Need help reading Topo maps

[Lard_Bass]

I am learning to read topo maps and need some help. I am confused to what areas I should be targeting for bass. I have read to hit where there are steep drops, points, and roadbeds. I am looking for tips because all the information seems overwhelming and I don't know where to begin.

My basic question is if you were hitting a lake for the first time and saw a topo map, what area would you gravitate to first, second, and third?

[Catt]

#1: Spots where two creeks intersect or where a feeder creek intersects with the main river are areas experienced deep water anglers seeks. Inside the Y created by the intersection is where you want to target

#2: Underwater islands, mounds, or humps are a deep water angler's delight; these spots are especially productive when power is being generated at the dam, causing a current in the reservoir. Bait fish will gather on the upper end of these mounds and the bass will bunch up to feed on them. When located near a creek or river these areas can be your big bass hole.

#3: Outside bends of a river or creek are common hangouts for deep water bass. Because of the water flow in the river or creek a ridge has been formed on the outside of the bend; find the point of these ridges

#4: Submerged roadbeds should never be overlooked, locate these on a topographic map, then pinpoint with your depth finder. These are common migration routes to and from spawning areas in the spring, they also hold feeding bass in the summer. Seek out 12 to 18' depths where a sharp drop off occurs on each side of the roadbed.

[gatrboy53]

look for the lines that are close together.they represent a more pronounced depth change,especially where they form a point.

[WRB]

To answer that you need to first determine what seasonal period you are fishing in and what type of lake. Lakes or impoundments called reservoirs are more than likely what you are trying to fish using a topo map. Reservoirs are classified by the terrain they are located in. For example if you are in a geographical region with flat terrain like Nebraska or southeastern coastal areas you would have flatland in Nebraska and Lowland for the coastal classification reservoirs. If you have rounded hills you have Hill-land and mountians a High land reservoir. Each resevoir has a primary purpose; water storage, flood control, power generation etc. The water level fluctuation, possible current, temperature and depth are important factors to determine where bass locate.

For example a high land power generation reservoir that damed a major river and flooded samll towns, farms, road ways, bridges, etc., would be very different from a low land resevoir used to control flooding. The water may fluctuate 20 to 25 feet during seasonal power generations on the high land lake and 1 or 2 feet on the low land lake.

The vast majority of bass fisherman fish the bank and the water always reaches the bank. So lets start by looking around the bank of the lake using your topo map,

You can also use Google maps, sat over view to look at the lake. The deepest part of any reservoir will be near the dam, The topo map will be in elevation graduations of 5 feet to be worthwhile for surveying bass locations. Steep elevation changes have the line close togther to indicate how fast the elevation is changing. Start by taking a high light marking pen and outline the current lake level by flowing the elevation of the know pool. Because it is now the fall to winter transition period in most of the country, outline the lower third of the lake to start with.

After outlinning the pool level, count down 10 lines for the lake level 50 feet below the sure water level and use a different color marker and high light that level. Areas where the lines become further apart indicate the bank is getting flatter and protruding out into the lake forming a point or flat. Flat areas that are located on otherwise steep banks are good places to start looking for bass. Underwater islands indicated by circles of lines that are within the 50 foor detph you marked are also good places. Saddles that connect humps or island together are good places. Roads the are cut into the bank within the 50 foot depth are good places. Any other odd looking structure of indications of building, farms, towns within the 50 foot depth zone are good places.

Following the cold water period when the lake warms to about 55 degrees the bass will move toward shallower water in the upper areas of the lake or up into creek arms etc. The break lines near shallow known spawning areas are places bass stage for pre spawn.

Thats topo map 101 for a high land class reseveroir.

WRB

* 50 foot zone is only a reference point for discussion, using a high land lake for reference. You might use 15' for lowland, 30' for flatland and hill=land, 100' for canyon, etc.

[Matt Fly]

With Catt's explanation and WRB's seasonal input, you have some great info.

What is your geographical location and I'm sure thses guys are gonna nail it down for ya.

Matt.

