I Finally Have A Boat...how Do I Fish A Lake?

[dale.m]

Hey everybody!

 

After years of owning a small plastic boat with a trolling motor attached, I finally got the itch to upgrade. Luckily, my uncle was getting rid of his fishing boat and he sold it to me with the trailer for an incredible price.

 

I've fished ponds and very small lakes for years, but now that I have the resources to get out on bigger lakes, it's like I am learning to fish all over again. I've been out a few times and I haven't been able to get one strike at all!

 

I know that most of you guys are experienced fisherman and have been fishing bigger lakes for years. Where do I start when I approach a bigger lake? The boat I own now has a decent fish finder, but even with that, I have no idea where to begin. 

 

Thank you so much guys!

 

[CDobber]

I recently asked a similar question, and got a lot of great responses.  Here is the thread:

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/141509-frustration-setting-in-success-from-shore-not-translating-to-boat/

 

I'm 2 years in and struggling to find fish with any consistency, especially bass.  Have caught a couple nice northern pike this year, some other assorted fish here and there (one SMB, white bass, panfish, etc).

[BiteFiend]

When I got my first boat years ago, I had a habit of trying to cover too much water and fished areas too fast because I could now fish wherever I wanted. Don't know if that's part of the problem with you guys, but something that was suggested to me was to break the lake into smaller sections and fish that section only and really thoroughly. That section might have a variety of different types of structure and cover. For a couple months, I would fish the same 1/2 of a small 200 acre lake that has a point, a creek channel, some rip rap, and places of shallow vegetation. I had enough variety in that little area to not get discouraged (if they're not here, they could be there type of thing). It really forced me to slow down and fish more thoroughly. I still break down larger lakes the same way.

Also begin with typical seasonal patterns and go from there. And if all else fails, there's almost always shallow fish that are catchable

[CDMeyer]

When I first got my boat it was a bit overwhelming because I know had the whole lake at my finger tips.  One of my big problems has been when I am not catching anything I move to another spot.  This can be smart, but I think it hurt me more often than not.  So if I were you I would find a bay that also has a point going out on to the main lake.  Tie on

• Crank Bait
• Power Worm
• Lipless Crank Bait
• Football Jig
• Swim Jig

Then start fishing the point and work your way into the bay.  While doing this pay attention to the bites you get and the areas you do not get bit.  From there take what you learned and come up with a pattern.  Weather you caught one fish or 25 fish.  Use that pattern on the rest of the lake.  Sometimes you will have to go back and fish that first area several times until something producing, but just commit to it and fish your strengths.

[gulfcaptain]

If you can get a good map of the lake which shows you depth, and bottom features, I would start there.  Look for areas that would hold fish and focus on them.  Eliminate a lot of the lake before you ever start.  Then take you boat out WITHOUT any rods, do some recon work, look at the areas you found on the map, look for cover to go with the stucture you found.  Find areas you have confidence in fishing and fish those first.  If you're a better shallow water person, just because you have a boat don't go try and fish ledges and expect to knock it out of the park.  Just remember now that you have a boat if you're fishing the bank you probably have the boat in the same water you would normally be casting to.  May have to back yourself off and try and sit a bit farther out.  And like others said, also start with seasonal patterns that should apply to the areas of interest you found on your map.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Fish finders are what you attach to the end or your line. Better known as lures.

Start looking on something like Google Earth. You'll start to get an idea of areas that look productive. Find out what types of local/seasonal patterns work in your neck of the woods and start there. Use your instincts. Be patient. You might not start jacking the fish up immediately.

Just go out and have some fun. The fish will come as you learn more and more.

[EmersonFish]

There is a lot you can learn on here about the specific techniques and strategies you can use. My initial advice would be to be patient. I remember before I had a boat thinking that boat guys had it easy, and if I ever got one, I'd get out on the water and start tearing them up right away. Of course, when I finally got a nice boat, that was not the case at all. I was just like you.

 

Without knowing specifics about your body of water, and when you are fishing, and what you have tried, it's hard to say what you should do next. You obviously know how to fish from the bank or a smaller boat. The fundamentals are the same, you just have access to more areas, which is overwhelming. Find out from the locals what areas you should be targeting now, make sure you understand how to locate those areas, and focus on fishing them. You'll find that boat control is as big a challenge as anything. Whatever you do, don't get caught up running and gunning around the lake hoping to happen upon some fish.

