Finding Fish Without Electronics

[Captain America]

Hey guys,

I am wondering how to approach a lake without electronics. I read (and have experienced) a lot about how important water temp and depth are to where fish might be, but there are many occasions where I don't have any electronics -- I usually just bust the banks and weedy drop offs...In your guys' experiences, what are some good ways to find where fish are with no outside help other than maybe a map? Any important features to keep an eye out for?

Thanks!

[scaleface]

 

  Use a lot of sinking lures . I have found that prerigged swimbaits like those from Storm or Berkely are good and inexpensive for covering all depths of water quickly . Keep Casting them deeper and deeper allowing  them sink to the bottom . When retrieved they will follow the bottom  contour , where bass likely are , all the way to the bank . If you get snagged and lose it  , then hit that spot with a texas rigged worm . Of course you cant do this in  weed choked waters .

 

[Mike L]

Since you won't be able to see and pin point any humps, flats, ridges or channel swings etc.

You'll just have to follow the contours of the shore and hunt and peck looking for any lay downs, grass lines, over hanging trees etc. Anything that will give a bass cover or shade.  Also if you see any surface action or birds diving within a cast distance hit those quick and hard. 

 

Mike

[kickerfish1]

I would suggest trying to find a map or using something like Google earth. Not sure how much of the lake you would be able to access on foot shore fishing but I would try to find a map showing depth and contours. Most lakes will have shallow flats either with weed or rock/sand that will be the spawning grounds of the bass in the spring. There should also be some points on the lake that should help hold fish waiting to ambush prey. Depending upon the lake there may be a channel with some nice drop offs and likely structure on either side of the channel. Another feature to look for will be dame which should hold deep water and plenty of rock. Pick your lure based upon depth an cover you are fishing.

[reb67]

Load the navionics app it well worth it.

I have checked  the depths, contours, points, and channels with my depth finder on my home lake seems to very accurate. You would be able to find humps, ledges and drop offs I think it is a handy tool.

[Sam]

Captain, when learning to drive a car one needs to know how to drive a vehicle with a manual shift and clutch.

When we cook we do not have to follow a recipe to create something outstanding.

When you play sports you can automatically toss or throw a ball to another player on your team without looking at him.

So when you go fishing you have to know how to read the water, cover and structure without your electronics.

Yes, we all use our electronics but we also use our eyes, experience and learned information to hit a spot without needing electronics.

So my answer to your query is: Yes,  I do not rely on my electronics until I get to a place I see that I believe will hold fish. Then the electronics can be used to support my thought process or let me know I was totally wrong and it is time to move on.

Instinct. A very powerful confidence maker in bass fishing. We all need good instinct.

 

 

[lo n slo]

5 hours ago, Captain America said:

Hey guys,

I am wondering how to approach a lake without electronics. I read (and have experienced) a lot about how important water temp and depth are to where fish might be, but there are many occasions where I don't have any electronics -- I usually just bust the banks and weedy drop offs...In your guys' experiences, what are some good ways to find where fish are with no outside help other than maybe a map? Any important features to keep an eye out for?

Thanks!

depending on where you are.....

points, docks, ramps, rip rap and other rock, laydowns, grass, around bridges, inflow, steeper banks, wind, and shade. my 2 cents.

back in the day all we had was a purple worm and a whole lotta "want to"!

[roothead1]

My go to is find an area with standing timber, or lots of logs sticking out of the water. That always helps produce nice fish for me.

[papajoe222]

One of the best ways to 'read' the bottom is by using a heavy jig or C-rig. Changes in the bottom type and the presence and type of cover will be transmitted up the line to you better than other types of lures. By dragging either set-up along the bottom, you'll also be able to tell when there is an increase in depth (when you can't feel the bottom the weight is either dropping, or a fish has picked up your offering.  By counting down your presentation you'll have a good idea of the depth where your cast landed.  The other benefit to these two presentations is that they can be worked as slow or fast as you like, though you may need to go heavy if you want to work extremely fast. Did I mention they are fish catchers?

Once you find fish, you can always go to another technique as you will know the depth and type of cover or structure. All you need to do is pick one that works best for those conditions, or you could just stick with what you're using.