[boatnik13]

lard_bass . Your from Pitt. right?  I think we talked online before. You need a Hydrographic map not a topo if possible. Many impoundments have changed from the original topo shape as they are built. Many of Pa. lakes have a Hydrographic  and the ones that don't you can figure out . What lake ?   Need help . give me a shout and some info. on the lake. I am a map maker in S.C. PA.     MARK

[Lard_Bass]

With Catt's explanation and WRB's seasonal input, you have some great info.

What is your geographical location and I'm sure thses guys are gonna nail it down for ya.

Matt.

SW Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh area. The weather has been unusually warm around here. It's going to be 86 degrees this weekend and then a cold front moves in sometime mid next week.

Catt & WRB, thanks for sharing your knowledge. It's greatly appreciated.

lard_bass . Your from Pitt. right?  I think we talked online before. You need a Hydrographic map not a topo if possible. Many impoundments have changed from the original topo shape as they are built. Many of Pa. lakes have a Hydrographic  and the ones that don't you can figure out . What lake ?   Need help . give me a shout and some info. on the lake. I am a map maker in S.C. PA.     MARK

Correct, from Pittsburgh area.  The lake I am fishing is small and I only found one small tackle shop in the area that had a topo map.  The lake is Cross Creek Lake.

[Catt]

Hydrography, partly for reasons of safety, tends to be more traditional in outlook and has conventions that are not entirely "scientific" in some views. For example, hydrographic charts will usually tend to over represent least depths and ignore the actual submarine topography that will be portrayed on bathymetric charts. The former are the mariner's tools to avoid accident. The latter are best representations of the actual seabed, as in a topographic map, for scientific and other purposes.

[RoLo]

Chart analysis is very deadly, but it's a comprehensive subject that often marches to different drummers on different lakes.

To avoid feeling overwhelmed though, just take it one step at a time.

The first and most important question: "Is the lake Natural or Manmade?"

(Roughly speaking a "topo" map suggests a manmade reservoir, while a "hydro" map [hydrographic] alludes to a natural lake)

Whether you're fishing a natural lake or manmade impoundment will generally make an enormous difference

in the "depth" you'll be working, and the "cover" you'll be fishing. For example, in a clear manmade impoundment (reservoir)

you might be fishing wood and rock in 8 to 14 ft of water. In a dingy natural lake just a few miles down the road from the reservoir,

you might be working lush weed beds in 2 to 6 ft of water.

Here's a tip that I believe can be helpful on any lake type, USA.

Rather than start with your nose pressed to the chart, step back from the chart and take in the big picture.

Take note of whether the lake consists mostly of Shallow water or mostly of Deep water, then give "priority to poverty".

That is to say, if the lake consists predominantly of shallow water (eutrophic saucer) it's usually best to put the emphasis

on the deepest water available...especially where depth change is rapid (lots of luck).

If the lake consists predominantly of deep water and drop-offs (manmade or natural oligotrophic) it's generally wise

to place the emphasis on the broad shallow reproductive flats (especially where depth change is rapid). Of course

these are just jump-off points, after which you'll need to break out the magnifying glass and press your nose to the chart.

Roger

[boatnik13]

CATT ! Untill I research this lake that lard_bass is fishing , I would say it sounds like a small impoundment  and in this State (same State) small impoundments can and will be changed from its original shape and depths making a topo incorrect. Even road beds are taken out in the centers of the waterway . Hydro's here ar created mostly as the impoundment is under contruction and not filled yet. They are limited to size and very rarely under 300 acres in size but much preferable for watter supply. I on't know of anyone making a hydro after a lake is made around here and most all topo's show topo info before the impoundment was created or else its just a solid color if a later date.

[Catt]

In a reservoir/impoundment the shore line will change with erosion; the river/creek channels will only change with water flow and most reservoir/impoundments don't have enough water flow to make that drastic of a change. The flats, humps, ridges, drop offs, points where creeks intersect ect will remain pretty much the same as before the reservoir/impoundments were flooded.

Hydrographic charts are a topo of a natural lake where it is impossible for human surveys