Seeing creek channels

[GoneFishingLTN]

I’m having trouble seeing these. I’m looking at big creek lake in Iowa not sure how to link the map sorry. correct me if I’m wrong the creek channel is just the original creek or river than ran before the lake was there. So shouldn’t it be the deepest line through the lake? Any tips to easily finding this on all lakes would be appreciated 

[Jig Man]

In many places there won’t be much difference in depth.  Creeks have shallow shoals and stretches of straight shallow holes.  I’d start looking for bends as they are likely where the deeper holes were.

[Catt]

Ya could just name the lake, I promise I won't go fish your spots.

[scaleface]

https://www.bassresource.com/maps/fishing-spots-maps.html

 

Its really easy to see on this map , suppled by Bass Resource. Big Creel Lake Des Moines Iowa 

 

I take that back . There is no well defined creek channel on the map . I was looking at the wrong lake .

 

 

 

[scaleface]

 Look at the map and there is a dotted blue line .  that is the channel but it is not well defined .  Nice structure lake but I bet it gets a ton of pressure .

 

 

[GoneFishingLTN]

27 minutes ago, Catt said:

Ya could just name the lake, I promise I won't go fish your spots.

Lol yeah as long as you don’t fish on the creek channel I’m not sure on I’m ok. The lake  is Big Creek Lake in IA 

14 minutes ago, scaleface said:

 Look at the map and there is a dotted blue line .  that is the channel but it is not well defined .  Nice structure lake but I bet it gets a ton of pressure .

 

 

Is the channel the blue line or the blue line and the sides (the contours next to it). Is the blue line always a channel when In the lake like this? 

[scaleface]

4 minutes ago, GoneFishingLTN said:

Is the channel the blue line or the blue line and the sides (the contours next to it). Is the blue line always a channel when In the lake like this? 

It looks like a small creek. The dotted blue line is the channel . It says so on the upper reaches of the lake .

[moguy1973]

1 hour ago, GoneFishingLTN said:

Is the channel the blue line or the blue line and the sides (the contours next to it). Is the blue line always a channel when In the lake like this? 

When looking at a Navionics map like that in a lake that doesn't have a really well defined creek/river channel they will put a blue line just to show where the channel used to be.  Sometimes though they'll actually show the old creek/river banks on the map.  If you look at the west arm of Big Creek Lake where Little Creek comes in, they show a double set of dotted lines, that's where the creek used to run and is the channel in that arm. 

 

 

Like said above, Big Creek Lake doesn't have a very noticeable channel anymore in either arm of the lake.

 

 

If you want to see what a creek or river channel looks like, just scroll south on that map a bit to  Saylorville Lake.  Down toward the dam end of the lake you can see the channel snaking through the middle of the Lake.

[Catt]

2 hours ago, GoneFishingLTN said:

correct me if I’m wrong the creek channel is just the original creek or river than ran before the lake was there

 

That would be correct

 

2 hours ago, GoneFishingLTN said:

So shouldn’t it be the deepest line through the lake?

 

That would also be correct 

 

2 hours ago, GoneFishingLTN said:

Any tips to easily finding this on all lakes would be appreciated 

 

Being old school I visit land survey companies either independent or county, state, or federal. Paper maps are way more accurate than any electronic version.

 

I have survey maps of Toledo Bend before, during, & after it was built. 

 

When looking at structure there's not to my knowledge any rules requiring creek channels to be well defined in order for them to hold fish.

[GoneFishingLTN]

34 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

That would be correct

 

 

That would also be correct 

 

 

Being old school I visit land survey companies either independent or county, state, or federal. Paper maps are way more accurate than any electronic version.

 

I have survey maps of Toledo Bend before, during, & after it was built. 

 

When looking at structure there's not to my knowledge any rules requiring creek channels to be well defined in order for them to hold fish.

Thank you sir. How exactly do you acquire these survey maps? I’m currently googling with out much luck. 

[Team9nine]

The blue line is very close and is supposed to represent the channel, but use the actual depth contours on the assumption they are more accurate. Very easy to follow the line of deep “holes” shown for that lake representing the channel on the lake map linked above.

 

You used to be able to go to either the local USGS office or the Corp office for a given lake and get map copies. Some offices were always more helpful than others. Also several historical topo collections online now you can access. Haven’t been in an office for a paper map in a long time because of this myself.

 

[Catt]

53 minutes ago, GoneFishingLTN said:

Thank you sir. How exactly do you acquire these survey maps? I’m currently googling with out much luck. 

 

https://www.usgs.gov/products/maps/overview

 

Personally I find it easier to lay a map on the table & view the entire area. Once I find something interesting I'll switch to digital & zoom in. Next I switch to Google Earth, sometimes with a satellite view you can see the creek channel.

[Miabucman]

the creek bed is really hard to find on Big Creek, probably due to the erosion over time.  And yes, it can get really crowded during the weekend.  It produces some nice catches of bass and crappie.  There are some nice walleyes taken but I have only caught smaller ones while bass fishing.