After reading some replies to a different thread, it is obvious that some of the members that fish northern or natural lakes would like to see more information that is relevant to those waters. So I, for one, would like to share some and I encourage others to add some of their knowledge that is specific to those types of water.
For starters, and I believe this is most important reguardless of what type, or where your lake is; "A bass is a bass, is a bass" I don't know who said this, but I adopted this outlook a long time ago and try to apply the information from every article, video, or thread on a forum to the lakes I fish. Yes, I'm aware that there are northern/Florida strain/ smallmouth, etc. but the generality still applies. I also believe that structure is the key element to locating fish and that some knowledge of the fish and it's enviornment is essential.
Let's get a little specific now. Natural lakes contain structure, cover and forage just as the southern impoundments do. They may not be creek arms/ledges, submerged timber, or threadfin shad but they are still present. So whatever information you get from whatever source can be applied to your waters if you 'see' how it translates to them. Creek arms/ coves, ledges/drop offs, submerged timber/weed beds, threadfin shad/minnows or other small forage fish.
Lets talk points and all the information you know about them. There are 'points in your lake. How do you 'translate' that to a natural lake that's bowl shaped and void of points? Break down what a point is (slow bottom taper that leads from deep to shallow), and apply it to areas that are similar in your lake. What about the points and pockets that form in weed beds? That drop off will taper off somewhere (deep to shallow). Okay, maybe you're getting the idea, but where on that slow taper, or whatever do I look and how do I attack it? You apply the information you know about points to that area. You look for isolated cover, a change in bottom composition, current that is the result of the wind, and FORAGE.
I truely belive that if you can see the similarities between the different types of lakes, you can apply not only the knowledge you have acquired, but the techniques and baits that produce in the video's and articles where we obtain some if not a majority of that knowledge.