Fishing new water

[Tim1980]

What is the first things you look for when fishing new water?  Mine are:

1. Where are the local fisherman fishing and how are they fishing?

2. Drop offs and what kind of bottom?

3. Structure what kind and how close to different things like stump in weeds, weeds near drop off.

4. Temperature of water and air

5. Average depth of water

[dmac14]

I will start with shore cover, and drop offs. Then will look at local spots. The first time out I would beat the bank but graph the bottom also just to find ledges and points

[kms399]

I fish visible structure first then as I get  a feel for the lake I start watching other fisherman and trying to put together a basic mental image of the bottom composition. obviously paying attention to water temp and clarity to determine lure choices. And it doesn't hurt to actually talk to a few people at the launch to see what is going on.

[fishfordollars]

Main lake points

Creek channels

Humps

Grass

Grass

Grass

[Hammer 4]

When in doubt, I fish the points. I use a rental boat, so I llok for structure. I'll toss c rig to get a feel for the bottom, creek beds ect.

While on the points, I start with topwater then go down till I get a fish, if I get none, I move on.

[Catt]

Main lake points

Creek channels

Humps

Grass

Grass

Grass

X2...Points, point the way to fish  

[cart7t]

I fished a new lake (for me anyway) yesterday.  55 acres.  Clear water.  Tons of standing timber.  Creek channels well outlined by the trees.

Some grass starting to come up from the bottom, not sure what kind.

The lake has an 18" size limit.  In Missouri, unless the word "Trophy" is attached to a limit like that it usually means the lake has a fish population problem.

I got a late start.  The sun was well up. I forgot to put the front graph on the boat before I left.    :   I cut over to a bank on a main point that desects the lake into 2 arms.  There was still some early morning shade along the bank and began slow rolling a spinnerbait and working a plastic worm from the bank into 10-12 feet of water.  There was a ton of standing timber.  Lots of it.  Not a bite.

Moved to the back end of one arm.  Grass beds growing up to the surface. Close to water with depth.  Tried a frog and worm.  Nothing.

Moved back to the boat ramp/fishing dock area.  Rocky/gravely area with a creek channel swinging in close.  Slow rolled both a spinnerbait and a Rat L trap deeper, nothing.  Worked the boat ramp itself with a worm.  Boat ramps are often good for at least one fish.  They tend to hang on the concrete edges.  Nothing.

Finally I fell back to a second old reliable, the dam itself.  I caught around 4-5 small 12" fish throwing a worm and senko along the riprap in 5-6' of water.

I met up with another guy.  He had also caught a few small fish dropping a drop shot type rig along creek channel edges in the timber.  He said he was no expert on the lake but indicated the lake gets heavy pressure.  

My evaluation?  If this lake actually has some decent fish in it it looks like night fishing may be the way to go to fish.  Had I had a depthfinder I might have tried looking for some timber on channel edges that wasn't seen on the surface.  At only 60 miles from the house this lake may or may not warrant another look.

[Paul Roberts]

At only 60 miles from the house this lake may or may not warrant another look.

Definitely worth another shot or two to be more sure. Can you contact your DNR? Do they do surveys? With an 18" limit it is probably monitored. I get to know my local fisheries people and they are often willing to talk.

[cart7t]

At only 60 miles from the house this lake may or may not warrant another look.

Definitely worth another shot or two to be more sure. Can you contact your DNR? Do they do surveys? With an 18" limit it is probably monitored. I get to know my local fisheries people and they are often willing to talk.

In fact the MO. Dept. of Conservation website has a yearly fishing prospectus page devoted to the shocking results from the year before (usually done in the spring or fall).  Port Hudson isn't a regular on the list of lakes they monitor.  There is a number to call and I'm sure I'll call it to get more info on the fish population, both quantity and quality.

Because the conservation department is funded in part by a 1/8 cent sales tax,  they become every mans fish and game department.  They tend to manage fisheries and hunting grounds for quantity vs. quality despite the fact that bass fishing is a huge amount of their income.  I also noticed there is no size limit nor creel limit for crappie.  That's almost always an indication there's a problem with the fish population as far as crappie go at least in Missouri.  

In Missouri, you can tell if a new to you body of water will be productive or not depending on size and creel limits.    Lakes with low creel limits and high size limits indicate the lake has too many very small fish with a few larger fish or not very many fish at all.  Slots indicate a lake is getting bombarded by pressure and the size population is out of balance or other factors are causing the same problem.  

