Help Reading A Bathymetric Map

[BigmouthForever23]

I found this map of a lake that I'll be fishing on a regular basis. Can anyone give me some tips on getting the most out of this map? I'm trying to pinpoint areas where the largest bass can be found. As you can tell it's a very shallow lake and before discovering this map, I found very minimal structure. After looking at this map, it looks like there are some dropoffs I can focus on. But my question is what are the little "pockets" throughout the map with different depths? Would that be considered structure I can focus on? I just started fishing this lake and it's loaded with bass but almost all that I've caught so far have been under a pound or so. Biggest was probably 2 pounds maybe. I'm trying to figure out where the bigger bass are on the lake.

 

 

[WRB]

Let's break this little lake down into a few areas that big bass tend to prefer,

1. The dam area.

2. The major point.

3 The main lake basin, west shore.

4. Spawning area, north west arm.

The dam a provides a structure with deeper water, places to hunt crawdads.

The major point is a good home area location, the 5' break line being the depth zone.

The west end of the main lake basin is similar to the dam area, could be good when wind blows onto that bank. The creek inlet and delta looks good, source of prey.

The shallow northwest area looks to be a good spawning area, the major point being the staging zone for pre spawn.

Can't tell about aquatic vegetation, could be heavy!

The pockets are only about 1' deeper than surrounding basin bottom, not significant features, unless some hard bottom or rock is there, soft bottom would be good catfish areas.

Tom

[BigmouthForever23]

Thank you so much for your response. How did you know there's a dam? What do you consider the "major point?"

 

I'll definitely check out the dam for the deeper water. What are these pockets throughout the map? How are those formed?

[WRB]

The major point is land mass that divides the north west arm from the main lake basin, the rounded end of that land mass is the "point".

The dam is obvious from the straight lines close together.

The depressions shown are simply deeper pockets than surrounding bottom .

Tom

[uncustered]

I would also go for the stepper bank to the left of the dam. Any time you see a concentration of contour lines. That's s ledge or drop off where the fish can go shallow to feed then quickly drop off to deep water for safety....

[WRB]

Did you find the major point?

Now look straight across from that point to the east, see a cove on the east shoreline with wide spaces between the 1' depth lines, the bank next to that cove towards the dam where the line are close together meet the wider spaced cove lines....that is a good transition area to fish day or at night. The bass move to that type of area to feed, this little lake doesn't have much in the way of deep water, slight contour bottom changes become key elements, soil changes are very important, look for any rocks, gravel, clay, avoid the mucky bottom areas, they can be dead zones.

Tom

[BigmouthForever23]

I would also go for the stepper bank to the left of the dam. Any time you see a concentration of contour lines. That's s ledge or drop off where the fish can go shallow to feed then quickly drop off to deep water for safety....

 

Are you referring to the main point?

[BigmouthForever23]

Did you find the major point?

Now look straight across from that point to the east, see a cove on the east shoreline with wide spaces between the 1' depth lines, the bank next to that cove towards the dam where the line are close together meet the wider spaced cove lines....that is a good transition area to fish day or at night. The bass move to that type of area to feed, this little lake doesn't have much in the way of deep water, slight contour bottom changes become key elements, soil changes are very important, look for any rocks, gravel, clay, avoid the mucky bottom areas, they can be dead zones.

Tom

 

I think I know exactly where you're talking about. I'll will try and focus on that area. And the bank by the d**n contains a lot of rocks. I'm not sure how much is under the water but I know it gets deep quickly from the bank. Thank you so much for all of your posts in both of my threads.

[Catt]

Where is the water source?

[RoLo]

Where is the water source?

 

Probably the southwest corner, but I was wondering the same thing (where's the inlet?)

 

Roger

[WRB]

I thought it was the SW corner. Before this lake was created (my guess is) the creek formed a few small ponds at the west end, then flowed to where the dam is now located. Could be wrong.

The fact this lake produces large Bluegill and Crappie would indicated there is a source of minnows and aquatic insects to feed on, therefore there should be a few good size bass.

Introducing Grass Carp into a lake without a grass problem and no aeration system confirms my initial commit regarding poor lake management.

Tom

[Catt]

Find the inlet & that's where ya will find me

[RoLo]

Find the inlet & that's where ya will find me

 

Darn it, I hate a crowd  

[Catt]

Darn it, I hate a crowd

Stop whining & fish

The inlet will be the life blood of this poorly managed lake the place I would start my search!

[WRB]

#3

[RoLo]

Stop whining & fish

The inlet will be the life blood of this poorly managed lake the place I would start my search!

 

#3

 

Okay Tom & Tom, when you boys are ready to leave the inlet give me a holler,

I don't mind working used water 

 

Roger

[BigmouthForever23]

I wanted to bump this thread to update ya'll. I caught not only the biggest bass so far out of this lake, but it's one of my biggest ever. Remember I live in the NW suburbs of Chicago so anything over 3 pounds is considered a really nice size bass. I think this one was about 3 pounds. I didn't have anyone to take a pic of me with the fish so it's somewhat of a close shot but I took one with it next to my shoe to give you an idea of the size (I wear a size 12 shoe). This bass was so chunky!

 

Catching this bass gave me so much needed confidence in this lake. Even if there are a few big ones and ton of small ones, I still have some hope now. And the conditions were not ideal. We've had so much rain lately the water quality was worse than it normally was. It literally looked like someone dyed the water with green color.

 

I caught this bass where a fellow poster (WRB) mentioned could be a good spot. So thank you for that. I circled the spot in yellow.

 

Sorry for bumping both my threads but I didn't want anyone to miss out on how excited I was to land a bass over a half pound!

[Miller's Ferry 8]

On a shallow lake like this its all about the cover and the make up of the bottom.  In the hotter months I'd fish brush piles or rock piles in the 6-7 feet range.  Shade also plays a huge factor on these lakes.  If you find shade its almost guaranteed there is a fish in it.  Especially if its the only shady spot on the lake.