A question for the expierienced angler

[JohnnyBigger]

I have only owned a my boat for about 6 months and im learning about how to read my electronics. the lake in florida are mostly shallow, so when I am looking for offshore fish in 6-12 feet of water and sometimes a little less, do the bass stay as the boat trolls or idles over them, or do they scatter? I am very good with flipping and pitching and fishing fast around hydrilla but I am trying to expand my techniques.

[s13john]

personally i use it more to see what the fish might be in, because i don't have the best fishfinder its hard sometimes to tell the difference between fish and other stuff. so like creeks elevation changes. but if you do see that arc theirs a better chance that fish are relating to that kind of cover/structure. thats just my .02 

[stratos 375]

if you're out in the middle of a Florida lake & you are lookin to see arches, good luck. You need to adjust your mindset.

A 19' bass boat makes a lot of prop noise & casts a good shadow, generally no sane fish will stay put, you'll spook 'em long before you get over them at those depths, especially if it's a somewhat pressured lake. They won't sprint for the hills, but will just kinda motor away at their own pace. The exception can be around marinas & other areas where fish are used to the boat traffic. Learn your cone angle & how it relates to what you're seein on the screen.

Don't think of that electronic box to see fish, ( In Fla. anyway) you're lookin for ditches, shell mounds, old sinkholes. find them, mark' em then have a sandwich and go back & fish them. Flashers are really better in that respect ( for me anyway).

When you get into the 15-30' range is when you may want to be lookin for fish or groups of fish. The deeper they are, the less likely you are to bother them.

If'n I'm in deeper water, once I found my structure & can put a few markers out, I turn my graph off anyway. No sense constantly pinging them. Some people don't think the pinging bothers them, but I'm not takin any chances.

Hope that helps, what's your home lake down there?

I'm in Pa. but I also have a place down close to Orange & Lochloosa, I grew up fishin those kind of lakes. This may sound really stupid, but I catch more & bigger fish up here. 

[RoLo]

I would say that John & Stratos gave you good advice.

A great deal of time can be wasted by chasing "arches" and "blips",

because fish markings cannot determine species nor disposition.

To answer your question, I've found that unless the water

is quite shallow and clear, bass are not inclined to flee from a boat.

In 6 to 12-ft of water your depth sounder is probably your most valuable asset.

However, the lion's share of pitching & flipping takes place in the last five feet of water,

where your "eyes" are your most valuable asset (weed pockets, dense clumps, mixed vegees ~~)

Roger

[Shane Procell]

I have caught many bass just as an airboat blows by.... still still wet with prop wash >.

[JohnnyBigger]

if you're out in the middle of a Florida lake & you are lookin to see arches, good luck. You need to adjust your mindset.

A 19' bass boat makes a lot of prop noise & casts a good shadow, generally no sane fish will stay put, you'll spook 'em long before you get over them at those depths, especially if it's a somewhat pressured lake. They won't sprint for the hills, but will just kinda motor away at their own pace. The exception can be around marinas & other areas where fish are used to the boat traffic. Learn your cone angle & how it relates to what you're seein on the screen.

Don't think of that electronic box to see fish, ( In Fla. anyway) you're lookin for ditches, shell mounds, old sinkholes. find them, mark' em then have a sandwich and go back & fish them. Flashers are really better in that respect ( for me anyway).

When you get into the 15-30' range is when you may want to be lookin for fish or groups of fish. The deeper they are, the less likely you are to bother them.

If'n I'm in deeper water, once I found my structure & can put a few markers out, I turn my graph off anyway. No sense constantly pinging them. Some people don't think the pinging bothers them, but I'm not takin any chances.

Hope that helps, what's your home lake down there?

I'm in Pa. but I also have a place down close to Orange & Lochloosa, I grew up fishin those kind of lakes. This may sound really stupid, but I catch more & bigger fish up here.

My home lake is Lake Tarpon and it does very good is the summer if you ever are down and wanna hit the lake give me a buzz I'm always willing to go fishing

[T.R. Express]

If in tidal water, drift with current. If in reservior stay outside bass beds, long cast paramount!  If you fish deep water, I cant help you....