[Paul Roberts]

Nice to have a fisheries department that at least spends some resources managing waters. I was spoiled in NY. Here in CO warmwater management is in it's infancy and there is no track record to speak of. The managers I've chatted with say they are just starting to sample and collect data. I'm pretty much on my own here in this regard.

So far, I look at clarity, cover diversity (mostly vegetation here), and bluegill size. Bigger 'gills tend to indicate bigger bass.

[NaturalAcoustics]

Im pretty caveman with the way i approach..where i fish im at risk of being eaten  ...

1. Look for Gators........

2. Stay in open area.....

3. Look for baitfish.....

4. Toss a frog across lake under a tree and work its way over =)

[tnhiker44]

... The lake has an 18" size limit. In Missouri, unless the word "Trophy" is attached to a limit like that it usually means the lake has a fish population problem...

Interesting take on this. I have a small Public Fishing Area right down the road from my house which has a catch and release only policy for bass. There are four of these fishing areas relatively close to where I live and all of them are about 100 acres, but 'mine' is the only one with this catch and release policy (I only catch and release anyways). This lake is about five years old and has been open for three. The bass fishing is tough... I usually only catch one or two each trip after fishing very hard (I have been skunked). But I have yet to catch a fish smaller than four pounds and have caught several over ten.

Given your opinion about the lake in which you fished, would you say that my local fisheries people are setting 'my' lake up as a trophy lake?

I saw the DNR guys shocking and netting the day before Memorial Day. I figured that once those results were tallied I would either see the catch and release sign disappear (for the standard 5 fish limit) or not.

(To be honest, I do not mind tough fishing conditions when you know that on the very next cast you may nail a double digit fish.)

[bass wrangler569]

Im pretty caveman with the way i approach..where i fish im at risk of being eaten ...

1. Look for Gators........

2. Stay in open area.....

3. Look for baitfish.....

4. Toss a frog across lake under a tree and work its way over =)

;D We don't get to many gators around here...

As far as fishing goes, pretty much like fishfordollars, find main lake points and look for grass, generally covering a lot of water.

[WRB]

The first thing I do is look at a map and satellite over head view of a new lake to determine areas that I like fish and had success, depending on the seasonal period.

I fish outside isolate structure most of the time, so that is what I'm looking for. Start my map search looking at dam area, all the major points and any islands, humps, saddles, creek channels etc. Type of lake and depth helps to determine where the bass and prey should be located and predetermines my starting place, after I factor in the water temperature when on the water.

WRB

[Mottfia]

I do alot like WRB when I hear that I'm heading to a new lake. I get a map and study google earth to get a fill for the general lay of the lake. I call up a few people and ask around for more details on the type of cover available in each section of the lake. I also try to get a gist for what seasonal pattern are they in. I don't ask for exact locations tho cause they normally don't work out well for me.

After learning that and getting to hit the lake I fish like I would anywhere else. Power fishing. I cover alot of water. If almost becomes a just fishing trip cause of the amount of different things I will try but assuming things go well I will be able to get on a pattern or gain an understanding of what the fish are doing.

If things get bad I take a page from the older guys on the board. I will pull out deeper and begin fishing points. Starting with main lake points and moving in to creek points as I go. Fishing really slow with a worm...luckily I have only had to break down and do that only a couple of times but it paid off with a four pound spotted bass so I can't complain  8-)

Mottfia

[fishfordollars]

The first thing I do is look at a map and satellite over head view of a new lake to determine areas that I like fish and had success, depending on the seasonal period.

I fish outside isolate structure most of the time, so that is what I'm looking for. Start my map search looking at dam area, all the major points and any islands, humps, saddles, creek channels etc. Type of lake and depth helps to determine where the bass and prey should be located and predetermines my starting place, after I factor in the water temperature when on the water.

WRB

We have a winner! That little three letter word (MAP) will make all the difference. Study the heck out of it and it's like using a highway map or GPS while driving in unfamiliar territory.

Without it you are just kidding yourself. The more time spent over it the more fish you will locate. It not only helps locating fish, it's a necessary tool to safely learn to navigate an unknown body of water. I rate it above any other item to use.

[DINK WHISPERER]

I always fish visible cover first(if available). I will usually stay far away from the areas that everyone else is pounding! Always keeping an eye on my depth finder while trying to form a basic layout of the lake in my head.