koko36265 Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 Just wanted to introduce myself. I am 23 from northern Alabama. The big G is actually 10 miles from my front porch. I have been fishing for as long as I can remember. The only problem is I really have only fished small farm ponds ranging anywhere from a half an acre to 10 acres with none being over 10-12 feet deep. I just recently bought my first bass boat and am having some trouble. I went out last Saturday from 6-1 and caught one dink. Now I know I can't base anything on one outing how much of pond fishing can I take with me to the lake? I mean I can read a pond like the back of my hand, but I am lost at the lake. I bought a lake map and am trying to locate places that would be good to fish. Does anyone have a preference in lake maps or are they all about the same? I am very good with plastic worms, spinner baits, buzz baits, horny toads, and some shallow running crank baits. I have read just about everything on this site the past couple of months and have learned a lot about jigs, Carolina rigs, swim baits, and started using senkos because of this site and have been doing real well with them. I think my biggest problem is just locating where the bass might be. I know all the factors that goes into where they should be its just the fact of finding those characteristics. Once I know where they should be, should I fish it like I would a pond? Quote
jdw174 Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 A lake is just a really BIG pond , although with possibly a few more added attractions like creek channels, etc.. Welcome to the board. Quote
Super User Sam Posted August 2, 2007 Super User Posted August 2, 2007 Glad to have you join us. You will be receiving a lot of information about fishing your lake from the guys. I can suggest, at this early hour of the morning, that you look for wood and grass along the shoreline and fish that structure with a series of search baits and presentatiions at each structure and grass line you fish. Any boat docks or piers? Can you find a Fishing Structure Map (aerial photo guide) of the lake showing the bottom and any submerged roads, tree stumps, etc.? Is there a map of the lake you can use to find the depths of the banks and drop-offs into deep water? As usual, I would think you would fish the shoreline with your "fish finding baits" like a crankbait or spinnerbait. You can then see where the bass are holding and their depth. You may have to experiment with depths, colors and types of baits to locate the fish. If it is hot, the bass may hit the shallow water in the early AM or late PM to feed and then head back to deeper and cooler water during the day. If you have a sonar unit on your boat check for humps, structure, bottom cover and anything you can find on the bottom off shore where the bass will be holding. Is there anyone you can talk to about the lake? An old timer who fishes the waters and knows the topography? One last suggestion, Mike Iaconelli has a wonderful DVD that explains how to understand any body of water from a pond to a lake. The DVD is "Ike's Rules - For Better Bass Fishing - Volume 1: Taking the Luck Out of the Equation." This 43 minute production is from 2005 Bassfilms, LLC. You may find it on the net at www.ikerules.com. This is an excellent DVD and I suggest you obtain it as it will give you some wonderful suggestions to consider. Good luck and let us know how you do and what you find out. Quote
Super User Sam Posted August 2, 2007 Super User Posted August 2, 2007 Hey guys, Make Ike's web site...www.ikesrules.com The other one I posted above is for school supplies. Sorry, but it is early in the AM and I am getting ready to hit the local pond on the way to the office. Come on buzzbait!!!!!!! ;D Quote
RobDar Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 everyone else if answering the fishing questions...so I will try to answer the MAP question... are they all the same? No. I always thought they were...but they arent. My wife...who will almost always buys the lowest priced anything with no consideration for value ( just price)...has come back with some really junky maps. "Hot Spots" are usually pretty good maps at a middle of the road price. They usually are fairly accurate, have depth, topographic information...and usually have notes of major items, structures, safety concerns,...yadda yadda yadda... I think I would always look for maps that have some good detail. The fishing maps are like road atlas's...if you pay $6 at walmart you get a basic map with basic information like major roads...pay $14 dollars at Barnes and Nobles and you can get one with alot more detail and in depth info like county roads/unpaved roads etc etc. Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted August 2, 2007 Super User Posted August 2, 2007 A lake is just a really BIG pond , although with possibly a few more added attractions like creek channels, etc.. Welcome aboard! Well, I have the simple answer if you're looking to move way up the learning curve in the shortest possible time: Hire a guide for a day or two on Guntersville. You will learn more in a day with a good guide than you could possibly discover in a year fishing on your own. Quote
Super User senile1 Posted August 2, 2007 Super User Posted August 2, 2007 Welcome to the forum, koko36265. You have hit on the most important concept in fishing. You know what structures the bass should be holding on. Now you have to find them. Regarding maps, I think of them as just a general starting point. Why? I don't think most map vendors update their maps very often. I have Hot Spots maps of all the lakes I fish in Missouri. I find that where these maps show 25 foot depths, the water is only about 15 feet, and so on. These lakes have received large amounts of siltation since the last map was created and they have yet to be updated. Still, I look for areas where the topographical lines run close together near points and other structure, indicating a quick drop off to deeper water. Siltation may smooth these drops out a bit, but you have to start somewhere. Then your ability to read your depth/fish finder comes into play. If anyone is aware of a map maker who updates their maps often, lay it on me. I'd like to find a better map. Quote
Triton21 Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 Welcome koko. Learn everthing about your fishfinder. It is your eyes to the underwater world of a a lake.(unless you have an underwater camera) It will tell you everthing you need to know if you become proficent at finding fish. Kelley Quote
koko36265 Posted August 2, 2007 Author Posted August 2, 2007 Thanks everyone for all your suggestions and welcomes... That is a good idea that I have never thought about Road Warrior.... There are tons of guides at Guntersville...... I think I really need to find another map because the one that I bought I bought at Wal-Mart because I couldn't find anywhere else that carried them....The one from wal-mart is cheap and you can tell it..... That is another thing I need to get better at is reading the Fish finder... I have never really had an experience with it... I have 2 eagle 480 that came on the boat.... I have read the manual, stuff off of here and have a pretty good understanding of them but have no confidence yet.... I am going out the whole weekend starting friday night so maybe my luck will change.... I have already mapped out some spots from the map that maybe productive... That might have been my problem last weekend, I just went out and stopped at anyplace that looked good.... I really didn't work the area's as good as I should because I was so impatient.... Quote
Super User Catt Posted August 4, 2007 Super User Posted August 4, 2007 Start out by learning the portion of the lake near where you live, study maps of that area and spend as much time on the water as you can. I fish Toledo Bend Reservoir which is twice the size of Guntersville and after 35 years I still seldom fish outside a 5 mile radius of where I stay. Quote
Bass Hammer Posted August 4, 2007 Posted August 4, 2007 Welcome What part of G'ville are you fishing? Quote
skillet Posted August 6, 2007 Posted August 6, 2007 WELCOME to the forums!!! I still fish small lakes and ponds mostly and it is intimidating when you hit a "real" lake... As Ever, skillet Quote
koko36265 Posted August 6, 2007 Author Posted August 6, 2007 Welcome What part of G'ville are you fishing? The southern portion... The farthest I have been is about 3 miles past Mountain Lake Resorts...... Quote
BassHunter69 Posted August 25, 2007 Posted August 25, 2007 school supplies yeah my boy koko can use those to lmao Hey guys, Make Ike's web site...www.ikesrules.com The other one I posted above is for school supplies. Sorry, but it is early in the AM and I am getting ready to hit the local pond on the way to the office. Come on buzzbait!!!!!!! ;D Quote
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