Fishing a tournament on Martin Creek this weekend. Have never fished it before just wondering if there are any tips or things to watch for in the lake. Thanks

Stumps

Go to the warm water part, along with everyone else

Take some lipless cranks and spoons/blade baits with you.

They like shad pattern squarebills a lot. Also like 5" weedless soft plastic swimbaits fished over and around any grass.

Do not travel down the center of the lake (stumps). When you leave the boat ramp, run parallel with the dam to the southern shoreline and stay on that side of the lake. After passing under the RR bridge there is a huge hump a couple hundred yards out. Watch for it on you GPS or you'll run aground. Keep running on the southern shore and you'll see the cut through to the hot water side. When you turn right to go towards the cut I suggest you slow way down as you will be traveling through some stumps. A few a marked but most aren't. After you go through the cut, travel to the highway and run parallel with it to the northern shoreline and then follow it to the discharge. Don't go through the middle of the hot water side either (lots of stumps). There are other ways to go but this is the easiest for a new person on this lake. With all this said....see if someone will just let you follow them over there. Good luck with your tourney.

The lake seems to have dropped at least a foot or two since last year. The good news is that there is a lot more hydrilla growing this year. Find the stumps in hydrilla. From the guy that got skunked last week. Did ok three weeks ago.

I have mapped the lake for a customer and have a couple of spots that I can share from the work.
#1 - Is south of the Foot Bridge and Swimming Area. This a long point extending out into the lake toward the creek channel. It provide a great Funnel Point for Bass entering the cove. Keep you boat on contour around 20ft. on the outside of the point and work around to the shallower side of the cove. Man up front cast to the RED X's and man in the back drags on contour with a Crig.



#2 - Is the second cove South East of the Dam and in the corner of County Line Road and Bridge area. This is an irregular feature that is not visible off the shoreline and is missed many times by other fisherman. Keep your boat on the 20ft. contour dragging the contour with Crig.. Man in front cast to the top and sides of the irregular features toward shallow water.

Thanks for the help, just need to follow someone around, last thing I was is a stump through the boat

pm sent

Dude it's not hard as they say go straight out from boat ramp follow within 100 yards of lake dam, turn up far bank line stay within 150 yards of bank line too railroad bridge, after bridge there is a under water island to left take it easy until you figure out where it is, then stay within 150 yards of bank on left as you come up on long point on your left idle and watch how other boats run from there, once past long point to your hard right takes you to hot water outlet.
Good luck on your fishing.