deciphering lake maps for largemouth

[papajoe222]

This is the type of discussion that make this site so great and not just for novice anglers. 

Great job, not only in the responses, but the questions too.

[Nitrofreak]

55 minutes ago, Catt said:

Death

LOL !!!!!

[riverbasser]

@CattThat's ok I'll just use my lure recognition software 

[WRB]

We have lost focus on reading lake maps to locate LMB. 

Big lakes are extremely complex systems, however we can break them down into categories that resemble the type of topography or terrian the lake is located and if a man made lake the type of dam used to impound the reservoir. I like to use In-Fishermans lake classification system: natural lake, impoundments like highland, hill land, low land, flat land, and canyon. 

The first step is to determine the lake classification, the next step is to determine seasonal  periods you are fishing. Breaking down a map the first step for me is dividing the lake into 3rds; dam area and main lake basin up about 1/3 rd the lake is usually the deep water zone.

Middle 3rd includes mid main lake plus about 1/2 up creek arms. Upper 3rd of the main lake basin and creek arms. Study the 3rds, then apply the zones to seasonal periods.

Tom

[gulfcaptain]

Also, DON'T TRY AND FISH THE WHOLE LAKE!!!  Find a few areas on a map that have what you're looking for and go fish them.  Then once you get a few fish off of that kind of structure/area, look for other area's in the lake that have those key features you found and go try there.  But remember, fish move with conditions so one day an area may be hot and the next a desert. 

[Catt]

Y'all know me, I like to keep it simple!

The lake we are discussing is Walter F. George (Eufaula) Alabama. I have some experience with this lake having fished it several times & having a nephew who fishes it regularly.

When most anglers look at a topographical map their eyes immediately go to the shoreline. My eyes immediately focus on the river system ( the deepest water).

I dissect the lake by main river & feeder creeks, this is where your major structure begin!

Eufaula would divide into; Chattahoochee River,  Cowikee, Grass, Chewalla, Barbour, White Oak and Pataula creeks.

Like gulfcaptain said, don't try to fish the whole lake, pick an area & learn it!

[riverbasser]

@WRB Based on what you said about dividing into thirds and applying a seasonal category to each one do you believe bass travel the whole lake?

or did you mean apply the seasonal pattern to each third?

[Nitrofreak]

I enjoy both perspectives of how to break down a lake, Like WRB, I too look at my lake in 3rds, upper, mid, lower, I also break down each of those sections into thirds if they are relatively large areas.

Each section gives the appearance of not being so overwhelming IMO, I find it much easier to focus on a small section while looking at a map, my first focus is the same as Catt, most all of our lakes are man made so I look for the old river channel first and creek beds from smaller feeder creeks.

I found that what helped the most was taking an area and blocking it and then go out and explore that section, I tried to make sure that I would block an area big enough to learn a lot but also an area small enough that would allow me to explore the bottom content with lures for a total saturation of the area being explored.

Once the old river channels become wider and deeper, it gets a little more intimidating, key features take a little more time to find and explore, once you start finding fish explore the entire structural area, fish it in a circle, fish that use key areas frequently already know the direction from which bait will travel and often prefer to stage on an area that offers the greatest advantage, when you do find fish also note the surrounding structure, just as fish use the old river beds for transportation from place to place they will also use entry points or access points to get up on a piece of structure as well giving you the knowledge of how the fish move on and off that particular area which in turn gives you a greater advantage to find and catch more fish.

[WRB]

35 minutes ago, riverbasser said:

@WRB Based on what you said about dividing into thirds and applying a seasonal category to each one do you believe bass travel the whole lake?

or did you mean apply the seasonal pattern to each third?

I try to locate where the majority of the big bass population are catchable. During cold water period that is where deeper water is that has good population of prey. Transition periods when bass migrate from deeper water to shallower water (pre spawn-spawn-post spawn)  or to deeper water from shallower water ( fall ) following prey fish like Shad. Summer bass tend to scatter and can be anywhere the water temps are comfortable with abundance of prey available.

Winter/ cold water period the lower 3rd or where outside structure has deep water nearby.

Pre-spawn-post spawn, the middle 3rd near spawning areas, secondary Y channels and major points.

Spaen wind protected shallow areas near pre/ post spawn locations.

Summer outside main lake structure and shallower brushy areas where Shad hide during the night.

Fall middle 3rd or where ever abundance of prey is available.

Tom

[riverbasser]

Thanks great explanation Nitrofreak, Catt and WRB.spending a few days on here I feel like I'm on another level in my knowledge of bass and the hunting of them, now I just need to put it too work on the water! 

 

[herbu]

9 minutes ago, WRB said:

following prey fish like Shad

 

This gives me an idea.  I fish the same lake most of the time, and am beginning to learn it.  One thing I have not considered is the path baitfish travel.  It's not unusual to see them on my fishfinder, but I've just tried to make a mental note.  That's not as fruitful as it used to be.  Maybe I'll start marking schools of baitfish with waypoints.  After a while, perhaps general routes will develop.  Has anybody tried that?