 

If you know someone who knows the lake well and catches a lot of fish, invite them fishing; unless you are like me and terrified of people.

 

The main thing is, have fun on that boat. It's a boat.

[gardnerjigman]

3/8 oz jigs or t-rigged baby brush-hog on rocks, docks, weed lines and visible lay downs, brush piles, trees.

Easiest way to catch them big or small. Once you get your confidence from that start exploring.

Have fun and don't over think it!

[G8RBob]

Trolling is an excellent means of locating fish.

[Hubtech]

I'm in the same "boat" so to say..... Just got a boat 2 months ago, i've gone 1-2 times a week since then and have caught at most 10 fish.  We have a bunch of 50-75 acre lakes around here, and one or two 100-300 acre lakes.  While it is discouraging.... it's still better than workin I've started telling my wife i'm going to float around in the boat instead of fish

[dale.m]

Thanks for the encouraging words guys! I think I'll start with scouting out good looking spots on Google Earth, determining whether they might hold fish given the weather conditions, and then sectioning that part of the lake off and limiting my fishing to that one area for the day. I have multiple rods, so I will have a soft plastic, a crank, a swim jig, and a football jig tied on along with a classic top water setup just in case they are looking to get airborne. I'll let you know how it goes!

[Logan S]

Keep it simple to start.  Use the same stuff you had success with in the smaller boat or from shore and try to find areas that match what you are used to.  

 

Not every body of water follows the 'book'...So most times you need to figure it out on your own.  If you have issues finding fish after a while, look at what the other boats are doing...But focus on the DIFFERENCES in what they are doing versus what you had been doing.  

 

Be patient and willing to learn, don't try to copy other boats...Learn from them. 

 

A lot of people get discouraged because they think having the boat will now free up all the limitations they had...In reality, it only gives you more variables to figure out! 

 

Apply what you already know, keep an open mind, and learn.  You will get the hang of it eventually .  

[hubshooter]

Another tool you can use to learn the topography of your lake is the Navionics web app

http://webapp.navionics.com/?lang=en Then get on the water and  find some of the structure you identified on the app and see what shows up on your graph. Good luck man!

[Slade House]

learn how to use pitching to cast , period , just learn it and use it. 

[dale.m]

Well I got a chance to get out on the water this afternoon and this new strategy paid off! 

 

I researched a few spots before I hit the water and sectioned off a part of the lake that I was going to fish. It was very slow starting out. I worked my way along the banks pitching worms and jigs to possibly get a strike out of a lazy summer bass. The water temp was 82 degrees and it was hot out! After what felt like a few lazy hits and no fish, I was beginning to get discouraged, but I didn't give up.

 

I came up with a new strategy and I decided to fish a nice point I had found in the part of the lake I had sectioned off. I quickly watched my graph drop from 8 feet to 21 feet and decided to sit on the flat and fish a deep crank up the bluff. Boy did it pay off! I caught 4 within 30 minutes and several more over the next hour or so before I had to pack it in. 

 

Thanks for the help guys! I'll keep working at it, but it helps to know that I'm on the right track!

 

[Hubtech]

nice!!!

[SoFlaBassAddict]

WTG! That's how it's done right there!

[basscatcher8]

Trolling is an excellent means of locating fish.

 

I've been doing more of this than anything to define spots. Its obviously not allowed in tournaments but when your out fun fishing it doesnt hurt to do. Might even snag dinner while your at it.

[nubasser]

Looks like a good day on the water.

A couple of things about being a new boat owning fisherman. I would recommend you take a boater safety course, online or classroom setting.

In addition to all of the value able information on this site and comments from great folks willing to share, one thing I would add to this is, if you are on a lake with multiple bass fisherman, which you will probably recognize by how they target structure, if you see a lot of this fishing similar stuff then that is a great thing to try to duplicate. Example, if they are fishing long tapering points then most likely the fish are in those areas, are they fishing lay downs maybe the fish are on that, docks, rock etc. in one particular tournament my partner and I were struggling for bites. We observed several boats,not even in our tournament group, with their nose against shore and from what we could tell we're cranking rip rap banks. We found similar banks and managed a small limit by duplicating this.