some of you do to find them?


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First thing I do is find out how the locals generally fish it, as far as what technique they use (but not necessarily what baits). You can usually find that out from marina websites, guide websites/reports, and reports on this site.

Second thing is to find out where I'm staying, if I'm going to be there more than one day. That sets up my game plan for fishing close to wherever I'm lodging. I'll also look at Google Earth to see what the area looks like. I've also found a site that might also come in handy, even if I don't purchase it : https://webapp.navionics.com/?lang=e...key=wecyElagdO

Third is to pick a creek or bay or section of the lake & concentrate my efforts there. And I try and pick one that not only fits the seasonal position & movement of the fish, but has features that are familiar and similar to a lake I fish often. Then I have a good idea on what parts of that section of water to concentrate on, as far as the depths and cover features present.

Lastly ... I fish that area with the same methods I would on a similar lake that I was more familiar with, in accordance with the season and conditions at the time.

Depending on how far you go, or how different the lake is from anything you've ever fished, you may have to learn or try a unfamiliar technique ... or even tweak a familiar technique ... in order to have a chance at catching anything. That's happened to me on Weiss Lake (Ala) and on Watts Bar Lake (Tenn). Weiss taught me longline trolling with multiple rods (Spring) and also bottom bouncing (Fall) (weight on bottom & dual minnow rig above). Watts Bar taught me dock shooting. (Spring/Fall)

Standing timber...stump fields...submerged brush...grass beds...laydowns...ledges....humps....creek channels...flats...the edge of flats...main lake points...secondary points. Then you grade them like....a secondary point that the creek channel runs close to gets more points than one that doesn't. A ledge that is next to a big flat that drops off to deep water pretty fast gets more points than a flat thats further from deep water..a main lake point that has a grass bed gets more points than one that has no structure....etc.etc.

Buy a good lake map...one that has a lot of the fishing spots marked and also has a lot of information on which creek arms are good in the spring and which places in fall...which stump fields and which timber stands are normally good. It's not all gospel but it's not trash either...much of it is right...it's just those places get fished hard normally and you have to find some places that have not been fished to death.

Sit and study that map and make a game plan...mark some good spots which you give the most points and then fish those spots. Just keep identifying and fishing more and more spots. Watch where others fish and especially those catching fish. Ask some people to show you some places on the map...some will some won't...but I have never not found at least one person that would help me at least some.

Get some marker buoys and learn to use your electronics to mark spots...learning when the spot your looking for is under the boat not behind it...learning to drop those markers and seeing how a ledge or point runs from the surface will teach you a lot. Later you may not use them much but they are a good teaching tool.

Go fishing with some people who know the lake.

Note where the bait fish hang out a lot.

Learn to fish away from the bank...find some spots in the middle of nowhere.

90 percent of the fish in 10 percent of the water

You have to find some places that aren't getting pounded...it won't do any good to fish a really good spot if two old retired guys have been cleaning it out all week while you been at work.And on Saturday somebodys going to be on a lot of those spots.So you have to learn to prospect....that's where the experience with maps and electronics help.

Go fishing

Find the food. Balls of shad the #1 food in most reservoirs. With any animal(crappie, bass, deer, etc.) find the food they are eating they will be close by.:twocents

I have a hummingbird Helix 9 with down imaging. I've got to learn more about it. It's hard for me to make things out on it. Gotta keep working it.


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I look for brush piles first thing .