New Lake Approach

I'm sure everyone has their own method to breaking down a lake you have never been to. Share with us your favorite method to break down a new lake.

Depends on what time of the year.

Right now, I would throw square bill on rocks and timber, flip shallow, and moving baits around grass.

I start out with Google Earth and Navionics applications ahead of the trip first, elimination what I perceive as unproductive areas for that time of year. Mapping is your friend . Once on the water I will have committed to 3-4 areas fishing thoroughly trying to put a pattern together.

Map study of the water I plan to fish using the Navionics app, so that I can drop waypoints on potential areas. I try to narrow down the areas I study based on what the time of year vs seasonal patterns and after doing a little research on the lake on what type of structure is available or most common.

Map study helps, but truthfully the the best way is to mesh your strengths as an angler with the seasonal patterns of the fish. Once you do this and pay attention to what each bite is telling you, it's not that hard. We highly overthink & over complicate little green fish.

For me it all starts by fishing the best shallow water spots on the lake. I study the paper map and cross reference it with the above mentioned Nav. and satellite views of the lake. I use the history of at least two satellite companies to find the latest view that will tell me how far up the creeks and river I can go with the high water we have today. It will also allow me to look at the lake during a drought period showing it at its lowest point. This is very helpful to see what you are going to be fishing in shallow water and will make it much easier to find the best spots that have the potential to hold fish.

I committed to just one lake until I had the best 9 spots on the lake.
- best 3 shallow water spots for the first 2 hours of the morning.
- best 3 mid range spots following the fish toward deeper water during the next 2 hours of fishing.
- best 3 deep water spots following the fish to where they live during the rest of the day.

I never beat these spot up. I went through all 9 spots in one day of fishing and took what I could get. Big fish and a good stringer would usually come from a couple of these spots day in and day out.

Mr. Harper...what depths do you consider to be shallow, mid-level, and deep?

For me, I'll look at a map to eliminate water. I'll see what areas have all depths nearby. And then I check out those spots. Fish fast in the morning, and then kinda feel it out, go by what the fish tell me to do.

Being a shallow water power fisherman, I'm going to look for the best shallow spots that are next to deep water. I'll look for grass first and foremost before I go anywhere. Grass that is in 2-6 feet of water, is healthy, and has some rock or wood mixed in is gonna be where I start. If I don't see any shallow grass, I'll look for any grass that's near deep water. If there isn't any grass in the lake, then I'm first going to look for a good place where the channel comes near that bank or shallow pockets/coves with a creek channel running through it. I like to see to overhanging brush, stumps, pads/grass, and anything that offers me a target to cast to. Docks are always a plus too!

If I don't see a bank that's shallow with deep water near by, I don't see any grass or pads, no pockets/coves with a well defined creek channel running through, then I'm gonna start looking for docks that are in about 5-10 feet of water. I don't like fishing that deep, but if there's a target for me to cast to then I'll do it. This is very rare, but if a lake offers none of the previously mentioned places, then I'm gonna head straight to a point (fishing the shallow part first), shallow hump, or a bank that has lots of cover on it and just start fishing a spinnerbait or senko.

I hate fishing offshore but every now and then I'll head out to a point or a hump and throw a magnum shakey head, Carolina rig, or a deep diving crankbait.

I try to cover lots of water but also fish important pieces of cover thoroughly.

- Shallow is the shore line.
- Mid-Level is out to 5 to 8 ft.
- Deep 10 ft. to 30 ft.

All this depend on the creek/cove you find the shallow water bite in. I like to start the search in the back 1/3 of all the creeks and coves. Your shore line depths are consistent from what it takes to float the boat to the shore. Looking for the heaviest cove possible. Depending on the depth of the creek or cove back there will determine the other depths that the Bass are using for their daily route to the shallow feeding grounds. On all three levels cover is the key to follow these fish back to their comfort zone and getting bit along that route.

I pay attention to the contour lines on the map. I like deep water by sharp points to start, then I begin to work my way towards the back. I like spinner baits and square bills to search with. Docks and rocks are always first that meet with the above criteria.

Just went to guntersville. Only have seen on tv and youtube. Started with a paper map and looked at all the places that made the most sense considering what time of year this is. I know everyone is like just fish the grass. Grass has not reached the top of the surface yet so, as we did fish grass we found on the graph. And as we all know fishing grass that you are unfamiliar with is a needle in a hay stack.We started by researching the lake and looking at swings in river or creek channels that where close to spawning flats or swings with huge drop offs. Tons of thing can not be determined on a paper map, such as the make up of the bottom of the lake and the bank or shoreline. Google earth can help with these thing. I personally think fishing and breaking down new water is easier than fishing the lake you fish all the time. There is no preconceived ideals thoughts or history