How to find bass...electronics or not? What do you do?

[scaleface]

1 minute ago, Jleebesaw said:

It would be so small that you wouldn't even call it a lake if navionics doesnt have it. If it's that small you can just cast the entire body of water. At least here in northern new york, navionics has really good maps of everything.

I fish a 200 acre lake that I cant find a map for . Its elec motor  only .

[Jleebesaw]

3 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I fish a 200 acre lake that I cant find a map for . Its elec motor  only .

I would be very surprised if navionics doesnt have it mapped. The lake I grew up fishing near my home is 154acres and they have 1' increment mapping of it. The entire Indian river chain of lakes in new york are all very small except 1, and they all have mapping. Have you tried navionics+? Also be sure to turn on sonar charts in the settings on the graph. Without sonar charts turned on, many small lakes have limited topography.

[EGbassing]

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

Then it would not take long to chart the lake with the depth finder.

Unfortunately I'm stuck on the bank right now. That's my problem. I fished it for a while today without a bite because they're not in shallow cover and I don't know if there's any structure or where it is or anything. It's a neighborhood pond but I almost wouldn't call it a pond because it's not small.

1 hour ago, Catt said:

 

Google Earth ?

I tried that, but this is what it looks like. I can't tell a thing. I've fished it for a couple years and I still don't know where any structure whatsoever is.

[Team9nine]

1 hour ago, EGbassing said:

Unfortunately I'm stuck on the bank right now. That's my problem. I fished it for a while today without a bite because they're not in shallow cover and I don't know if there's any structure or where it is or anything. It's a neighborhood pond but I almost wouldn't call it a pond because it's not small.

I tried that, but this is what it looks like. I can't tell a thing. I've fished it for a couple years and I still don't know where any structure whatsoever is.

First thing I do in those situations is walk the entire pond casting a jig, worm or blade bait (something that sinks) and counting down my bait on every cast. One pass around that place and you'll be able to have a good picture of what it looks like under the water. You should be able to make a general map and quickly learn where the deep water, the shallow water, as well as the flats, etc. are. Also pay very close attention to what you see in the water (bottom substrate, weed growth, clam shells, etc.), as well as any fish you see or catch. Once you know all that, you'll be able to formulate a game plan on how best to fish that lake at different times of the year, and it only takes a few hours and a single trip.

[MN Fisher]

3 hours ago, EGbassing said:

What if it's a small lake that doesn't have any maps?

Check I-Boating's maps - I've yet to find one that isn't in there...even one's that Navonics ignores I-Boating has.

 

http://fishing-app.gpsnauticalcharts.com/i-boating-fishing-web-app/fishing-marine-charts-navigation.html#3.82/39.82/-95.96

[EGbassing]

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

First thing I do in those situations is walk the entire pond casting a jig, worm or blade bait (something that sinks) and counting down my bait on every cast. One pass around that place and you'll be able to have a good picture of what it looks like under the water. You should be able to make a general map and quickly learn where the deep water, the shallow water, as well as the flats, etc. are. Also pay very close attention to what you see in the water (bottom substrate, weed growth, clam shells, etc.), as well as any fish you see or catch. Once you know all that, you'll be able to formulate a game plan on how best to fish that lake at different times of the year, and it only takes a few hours and a single trip.

I've tried the count down method but I can't tell when my lure has hit the bottom. If my spool tension is on the light side, the spool keeps spinning after it hits the bottom, and if it's tight then the lure pendelums back towards me and I get an inaccurate measurement. I also can't figure out the sink rate for a jig. I actually found a 2 - 3 foot dropoff when I was in a kayak there once but I've never caught one fish off it and I've fished it year round.

49 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Check I-Boating's maps - I've yet to find one that isn't in there...even one's that Navonics ignores I-Boating has.

 

http://fishing-app.gpsnauticalcharts.com/i-boating-fishing-web-app/fishing-marine-charts-navigation.html#3.82/39.82/-95.96

I think I found the first one that's not on there. ?

[scaleface]

57 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Check I-Boating's maps - I've yet to find one that isn't in there...even one's that Navonics ignores I-Boating has.

