Ponds and small lakes question

[TheGreatOne]

I fish a few ponds and small lakes in between my club tournaments as I'm a co angler and am boatless at the moment but as most of you know a bent rod is a bent rod!!Anyway I'm having issues obviously on the bottom layouts of these places I fish as there is no maps I'm aware of for these smaller bodies, now I catch plenty of fish during spring and summer but early spring/late winter is tough as I can read what's underneath and put it together. I try my best with figuring out where the flats are and points obviously, but I can't see the channel or other goodies or holes that. Oils be awesome.. is there anything I can do besides ride around in a Jon boat with a depth finder and put it together... is there anything online that may show me something?... if it's a dumb question please don't laugh at me as I'm just trying to get a better idea of the waters I fish and what they look like underneath.. thanks

[RoLo]

 

By no means a foolish question, because 'bottom contour' lies at the heart of fishing (catching).

 

Even in possession of a hydrographic chart or topographic quadrangular, I'd still fire up "Google Earth".

Google Earth will typically reveal surface vegetation, tributary streams (live coves),

and possibly rapid depth change which is sometimes betrayed by a change in color tone.

 

When you're physically on the water, study the shoreline terrain closely, because steep banks

and flat banks tend to persist, thereby offering a clue to the terrain under the boat.

Last but not least, I'd keep the depth sounder running constantly while watching for drop-offs,

ridges, ditches, cover ~ ~

 

Roger

[WRB]

Any body of water that has a man made pond or small lake will have a map prior to the filling with water and the dam construction details filed with local county offices.

Tom

[NorthwestBasser]

Check out the Navionics webapp, it's free to look at and see if your ponds are on there. If they are, it's only 10 bucks a year to get more detailed maps. If that doesn't work, you could buy a castable depthfinder. The iBobber is pretty affordable, but not as much details. For a little more money, Deeper is a great product! Sends the info and scans in real time to your smartphone via bluetooth

[TheGreatOne]

Wow thanks for the info I'm gonna try and get some info in the ways above.... ?

[the reel ess]

A Carolina Rig is the poor man's depth finder (and a pretty good fish locator). If it's really weedy, go lighter with the weight and use spinning gear.

[J Francho]

Pond fishing....keep moving if you aren't catching.

[Cranjus McBasketball]

I agree with the Carolina rig answer.  That's what I use to "map" the local ponds around me.  You will feel every little thing on the bottom and get a decent idea of what type of structure you have to work with.  Plus it catches fish.

[fishwizzard]

On 2/23/2017 at 1:16 AM, WRB said:

Any body of water that has a man made pond or small lake will have a map prior to the filling with water and the dam construction details filed with local county offices.

Tom

 

You would think, but my state (MD) seemed to have been awful about this back in the day.  I am a  little chummy with a local Park Service guy and he has had zero luck hunting up anything about most of the smaller impoundments around here.  If there are records there is no way to search for them without physically digging through old documents, assuming you could even both get permission to do so and even find out where they are stored. 

 

For these small bodies of water, I have found that looking at a topo map of the surrounding terrain can give me a pretty good idea what things look like under the water.  

[Deleted account]

5 hours ago, Bunnielab said:

 

You would think, but my state (MD) seemed to have been awful about this back in the day.  I am a  little chummy with a local Park Service guy and he has had zero luck hunting up anything about most of the smaller impoundments around here.  If there are records there is no way to search for them without physically digging through old documents, assuming you could even both get permission to do so and even find out where they are stored. 

 

For these small bodies of water, I have found that looking at a topo map of the surrounding terrain can give me a pretty good idea what things look like under the water.  

Most of MD ponds and smaller lakes were made for mills and water wheels, live stock and irrigation before there were cameras and good record keeping. I have what I've found on some, but it isn't a lot. It doesn't take long to figure out the bottom if you fish a small puddle a bunch. It's a shame no one has thought of a sonar that scans to the side and plots....

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

 

 

 

 

There are finders out that may be of some use these you cast out and use phone as screen.

Never have used them

[fishwizzard]

I have looked at those castable ones, but fussing with google earth will get me most of the way there.  

[Airman4754]

On 2/23/2017 at 10:12 AM, J Francho said:

Pond fishing....keep moving if you aren't catching.

 

Yep. Really make mental notes of where you hook your fish over time too. Waste time initially and fish every inch of it that you can with a high percentage technique like a drop shot, ned, T-rig, etc. Normally your bites will come from the same spots over time.

 

You can get to the point where you can pick apart an acre of water in a couple casts.

[J Francho]

Also, I keep "milk run" of ponds I hit for shore fishing.  Some ponds just seem "off" during different times of the day.  Part of the fun is the hunt for the hot bite.  Think of it like being in a boat, on a larger lake.  You run and gun to new spots when one doesn't produce, trying to fit together a pattern.  It gets real fun when you get together with a group friends, and the group attacks a pond, or ponds, and communicates what works and doesn't.

[Spider]

Here's something you can do from the bank, that will give you an idea of the lake layout.

 

I usually use a crappie rod for this.

 

Install one of the rubber float stoppers "like the Eagle claw rubber bobber stoppers" Not advertising! just an example, so he can visually see what I am talking about, please don't ban!, and slip float "The ones you slip the line through the middle, not the clamp style", a weight but no hook. I use a spinning rig for this, You can adjust the rubber bobber stopper and cast out. This will give you an good idea just how deep the lake is, you can move the rubber stopper easily up and down to quickly gauge the bottom. The float will lay over when you are shallower that the rubber stop is set.

 

This outfit will cast a mile as the bobber stopper cast through the guides without issues, and is easy to carry.

[TheGreatOne]

On 2/28/2017 at 4:12 PM, Spider said:

Here's something you can do from the bank, that will give you an idea of the lake layout.

 

I usually use a crappie rod for this.

 

Install one of the rubber float stoppers "like the Eagle claw rubber bobber stoppers" Not advertising! just an example, so he can visually see what I am talking about, please don't ban!, and slip float "The ones you slip the line through the middle, not the clamp style", a weight but no hook. I use a spinning rig for this, You can adjust the rubber bobber stopper and cast out. This will give you an good idea just how deep the lake is, you can move the rubber stopper easily up and down to quickly gauge the bottom. The float will lay over when you are shallower that the rubber stop is set.

 

This outfit will cast a mile as the bobber stopper cast through the guides without issues, and is easy to carry.

Very innovative technique bro.... yea gonna have to try that so I can finally see how deep some of these ponds are... thanks

[Spider]

3 hours ago, TheGreatOne said:

Very innovative technique bro.... yea gonna have to try that so I can finally see how deep some of these ponds are... thanks

I bank fish alot.

 

The best part of this is you can go over 30 feet with the bobber stopper. Just need to walk the line length off on the bank to the bobber stopper to get a pretty good idea just how deep it is, By dragging it you can pick out creek channels, depressions and flats etc.

 

And you can use the smallest/cheapest rod you have to do this.

[NCbassraider]

Deeper is cool and easy to use.  You can also buy the boat attachment for like $75.

[soflabasser]

Find the baitfish and the bass will be close.