I now float.

[MattinOK]

I couldn't think of anywhere else to put this, so if I'm in the wrong spot please move it. I just bought my first boat yesterday. It's just a simple 14' v-bottom with a 9.9 johnson. Pretty soon, I'll be adding a TM and depth finder, but for the first couple of forays I'll just be using a bottom contour map, and my eyes. Now my main question. I have a pretty good working knowledge of structure/bottom contour/etc, only as it relates FROM the shore. Now I'm going to be looking at it from the other direction. If anyone here has some tips to help me adjust I'd really appreciate it.

[Glenn]

Woo Hoo!! Congratulations!  What a great feeling that must be.

The easiest advice I can give you, is to "follow the contours under the water".  Look at the shoreline, then imagine that continuing under the water. 

For example, a point will continue under the water, with the sides tapering off just like you see above water.  A slow-tapering shoreline will continue as a slow tapering flat under water.

This is a general rule, but it's a start.

[Shane J]

You can also use a heavy keel weighted weedless rigged plastic bait or a jig to feel out the bottom for depth changes, and find out about the composition of it, whether it's weedy, hard, etc.