First Time boat fishing

[Nick982]

So im getting my boat ready soon hopefully with a fish finder, nice seats, casting deck, new trolling motor, but theres one thing, ive never fished for bass on a boat. I dont even know where to begin really i mean, is there a certain pattern you follow like?

1. Ride the like

2. Find a bassy looking place

3. Troll around

4. Watch Fish Finder

5. Find fish

6. Catch Fish

Or is there some other way to fish with a boat, i am growing in knowledge as i read this website a little everyday, and i could probably put it to great use on the water, but i want to know how you guys go out and have a day on the water, start to finish.

Thanks guys,

Nick

[jdw174]

1.  Are you fishing new water?  Try to find a map of the lake and study it before going on the water.

2.  If you don't have a map, the old fashioned "Mark I Eyeball" can tell you a lot.   You can pick out points, flats, occasionally flooded roadbeds, etc.  All can be good places to start.

Myself, I know where I'm going when I leave the dock...usually   I normally start EARLY in the am, so the first thing I pick up will be a topwater.  You mention riding around watching for fish.  While that may be OK, I prefer to look for underwater structure, humps, stumps, drop-offs, etc.  You have to remember that not everything you see will be a fish and not every fish you see will be a bass.

[moloch16]

I don't have a boat, but if I ever manage to get one I plan on taking an experienced boater with me on the first go.  It'll be even better if he/she is familiar with the lake I'm fishing  

The first thing I would do once I'm on the lake is try to figure out what depth the bass are at.  Start shallow and if that doesn't work you can use your fish finder to start working the deeper structure.  They key elements for finding the bass are finding the depth they are at, and what they are eating.

You can also keep a keen eye on where everyone else goes to fish and fish similar spots.

[FatBoy]

I don't have any good tips for finding fish other than the obvious -- look for the right structure and cover.  But I just got a boat this year and I can tell you the biggest part of the learning curve is going to be boat control and positioning.  Once you find a spot you want to fish, getting the boat in the right place to make the casts you want is the first thing.  Then keeping it there, or moving along at the right speed and direction, can be a pain.  Especially if there is any wind to speak of.  I don't have a foot control on the TM.  Seems like I spend as much time with my hand on the TM handle as on my reel.  This was pretty frustrating at first since I felt like I could actually get more casts in from the bank.  But it gets easier with practice.  

[gatrboy53]

first thing is get familiar w/ your boat.second start simple and learn to read nature,what you can see w/ your eyes. a map is good but honing your senses is better especially starting out.

on new water i always look for points.irregularities in the shoreline,any visual differences in the surroundings.

catching fish is ALL about confidence,dont base your success on how many fish you catch or dont catch,base it on the experience.what did i learn today,apply it the next time.trust your instincts.and if at all possible go w/ or take someone taht knows and fishes that water,it makes the curve a lot shorter.

[Chris at Tech]

Don't be surprised if it's a frustrating day.  My first few times on my boat, I could either fish or drive.  Not both at the same time.  On a calm day, this is likely not that big an issue.  However, if the wind or boat traffic is higher, it could be tough.  Even getting the boat in and out of the water the first few times could be tricky.

Spend some time getting to know the boat, how it handles the water, maneuvering, speed, etc.

One tip: get 2 anchors.  Find a spot you like and drop them both so you can actually get some fishing time in

[NBR]

So much depends on the boat, motor, what you will fish for and the water you will fish. Tell us about your rig, are you trailering to the water and what type/size water you will ususally fish and we can give you some appropriate suggestions.

I have fished little pot hole lake, farm ponds, large impoundments, large natural lakes and several of the great lakes and you approach varies considerably.

[Nick982]

14ft Flat Bottom

Working on getting a front trolling motor

Trailering

will be fishing big resivoirs, to small mini lakes