Summer fishing without electronics

[FishOnLMB]

Hey everyone, I was wondering how you all fish during the summer without electronics. Where and what do you fish with?

[scaleface]

You can still look at Maps and Google earth and follow points out to deep water . Inexpensive marker buoys are a must and toss one every time you catch a fish .  This has worked well for me in the past.

[UPSmallie]

If you have a smartphone buy Navionics U.S. Boating app for $10.  Works with or without wifi/service anywhere you go.  Marking way-points on this has led to successful follow-up fishing trips for me.  Would definitely recommend to anyone.

[Angry John]

Use a jig and a c-rig to drag the bottom while fishing to figure out the area your fishing.  I think developing your skills this way will put you further ahead for when you do get the electronics or they brake on you.

[bassh8er]

Do you have a boat?

 

You can argue what makes a good fisherman, but I would strongly argue that saving a few bucks for even an entry level fish finder will serve you much better than dragging a c-rig around.  I've heard a lot of guys say that and get that it might help you that day, but what about the next time you come to the lake?

 

Watch on here or your local Craigslist and you can get a pretty decent unit for $250.  I would hold out to make sure you can get one win GPS though.

 

Again, not saying that having a fish finder is mandatory, but it will make you a better fisherman and more efficient.

[Raul]

You need electronics to fish ? 

[Turkey sandwich]

I held out on buying electronics and did the above for years.  I fish mostly lakes and rivers that I'd learned from years of fishing and through studying maps, reading shoreline, etc.  This helped me learn to feel jigs, C-rigs, and T-rigs and helped me become pretty proficient with them.   Having to feel the bottom really made a difference in developing those techniques.  

 

That said... buy an inexpensive unit - even if it just gives you depth, weeds, and water temperature.  It's going to give you a lot more information than you've had previously and make your time on the water a lot more efficient.  If you look at solving a puzzle, you'd want as much information as possible, right?  Well, knowing water temperature, ledges, changes that occur due to current, changes in water level, being able to see a thermocline and eliminate water, etc can make a big difference.  

 

You can get a pretty decent starter unit for $300 or less and it can be very helpful.  

[Catt]

Hummingbird PiranhaMAX 4 DI features a 256 color 480V X 272H, 4.3" display with 2400 watts PTP power output with Down Imaging sonar.  $149.99 

[lo n slo]

dont forget about the boat docks

[WRB]

If you have a boat suggestions about sonar are appropriate. If you are a shore angler map and sat study will help you locate the deeper water areas and structure breaks.

As Raul said you don't need any of those gadgets but they help save time.

If it's safe to fish at night during the summer the bass are more active.

Texas sliding weight rig with soft plastic worms are good.

Tom

[trick worms]

If you can find moving water that is very good in the summer especially on smaller bodies of water

[Yakalong]

I fish out of my kayak quite a bit and it doesn't have electronics. I fish around docks and watch the bank to see where there are changes. 

[gim]

The primary issue I would be worried about when fishing without sonar from a boat is not knowing the depth.  There is a safety issue involved.  You could be going through water that's 20 feet and then all of the sudden there's a reef that's 2 feet and then your lower unit is gone.

[NHBull]

Navionics on your phone is the best 9.99 you will ever spend!

[RoLo]

 

I've fished with electronics and I've fished without electronics, but then again,

I've walked in the rain with rain gear and walked in the rain without rain gear.

My vote is for rain gear  

 

Roger

 

[ksboy]

If you can't possibly afford a boat, Top Water close to the bank around cover, especially grass. In the small ponds and some lakes,you can usually see the grass in the summer.

[bagofdonuts]

fish rivers. you don't need a sonar if you can read the current, even in large rivers its obvious where the deeper water is and where the current breaks.

[TOXIC]

Depends on where I am fishing.  If it's the lake I've been guiding on for 15 years, I pretty much already know what is down there.  I may graph some areas looking for new brush piles or structure but for the most part, I could fish it without electronics.  Now, the Potomac river is a different beast altogether.  Grass beds change and the water is not clear enough to visually see how the grass is positioned (clumpy vs solid) and if grass has returned to an area or failed to grow in an area.  

[Catt]

I actually fished before electronics, I've fished with the little "green box", & I've fished with the " Super Sixty".

 

Before electronics I study the topography around the lake, once on the water I looked for anomalies in the shoreline. I then positioned the boat with casting of the bank. I worked the anomaly from the shoreline & 180° out by fan casting. Next I would move to that "casting distance" from the band & start the process over.

 

The only problem is you're fishing a lot of unproductive water!

[BassNJake]

I'm limited to fishing a few hours weekend mornings so I dont want to spend a bunch of time running all over the lake

 

I'll fish down the bank throwing various topwaters to any cover and then I'll come back down that same stretch flipping some type of jig/texas rig to the same cover.

 

Some days I'll get that first blow up on the topwater and I cant put it down the rest of the morning

 

 

[NYWayfarer]

I have a Vexilar T-pod I got for less than $100 on sale. The ultimate in portability. I can cast it out on heavy rod and line and reel it in bank fishing or tie a rope on it and drag it behind my canoe.

 

Best of all it sends the sonar readings to my smartphone.

[Scarborough817]

2 hours ago, bagofdonuts said:

fish rivers. you don't need a sonar if you can read the current, even in large rivers its obvious where the deeper water is and where the current breaks.

can you explain this please. from my understanding the deeper water looks more smooth on the surface but i dont know if im wrong in thinking that is the same on lakes 

[bagofdonuts]

Sure. Any shallow obstruction will show up as disturbance on the surface in current. Whether its a rock pile, sand bar, jetty, or a riffle. Deeper water is almost always on the outside bends in a river. On bigger rivers with rock jetties and wing dams there will be disturbed water on the upstream and downstream sides of the submerged jetty and a slick right where the rocks are located, once you've seen a couple they're real easy to spot. These submerged jetties are hot spots in summer and good things to avoid while boating. Also, if you see areas where trees wash up on shore, there is usually more out in the river that are submerged. The debree tends to be deposited in the same spot over and over.

[A-Jay]

As a young boy fishing from a row boat - Summer bass fishing on lakes without electronics this was the norm.  Still caught a few.

Waters were often very clear with at least 10 ft visibility.  Looking over the side, I'd find a long, healthy (deeper) water weedline. 

Then using plastic worms on a jighead & deep cranks,(on spinning gear & bad mono) I'd determine the depth the weeds stopped.  

Drop the hook (anchor) on the edge and fish it. After getting a few (or not),  I'd move along it a few cast lengths, reposition, & anchor again.

After locating some of the better spots, I could usually come pretty close to finding them again using a little triangulation action. 

Today I'd probably use a this deal.

 

A-Jay

[WRB]

As one member stated if you know the lake you don't need sonar/GPS. I stated earlier sonar/GPS saves time, even on the lakes you know and fish regularly. Knowing the depth of the bait and the bass are located reduces the places to fish, saving time for a more productive fishing outing.

I learned to bass fish from shore using 1 lure and caught bass but don't recommend it with my knowledge gained over 60 years of bass fishing. Bass during the summer are scattered because they have a wide variety of prey to choose from. Points on any lake will hold some bass during the summer, so start there.

Tom