[Catt]

Instead of dividing the lake into upper, mid, & lower; I divide the main river channel & each creek channel into upper, mid, & lower.

These are your major structure begin!

Don't know about y'all but I like starting at the beginning!

[WRB]

Agree Catt, big lakes have creek arms that I look at like individual lakes. 

Toledo Bend where you fish has more outside structure than any other lake I know of, hundreds of humps a structure fishermans paradise.

Tom

 

[Catt]

4 minutes ago, WRB said:

Agree Catt, big lakes have creek arms that I look at like individual lakes. 

Toledo Bend where you fish has more outside structure than any other lake I know of, hundreds of humps a structure fishermans paradise.

Tom

 

When dividing a lake into upper, mid, & lower we are usually talking natural lakes.

When deciphering impoundments, reservoirs, man made bodies of water we start at feeder waters.

[Catt]

Forgot

[Nitrofreak]

21 minutes ago, Catt said:

Instead of dividing the lake into upper, mid, & lower; I divide the main river channel & each creek channel into upper, mid, & lower.

These are you major structure begin!

Don't know about y'all but I like starting at the beginning!

I may not have come across clear enough, that was the point I was trying to make when I said I continue to break down my thirds into additional thirds, bit by bit.

I'll get the hang of this eventually UGH !! LOL !!

[riverbasser]

im definitely guna try to be a better offshore structure fisher instead of just a cover fisher, or a least offshore structure+cover. I believe this is where the big bass are. and also not where all other fisherman are.

[gulfcaptain]

You will have fish that live in both areas.  Some are resident shallow shore fish, others are deep water fish.  More often find schools deeper and loan fish shallow (but not always).  Catt's idea of fishing feeder creeks is a simple start.  Each creek arm will hold it's resident fish population as well as the fish that roam.  Pick an arm that you like best and look around in there.  You may spend time just looking without fishing as to see what is available (do a ride through).  Now here's another aspect of fishing popular water.  Fisherman normally hate water skiers and jet skies.......fish do not.  They live there and learn to deal with it.  Look at marina's, lots of boats and lots of bass.  So some areas that have lots of boat traffic may be tough to fish with the wakes, but then it may be worth looking at as most fisherman will avoid these areas in lew of quieter waters.

[Catt]

42 minutes ago, Nitrofreak said:

I'll get the hang of this eventually UGH !! LOL !!

I'm still trying to get the hang of it

@WRB, We still learning every day & every trip out!

While deciphering a lake map I'm trying to decipher a local marsh for Saturday, which is a horse of a different color!

[WRB]

By the time we think we figured it out we are too old to remember.

Tom

[Catt]

1 hour ago, gulfcaptain said:

You will have fish that live in both areas.  Some are resident shallow shore fish, others are deep water fish.  More often find schools deeper and loan fish shallow (but not always).  Catt's idea of fishing feeder creeks is a simple start.  Each creek arm will hold it's resident fish population as well as the fish that roam.  Pick an arm that you like best and look around in there.  You may spend time just looking without fishing as to see what is available (do a ride through).  Now here's another aspect of fishing popular water.  Fisherman normally hate water skiers and jet skies.......fish do not.  They live there and learn to deal with it.  Look at marina's, lots of boats and lots of bass.  So some areas that have lots of boat traffic may be tough to fish with the wakes, but then it may be worth looking at as most fisherman will avoid these areas in lew of quieter waters.

In lakes that are big enough I find 3 "categories" of bass, resident shoreline related, resident offshore related, & those that roam between the 2 areas.

You are spot on about high traffic areas!

Because of the vast amount of standing timber Toledo Bend has marked boat lanes than you must follow or risk loosing a lower unit or punching a hole in your hull.

I have dozen spots that are located in, near, or within casting distance of a boat lanes.

Most guys are traveling this boat lanes at 60-80+ mph & never once glance at their depth finder.

3 minutes ago, WRB said:

By the time we think we figured it out we are too old to remember.

Tom

Bout the time I think I have them figured out they prove to me I don't!!!

[drc9805]

5 hours ago, WRB said:

Agree Catt, big lakes have creek arms that I look at like individual lakes. 

Toledo Bend where you fish has more outside structure than any other lake I know of, hundreds of humps a structure fishermans paradise.

Tom

 

Tom, what do you mean by "outside" structure? 

[riverbasser]

21 minutes ago, drc9805 said:

Tom, what do you mean by "outside" structure?

I may be wrong but I believe he meant to say offshore.

[WRB]

11 minutes ago, riverbasser said:

I may be wrong but I believe he meant to say offshore.

When you in your boat casting towards the bank, everything behind you is outside.

Tom