 

http://fishing-app.gpsnauticalcharts.com/i-boating-fishing-web-app/fishing-marine-charts-navigation.html#3.82/39.82/-95.96

The public 200 acre lake I fish a lot isnt even shown  .

[Team9nine]

11 minutes ago, EGbassing said:

I've tried the count down method but I can't tell when my lure has hit the bottom. If my spool tension is on the light side, the spool keeps spinning after it hits the bottom, and if it's tight then the lure pendelums back towards me and I get an inaccurate measurement. I also can't figure out the sink rate for a jig. I actually found a 2 - 3 foot dropoff when I was in a kayak there once but I've never caught one fish off it and I've fished it year round.

I think I found the first one that's not on there. ?

You're overthinking it  

 

Pick any standard sinking bait (~3/16 too 3/8-oz), cast, click in gear, let fall and count. Doesn't have to be exact or precise, and catching fish isn't the primary concern. Pendulum is fine. You simply want to know where the deeper and shallower areas are, and where you might have bars, extensions or holes. That lake has been there for over 20 years. It has a lot of drainage lines running into it. Good chance those have all formed small bars or flatter areas. Some might have dug out holes. These are all the simple things you need to find out.

 

As an example, I have a decent sized pond that I fish that looks like it is about the same depth everywhere. However, when I went through the routine I'm explaining to you, I found that they had actually only dug a hole out of one end of the pond. That end is probably about 10'-12' at the deepest. The rest of the pond, which is about 3/4ths of it, is all one giant flat about 4'-6' deep. Never would have guessed that if I hadn't checked it out. Needless to say, in winter, all the bass gather into that deep hole and so I rarely even bother fishing 3/4 of the pond that is shallow. Iin spring around spawn time, it's the exact opposite. 

[EGbassing]

10 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

You're overthinking it  

 

Pick any standard sinking bait (~3/16 too 3/8-oz), cast, click in gear, let fall and count. Doesn't have to be exact or precise, and catching fish isn't the primary concern. Pendulum is fine. You simply want to know where the deeper and shallower areas are, and where you might have bars, extensions or holes. That lake has been there for over 20 years. It has a lot of drainage lines running into it. Good chance those have all formed small bars or flatter areas. Some might have dug out holes. These are all the simple things you need to find out.

 

As an example, I have a decent sized pond that I fish that looks like it is about the same depth everywhere. However, when I went through the routine I'm explaining to you, I found that they had actually only dug a hole out of one end of the pond. That end is probably about 10'-12' at the deepest. The rest of the pond, which is about 3/4ths of it, is all one giant flat about 4'-6' deep. Never would have guessed that if I hadn't checked it out. Needless to say, in winter, all the bass gather into that deep hole and so I rarely even bother fishing 3/4 of the pond that is shallow. Iin spring around spawn time, it's the exact opposite. 

Alright. Do you happen to know approximately how fast a 3/16 oz lead weight (no hook or soft plastic, just the weight) will sink? I'm going to try that method but I think it will be easier if I have an idea of how fast it sinks. Thanks for the advice/help.

[scaleface]

4 hours ago, Jleebesaw said:

I would be very surprised if navionics doesnt have it mapped. The lake I grew up fishing near my home is 154acres and they have 1' increment mapping of it. The entire Indian river chain of lakes in new york are all very small except 1, and they all have mapping. Have you tried navionics+? Also be sure to turn on sonar charts in the settings on the graph. Without sonar charts turned on, many small lakes have limited topography.

Navionics its completely blank . 

[Team9nine]

50 minutes ago, EGbassing said:

Alright. Do you happen to know approximately how fast a 3/16 oz lead weight (no hook or soft plastic, just the weight) will sink? I'm going to try that method but I think it will be easier if I have an idea of how fast it sinks. Thanks for the advice/help.

Add a soft plastic and hook to it just for extra mass to be able to cast further, and maybe even catch a fish or two, then just assume everything sinks at 1 foot per second, because that's about what every article I've ever read claims most baits to fall at.   It's what I do.

 

I pulled your lake up on Google Earth and the pics only go back to 1998, and it had already been built. Not near as many houses around it back then though, nor was the walking trail. Looks like it might have had riprap on some of the banks, and even some shallow shoreline grass.

