How do you go about figuring it out? What do you look for offshore? What rules of thumb do you use when your fishing a lake that gets much warmer (and deeper) than your used to?

One thing lakes have in common....points. Hit em! If the points are shallow and hot, scan for deep cover and brush.

I start with my strengths.

I usually just tell the forum that I'm taking my sickly grandmother fishing and her dying request is for me to put her on big fish. Can usually get some good info that way...sometimes I'll change it up and say it's my grandpa.

I divide the lake in three areas and spend a week on each of them finding the best spots for each.
- Shallow which is a top water bite only. I want to fish 3 spots each morning for a week that is 21 spots. As a rule only one of these spots will work out. I still need 2 more spots holding huge bass to be successful.

- Second Drop - Same thing on these spots which is the last brush line on the banks and points. You can hit lots of these in a days time because the water is deeper and the fish will usually stay there until the middle of the day. Again I am looking for the best 3 areas close to deep water that the lake has to offer.

- Deep Structure Contours - I start at noon on these deep water contours working a C-Rig drifting with the wind out and around every point, using the TM to control the speed of each drift to stay on contour. Lots of driving can be done here looking for those irregular features on every point that may hold fish.

Just the luck of the draw and how good you can read the depth finder to locate 3 of each of these spots. It has been my experience to come up with only one of each in 7 days of hard fishing and driving. So, much more work is needed than a week to have 3 excellent spots for all three depths.

Once you complete your (shallow, second drop and deep contours) finding 3 spots on each then you will be set. You will always have big bass at one of them every day.

They're onto you now!

Wise words....you could learn a lot from this man.

On a strange lake I keep it simple.Three areas. The dam,main lake points,the upper end or river.Then I expand.

And then the real trick is to be at the right spot at the right time.
One thing I have learned from guides and tournament fishermen is:
You may be on fish in your spots, but they got to be ready to eat.

I agree

Good stuff. Keep in mind seasonal patterns and straining fishing water to find key depths where the fish are holdings and eliminating other depths. Not being afraid of new water and fishing it till you figure it out will usually teach you more than you knew before about locating fish.