[Bankbeater]

After a while you learn how to spot areas that look like it might hold a bass or two.

[BassThumb]

A heavy bottom-dragging lure like a 3/4oz. football jig or 3/8-1/2 tungsten-weighted Texas rig are ideal lures to probe the bottom and find hidden logs, rock piles, and gravel patches, etc. 

["hamma"]

id utilize live search bing maps birdseye view before heading out. This is a satelites view you can zoom in on and usually find the shallower areas, points, etc. then read the shoreline, its slope and such, this will usually follow suit under water giving you an idea of its topography. then i should have some gameplan to start with.,. depending on season and what the fish "should" be doing ..tie on a heay jighead with a small grub on it and probe the depths and watch for any weeds brought up by it, By now you should be able to figure where to fish and with what.

[frogflogger]

Before depth sounders we trolled from shallow to deep (ala Buck Perry) great way to figure things out.

[the reel ess]

Get a good topo map and tie on a Carolina rig. Keep a diving crank handy too.

This time of year, at least around here, you can focus on cover you can see in coves. You can make a good guess at structure be looking at the bank contour. The mass migration to very deep water should not have taken place yet so the fish should be in pre-spawn to post-spawn. To me that means you can rule out all the main lake. The mere "bassiness" of a cove can tip you off. Find a "bassy-looking" cove with good older, mossy docks and concentrate on them. If they look like people crappie fish off them, take several casts around and under them. There's brush somewhere there.

Without any electronics or map, you can hit main lake docks or those with a creek or deeper water nearby. pay attention to other bassboats you see in a place more than once. There are places they all know and will "stage" to fish during a tourney. Go during the week and try those spots. If everyone is fishing them, no one "owns" them. You have to have a good eye to return and get the spot right, so use buoy marker when you find fish and then triangulate your location and mark on the map.

[fishblitzer]

3 hours ago, BassThumb said:

A heavy bottom-dragging lure like a 3/4oz. football jig or 3/8-1/2 tungsten-weighted Texas rig are ideal lures to probe the bottom and find hidden logs, rock piles, and gravel patches, etc. 

+1 Unless you have lots of grass, then it's gonna take time to dissect the grass and find some key features that may help you pinpoint where to fish specifically.

[Captain America]

17 minutes ago, fishblitzer said:

+1 Unless you have lots of grass, then it's gonna take time to dissect the grass and find some key features that may help you pinpoint where to fish specifically.

All of the lakes I fish are somewhat weed choked natural lakes.

[Jaderose]

Just say to yourself..."If I was a bass.....where would I be?"  Don't laugh....if you say you've never done that...you, my friend, are lying!

 

[Gundog]

I have never owned a boat with a depth finder. I really don't think it would help me. I fish structure, lay down logs, bridge pilings, road beds, docks, thinks that are easily seen from the boat, in my case canoe. I fish weeds and lily pads on a lake with very clear water. Clear enough that you can see down a good 15 ft. Its more about knowing where the bass will be and that takes time on the water. 

[BassThumb]

12 hours ago, BassThumb said:

A heavy bottom-dragging lure like a 3/4oz. football jig or 3/8-1/2 tungsten-weighted Texas rig are ideal lures to probe the bottom and find hidden logs, rock piles, and gravel patches, etc. 

 

8 hours ago, fishblitzer said:

+1 Unless you have lots of grass, then it's gonna take time to dissect the grass and find some key features that may help you pinpoint where to fish specifically.

 

8 hours ago, Captain America said:

All of the lakes I fish are somewhat weed choked natural lakes.

My local natural lakes are like that too, but that doesn't mean they don't have some rock/gravel areas adjacent to weedlines. Sometimes an irregularity in an otherwise straight weedline is due to a change in bottom content, e.g., a gravel, hard sand, rock, or shell patch that isn't suitable for that species of weed to grow.

Probing like I described will find you some Honey Holes. Try and locate unusual hard-bottom patches near weed lines in an area that otherwise has a soft bottom, like most weed-choked areas do. 

You might be surprised with what one can find by dragging, especially with tungsten.