[EGbassing]

29 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Add a soft plastic and hook to it just for extra mass to be able to cast further, and maybe even catch a fish or two, then just assume everything sinks at 1 foot per second, because that's about what every article I've ever read claims most baits to fall at.   It's what I do.

 

I pulled your lake up on Google Earth and the pics only go back to 1998, and it had already been built. Not near as many houses around it back then though, nor was the walking trail. Looks like it might have had riprap on some of the banks, and even some shallow shoreline grass.

That's the thing I hate about fishing this pond. Some green plants finally start to grow in the shallows and the HOA tears it all out. There's almost no cover in the lake now because they just removed all the weeds from the shallow water; there used to be a lot of fish in those plants.

[kenmitch]

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

The public 200 acre lake I fish a lot isnt even shown  .

What is the name of the water?

[scaleface]

 

18 minutes ago, kenmitch said:

What is the name of the water?

Hunnewell lake in northeast Missouri . 

 

[.ghoti.]

They say 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the bass. That makes it easy. Look to see where everybody if fishing.

 

Then go elsewhere.

[MN Fisher]

29 minutes ago, scaleface said:

 

Hunnewell lake in northeast Missouri . 

 

Wow - I even put the Lat/Long into I-Boating and it showed a blank space. Guess they're still 'surveying'.

[scaleface]

3 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Wow - I even put the Lat/Long into I-Boating and it showed a blank space. Guess they're still 'surveying'.

Its an old lake . Electric motor only .

[kenmitch]

52 minutes ago, scaleface said:

 

Hunnewell lake in northeast Missouri . 

 

Looks to be in no mans maps land as you most likely already knew anyways.

 

Does your sonar have the ability to create your own maps? 200 acres isn't a whole lot of area to log really. 

 

 

 

[scaleface]

2 minutes ago, kenmitch said:

Looks to be in no mans maps land as you most likely already knew anyways.

 

Does your sonar have the ability to create your own maps? 200 acres isn't a whole lot of area to log really. 

 

 

 

No , but I dont need to . I've been fishing it since the 70's and know it pretty well . I'm glad its not mapped .

 

[kenmitch]

Not really much to add to the topic as others have covered the most important stuff already.

 

Google earth and view the past images of the body of water. If it's a lake that has fluctuating water levels you might be able to notice stuff that's not so easy to pick out on a map or not even shown on the map. Things like old foundations, underwater structures, etc.

 

 

 

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Ain't nothing to add to this thread. Plenty of great info on here!

 

Thanks to everyone who posted, this is definitely one of many great reasons to be on BassResource.com! 

[EGbassing]

32 minutes ago, kenmitch said:

Not really much to add to the topic as others have covered the most important stuff already.

 

Google earth and view the past images of the body of water. If it's a lake that has fluctuating water levels you might be able to notice stuff that's not so easy to pick out on a map or not even shown on the map. Things like old foundations, underwater structures, etc.

 

 

 

How do you view past images on google earth?

 

Edit: Nevermind. I would have to download google earth pro but my laptop doesn't support that.

[EGbassing]

2 hours ago, Team9nine said:

Add a soft plastic and hook to it just for extra mass to be able to cast further, and maybe even catch a fish or two, then just assume everything sinks at 1 foot per second, because that's about what every article I've ever read claims most baits to fall at.   It's what I do.

 

I pulled your lake up on Google Earth and the pics only go back to 1998, and it had already been built. Not near as many houses around it back then though, nor was the walking trail. Looks like it might have had riprap on some of the banks, and even some shallow shoreline grass.

I can't download google earth on my laptop, so would you mind posting a screenshot of it a long time ago? Partly to see if I can see any structure when the water level is lower and partly because I just wonder what it looked like a long time ago. If it's any trouble then no need to do it. I'm just curious.

[kenmitch]

18 minutes ago, EGbassing said:

How do you view past images on google earth?

 

The circled icon is a time slider. Click on it.

[MN Fisher]

8 minutes ago, EGbassing said:

I can't download google earth on my laptop, so would you mind posting a screenshot of it a long time ago? Partly to see if I can see any structure when the water level is lower and partly because I just wonder what it looked like a long time ago. If it's any trouble then no need to do it. I'm just curious.

Here you go - image from Feb 8, 1998 (I have G-Earth Pro on my desktop)