New To Large Water Advice Needed Please

[TBO]

Hey All   im from south eastern Mass. and finally got a flat bottom boat and a gas motor.  which allows me to fish larger water without fear of other rigs swamping me.    my problem is,  im a pond fisherman. used to fairly small ponds that are no more than 10 feet deep.     I just fished my first largest body of water this week , S, Watuppa pond in fall river ma.  its 3.5 miles long with 1 1/2 miles wide at its widest point. it has flowing water from its mother pond across the street which is off limits due to drinking water.  i dont have any electronics so it makes this body even tougher to figure out.  my question is,    if you were in my situation what would you do first?   explore and cast to feel the bottom rather than concentrating on pulling fish.   or would you fish the shore line?      

 

their is a decent array of fish here, Large mouth, small mouth, perch, crappie, tigger musky, bullhead, walleye

 

i posted a few links bellow. the last link is a google map.  the orange locater is the north watuppa which is off limits. i am fishing the south watuppa.

 

 thanks for reading

 

 

 

http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dfg/dfw/habitat/maps-ponds/dfwswatu.pdf

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watuppa_Ponds

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Watuppa+Pond,+Massachusetts/@41.6636161,-71.1353636,7279m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x89e4f9786c42a4fb:0x205bf880504748e4!5m1!1e4

[J Francho]

Basically, break parts of the lake down to manageable chunks, and fish each part, learning the lake as you go.

[southernson1989]

Basically, break parts of the lake down to manageable chunks, and fish each part, learning the lake as you go.

Also if u don't have electronics use a lure you know the rate of fall with like a light texas rig and count off the rate of fall.

[Catt]

Basically, break parts of the lake down to manageable chunks, and fish each part, learning the lake as you go.

Divide & conquer