Fishing brand new area

[AustinHellickson]

Hey Guys, i am planning trip to brand new area i have not fished before. What should i look out for in the water, how to figure out what to use and all of that? TA+IA

[soflabasser]

Do some research of the area you plan to fish before you go. Look at maps of the place you plan on fishing in, read fishing reports of that area, and bring the appropriate tackle.

[scaleface]

Describe the waters you are going to or name  them .

[JediAmoeba]

26 minutes ago, scaleface said:

Describe the waters you are going to or name  them .

And also if you will be fishing from a boat, shore and maybe even your experience level.  The more information, the better.

[AustinHellickson]

40 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

And also if you will be fishing from a boat, shore and maybe even your experience level.  The more information, the better.

Potholes Washington, some of the best fishing in the state i hear. Mainly LM, some SM. fishing from my bass tracker

[Hammer 4]

Google Earth..you can zoom in on the body of water to find structure, ect. Unless the water is muddy.

[Bankbeater]

Check YouTube to see if anyone has posted any fishing videos. You can also check the Dept. of Natural Resources to see if they have any information. 

[Joe S]

Unless it's a very secluded lake you should be able to find a depth map by googling it.  As noted above find it on google earth and zoom in looking for the structure or varying water color, weed beds, etc. .   It might be different than the pic depending on when you actually fish but it'll give you an idea where to start.   

 

Also have an idea (from a local bait shop or internet) what the lake has for fish type and be ready to hit those particular ones with what you have confidence (cranks, sticks, drop shot, senkos, etc. ). 

[JediAmoeba]

From the map that lake looks really good and brutal.  It's one of those lakes if the fished are moved up they could be anywhere depending on the wind and temperatures.

 

With all the island areas appearing to be about the same depth though, if they are moved up you should easily be able to identify a pattern.  If you want great fishing and plan on going back, hiring a guide may not be a bad idea.

[papajoe222]

Another thing that will help narrow lure selection down before you get on the water is to check the weather for a few days prior to your hitting the lake. Stable weather for a couple of days prior, or a front approaching should indicate a positive activity level while unstable weather prior to, or a front that passed a day or so ago, will likely see fish in a neutral mood, holding close to cover and unwilling to chase.

[AustinHellickson]

Thank you everyone so far, i am attaching an image of the lake if it is any help

SeepLake2015.pdf

[moguy1973]

Check out the navionics webapp. It has bottom contours of Potholes Reservoir.  That will give you an idea of where structure is and give you places to start. 

[collinfiske_RFC]

After looking at a map as previously mentioned, at the bottom of the map you posted has fish that are supposed to be there. Double check with someone local but they definitely could be feeding on bluegill, crappie, perch or trout. That could give you a general reference to what kinds of colors and lures to bring. If you get there and they are munching on some trout there are going to be some big fish in that lake. I've heard legends of trout hungry bass...As far as location of bass no idea where you guys are at. We still have ice thicker than grandmas countertops. There is a lot of great stuff written on here by some really smart guys about fish behavior during different stages of the game. Best of luck hope you nail them. 

 

[Tizi]

On 2/13/2020 at 4:01 PM, AustinHellickson said:

Potholes Washington, some of the best fishing in the state i hear. Mainly LM, some SM. fishing from my bass tracker

Excellent fishing at Potholes.  Both large and smallmouth bass.  Check out Mardon's resort.  They will be glad to help you with what is working and where.  T-rigged worms, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and jigs all work well there.  One of my favorite lakes in the state...