Where To Start On A New "lake"?

[mathnerdm]

So I've only ever bank fished but just recently bought a kayak and have only taken it out twice, both times to a local creek I normally bank fish at... Now I'm wanting to take it to a larger body of water. Near me there's a lake (in reality, it's a widened section of the Guadalupe river) that I want to try... but I have NO idea where to start! It's almost overwhelming to imagine where to even begin. There are houses and docks lining almost all the bank so would tossing a jig under those be a good start? I also don't have a fish finder if that makes any difference. ANY TIPS for someone who's not used to fishing a lake from a boat would be amazing! 

[MainelyBASS]

Docks are always a good bet with a jig. Also, points should be your next target area after you have fished the shallow structure. Docks, logs, rocks and stumps will hold fish shallow. If they aren't there move off to a point and position your kayak a good distance from shore working your way toward the shallow area of the point. Also if there are river mouths those will hold fish as well.

[mathnerdm]

Docks are always a good bet with a jig. Also, points should be your next target area after you have fished the shallow structure. Docks, logs, rocks and stumps will hold fish shallow. If they aren't there move off to a point and position your kayak a good distance from shore working your way toward the shallow area of the point. Also if there are river mouths those will hold fish as well.

Awesome! Now I've obviously heard of fishing points, but how do I find them? Are they just where you can see the land jutting out? And what lures are best for fishing points? Just search baits and things like football head jig dragged along the bottom? Thanks!

[MainelyBASS]

Awesome! Now I've obviously heard of fishing points, but how do I find them? Are they just where you can see the land jutting out? And what lures are best for fishing points? Just search baits and things like football head jig dragged along the bottom? Thanks!

Without sonar, you are sort of stuck to looking at the map and just fishing the piece of land that sticks out the furthest, easy enough. With sonar, you can find underwater points, but it would be tough to find them without sonar. As far as baits go, the standards apply--jigs, texas rigged worms, I would say a deep running crank, but in a kayak I would skip that. My favorite is dropshotting points. I would also consider using Google Earth to look over the lake if you havent. It could help you find underwater points, or humps that you didn't know where there. You can do this by looking at the map and finding bright spots on the body of water. The darker the water appears on the map, the deeper it is. I have used Google Earth for every lake I have ever fished on, and it makes a huge difference. Sonar is great if the lake is mapped by Lowrance or Humminbird, but if there is no existing maps, you will only find humps and drop offs if you drive over them, or you can use Google Earth and find out many details you might not have known.

[Ozark_Basser]

In a yak, you don't have as much of a choice when it comes to location. I'd just go around fishing points and visible cover like those docks you mentioned.

[MIbassyaker]

Try to use wind and/or current to your advantage by lining up some likely targets with wind/current direction and positioning yourself to drift past. You can then hit a few locations in a row before having to stop fishing to paddle around.

[WRB]

Guadalupe River is in flood stage, what part do you plan to fish?

Tom

[Canyon explorer]

You can have a great time fishing a new lake with a kayak, especially one that has boat docks, Run off pocket coves, points and lay downs along the banks. Nor do you need any kind of depth sonar. Learn to pitch plastic creature baits e.g . 5'  lizards, baby brush hogs, tubes and gitzet type baits pitched under the docks and ramps. jerkbaits and small spinner baits off the down stream corners and edges. Many of those docks should have man made brush piles sunk under and around them and can be worked with Texas rigged worms and finesse jigs. your kayak is small, very low to the water, and highly maneuverable which will serve you very well.

[the reel ess]

I used to be absolutely clueless about this. And maybe I'm still no genius.

 

But I'd start a day off throwing buzzbaits and other topwaters around docks or any wood cover  near deeper water. If this got bites, I'd keep it up with a white spinnerbait for a while until the bite stopped. If not, I'd move to some secondary and main lake points near deeper water and throw some big c-rig worms and cranks.

 

If all this failed. I'd start skipping docks relentlessly with a wacky rig or creature.

 

If that failed, I'd go to a local pond where they can't get away.

[the reel ess]

You can have a great time fishing a new lake with a kayak, especially one that has boat docks, Run off pocket coves, points and lay downs along the banks. Nor do you need any kind of depth sonar. Learn to pitch plastic creature baits e.g . 5'  lizards, baby brush hogs, tubes and gitzet type baits pitched under the docks and ramps. jerkbaits and small spinner baits off the down stream corners and edges. Many of those docks should have man made brush piles sunk under and around them and can be worked with Texas rigged worms and finesse jigs. your kayak is small, very low to the water, and highly maneuverable which will serve you very well.

5' LIZARDS! Talk about big bass baits! 

[mathnerdm]

Guadalupe River is in flood stage, what part do you plan to fish?

Tom

I've seen it as of yesterday and it wasn't bad. I know Blanco and the San Marcos river were much more flooded. The part I'm fishing is Dunlap, a widened section of the Guadalupe that's dammed off.