So Crazy Question

[kingmotorboat]

Finding fish deep and fishing deep. Is anyone able to do it without depth finder and if so how. Because I currently do not have one

[Bluebasser86]

It is possible, although it's time consuming. I used to do it out of a 2 man without electronics using a deep crankbait that was in constant contact with the bottom, or a heavy jig/C-rig. Make sure you have marker buoys so when you find something you can toss a buoy on it or you'll constantly have to keep finding it again. Start in known fish holding areas like the end of points until you find a drop into a channel, rockpile, or something else that creates that "Spot on the spot". 

[Jrob78]

Paper maps are your friend.

[kingmotorboat]

Paper maps are your friend.

Hard to find them for Calcasieu river

[Bluebasser86]

Hard to find them for Calcasieu river

There's a free map for it on Navionics website. 

[Neil McCauley]

I don't have a depth finder but I do well just knowing the lake and the fish in it. If they aren't in the first few places I'm expecting them then I'll try trolling. The key is to explore a little, try new things.

The LMB in my lake hang out very deep, often at the same depths as SMB. I caught two ~5lbers last week suspended about 20ft deep in about 30-40 FOW.

[WRB]

Deep is a relative term in bass fishing.

You are fishing a river where current is the key factor, water temperatures are mixed, DO levels are consistent.

You need to know where current breaking structure is located and should be able to determine that visually by reading the moving water.

A map will show you where deeper holes are located and you can easily locate them by land marks when river fishing.

Lakes are completely different, very little current if any, topography under water is usually similar to the surrounding land above water. To find isolated structure elements sonar is a tremendous aide and every bass angler with a boat should invest in a unit that, at a minimum, indicated the depth accurately. No reason today to fish blind.

Tom

[kingmotorboat]

There's a free map for it on Navionics website.

I may have to check in.to this

[kingmotorboat]

Deep is a relative term in bass fishing.

You are fishing a river where current is the key factor, water temperatures are mixed, DO levels are consistent.

You need to know where current breaking structure is located and should be able to determine that visually by reading the moving water.

A map will show you where deeper holes are located and you can easily locate them by land marks when river fishing.

Lakes are completely different, very little current if any, topography under water is usually similar to the surrounding land above water. To find isolated structure elements sonar is a tremendous aide and every bass angler with a boat should invest in a unit that, at a minimum, indicated the depth accurately. No reason today to fish blind.

Tom

Thanks Tom I will be getting a cheaper one soon. Until then I'm flying without eyes

[Superdumper]

I just bought a FF but prior to that needed to do it blind. The way I did it before and still do time to time is look for a map online or watch where boats are going (ones with depth finders) then tie on a Carolina rig with a super sensitive rod and find what you saw on the map or what those boaters were looking at. It takes some time but it will pay off.

[Bankbeater]

You can print off a paper copy and mark it up as you go. You might find something that is not on the maps.