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I was wondering, how would some of you fish a lake for the first time.. I fish one lake and fish it all the time.. But I am wanting to travel a bit more just to see other lakes. Do most of you stick to your guns and fish only one way or do you take in consideration the lake and get a game plan and go from there? thanks for your input!!!
newbie / Arkansas / Blue Mt. Lake
I don't fish too many different lakes so I'll leave your question to those on here that do.......Looks like your doing fine on your home waters though.......nice slabs or you have really little hands :biggrin
if im going to a new lake for the first time first thing i do is look at it in a map, then depending on the time of year, look
for creeks , backwater areas, river channels , and contours, in the spring the fish will follow creeks a channels or stag in these areas just off the flats, bends in these creeks are a great place to look ,points or humps are also good places to look, post spawn, they will also move right back to these areas, then the warmer the weather the closer to summer it get they will move deeper in most lakes , but not all lakes , some lakes the hotter it gets the shallower they go, this all depends on the available oxygen levels,or the thermocline, these are just places to start and eliminate water , hope this helps!
once you locate these ares , use you electronics to locate fish , if theres have no fish or life then move on to the next area and do the same, eliminate water until your marking fish and bait fish, these areas should be fished
Awesome advice!
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Originally Posted by CastandBlast
:Rofl big fish.. and yeah, I know my home water REAL well... I've got 1000's and 1000's of feet of PVC in it and love fishing it!!
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Originally Posted by Crappie Greg
thanks for the advice Crappie Greg. I will get a map and start there.
thanks
L J
What greg said is a great starting point
A) Take Crappie Greg five times.
B) Ditch him then, and take me.
You're welcome!
(Clearly, you seem to know what you're doing.......so ignore me!)
Check out the youtube video by flukemaster. search "crappie fishing in the fall" gives some great advice.
[QUOTE=e!
(Clearly, you seem to know what you're doing.......so ignore me!)[/QUOTE]
Everone else does.
:cheers2 Buckrub, I see you like nimrod.. I have only fished it 1 time but hope to fish it some in the near future. If crappie greg will give me some secrets i will take you up on it.. lol nothing i enjoy more than fishing with new people.. if you are ever in my neck of the woods just look me up...
Greg nailed this one boys!!! I use the Navionics app on my phone instead of a paper map, but paper maps do have great detail, and come in handy to find the structure described by Greg.
Yes we try to ignore you but it ain't easy Harold.:bashQuote:
Originally Posted by Harold
Now this is great advice! hahahaQuote:
Originally Posted by Buckrub
Part of being old is being able to look back on how you might have spent your time more wisely and productively. If I could go back and change some of the things I have done, one of them would have been to hire a guide for a day or two each new lake I fished, just to show me the community holes, and maybe a sweet spot or two. To think of the hours and days I have wasted trying to figure out Fork, Livingston, Sabine Lake and East and West Bay.
Greg nailed it for sure. My scouting starts before I ever lay eyes on the lake. Not all of the lakes that you fish will have detailed maps available. In that case, Google Earth can still provide some good info. Look for points, dams, bays, bluffs, rocky banks, coves, and visible structure such as trees and stumps. That will give some clues as to where to start scanning based water temp, time of year, that sort of thing. When you get on the water, hit those areas and use your si to dissect as much of the lake as possible, using your map to make a grid so you are always covering new water. Be on the lookout for fish, brush, bottom structure, and bait fish. If any of those things are holding fish, mark it. Dont be afraid to spend several hours doing this. If I am prefishing for a tournament, I may go a full day without wetting a line. Once you are confident that you have several good areas marked. Start fishing!!
If you are just fishing for fun, you can cut out a lot of the scouting and just begin fishing when you find a good spot. Once you get it down it doesnt take long to find em.
Good question smokinsti, and some very good answers. I should talk to you about how you place your PVC structures, I put some out yesterday and will probably put out some more today, but I always wonder if I'm putting them in good locations. Otherwise it's money down the lake, so to speak.
Great info everyone the only thing I might add this time of year is look for shade standing timber trees overhanging deep water banks bridges,docks anything that provides shade this time of year is worth looking at!
On a new lake remember one key thing. 99% off all people who own a boat with a motor. Even those who own a boat with a motor that will not run very good will leave the ramp and motor across to the other side to fish even if they know that more than likely they will be paddeling back across the lake to get back to the truck. My tip to you is to find a ramp that does not have another ramp directly across the lake. Put the boat in and use the TM and depth finder to find the first significant drop off straight out from the ramp. Fish there. Most people drive across a good bite right at the landing. If you are driving a boat, looking at a map, or punching on a video screen, sonar or otherwise, you are significantly reducing your fish catching time and chances. If you see a whole wad of boats, go the opposite direction, because it will just make you frustrated and do stupid stuff if you try to join in with them. Besides, I'll be at the other end away from the crowd and you can stop by and say howdy. You may not catch as many fish as some of the crowded boats, but hey at least you'll leave with less stress and probably be able to say "hey, we didn't exactly tear them up, but we caught more than the fat, short armed guy in the Excel".
Two roads converged in a yellow wood, and I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference..........................Quote:
Originally Posted by RCC
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Originally Posted by Buckrub
And both that morning equally lay, In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day!......I doubted if I should ever come back
I shall be telling this with a sighQuote:
Originally Posted by Cmj
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
crossed eyes and tongue out, i just farted and that is all !!!!!
:Rofl Mr. Frost would be proud!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Crappie Greg
I agree hiring a guide is the cheapest way to learn how to fish a new lake. They will show you the pattern that is working best for them at that particular time, and the pattern is really what you're looking for on any particular lake. After that it's up to you to do your homework, and fine tune the pattern to fit your needs, whether it it be Numbers of or Size of fish.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tonykarter
I doubt they give up their personal Big Fish spots, or their honey holes tho!!! They WILL put you on good fishing however!!! Most guides do some tournament fishing, and they love getting paid to pre fish. BE OBSERVANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ain't not nary one of you yahoos that made those posts above BRM even close to "right" if you know what I mean. Killin me:Rofl
We NEVER know what you REALLY mean.Quote:
Originally Posted by RCC
BWAHAHAHAHAHA
It would be a nice night for Crab legs at Wynne again tho!!! Lori and I are headed back to Jonesboro after while, and them legs are haunting me!!! :)
Thanks for all the info guys! I put some of it to work and we brought hom our 40 for the day..:highfive
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Originally Posted by Mac Daddy
I will get out my scrap book and download some pics of some of the ones i have built.. Some are simple and some are huge but all of them hold fish as far as i can tell.