I just got my first boat last year and I've been going to the same lake every week(Decker Lake near Austin) for months and months. I've found some really good spots that consistently catch fish but I feel like I just go to those same spots every single time instead of exploring the rest of the lake because I'm always catching fish. I have a lot of fun and catch nice fish, but I'm sure there's other great spots, but every time I launch I just want to immediately go to my honey hole.

How do yall handle this? Do you go fishing and make it a point to ONLY fish new spots? Split it 50/50? Just stick with the honey hole?

split it 50/50 every other day you fish. Also, make yourself bring only a few rods/baits/techniques for those new spots. It helps

I approach every new lake the same way and it all starts with spending hours on a paper map, Nav. Apps. and satellite views. Sorry for the long read; but you ask for help. I left out as much as I wrote about how to approach a new lake.

From Shallow to Deep:

The whole purpose of Shallow Water Mapping is to find the fish that you are going to search for later after you find the 3 best shallow water spots on your lake. You must learn to recognize the cove, creeks, flats, and structure that is required to find bigger Bass. Once you learn this you will have no trouble following them to their comfort zones as mentioned below.

In most reservoirs, bass reside on ledges and drop-offs adjacent to shallow-water feeding grounds. They travel along these areas in search of food. On the deep side of the ledge or drop-off, bass experience comfortable temperatures and better oxygen levels. The depth provides shelter while the shallow side provides food sources such as Minnows, Bluegill, Night Crawlers and Crayfish. To determine where to start your search, look for ledges and drop-offs with a significant edge. The faster the drop from shallow feeding grounds to deep water, the more comfortable a bass feels in its environment.

Fishing the channels, will help you recognize the important factors in deciding which areas should be most productive. Fishing at a depth of 8 to 15 ft. on the lip or edge of the channel is the more productive depth that you will find these comfort zones.


Fact: Bass live where they have favorable temperature, adequate oxygen, and appropriate cover (which could be reduced light). They feed where the forage is. The bass� life is good when their resting and feeding habitat is the same. As long as ample forage is in shallow water, some bass will be there, no matter what season; but a lot of forage fish move to deeper water to find their preferred temperature or comfort zone.

You are looking for flats and other locations with deep water nearby. Experience has taught me that the fish will move off toward deeper water as fall turns into winter. Huge Bass will not move any farther than they have to, however.

If Bass are on the top of a hump, I will look for them alongside of that same hump. If they were feeding up on a point in shallow water, I will follow that same point out to where it drops off into a channel or a breakline.

For safety and to preclude outside disturbance, bass will always move back to positions near deeper water when not actively pursuing food. This depth range, as I stated before, is usually between eight and 15 feet. Therefore, the most potentially productive ledges will be within that range. I think isolated cover is always "the deal," but that's especially true after a cold front. It doesn't matter whether you're fishing deep or shallow, wood or grass, clear or dirty water, postfrontal bass are going to be holding around isolated cover.

Cover consists of weeds, brush, grass or timber, and is used for ambush. It is not used for his protection. Bass will develop a route from there comfort zone moving from one piece of cover to another until they have fed up then return. Sometime they have to continue along this route all the way to the shoreline. Structure is for resting, comfort, security and for feeding just outside of the cover. The best of two worlds is finding a piece of structure as shallow as possible with cover on it. Now you have them cornered.

When a bass experiences fear or senses danger, his instinctive reaction is to dash for deep water.

Unless actively feeding, a bass will always hold near the edge of the drop into deep water.

Of all available structure features, ledges and drops are the most common AND the most continuously productive.

While ledges and drops usually exist throughout a body of water, those associated with submerged channels and the deepest water in the area are always more consistently productive.

Ledges are a strange beast�sometimes you can fish a mile without any bites, then find several quality schools of bass in the next mile.

I find a lot more fish with a rod and reel than I do with a depth finder, I�ve idled over places that look okay without many fish, then turn around and absolutely wear them out. If I passed it over, I would have never caught them.

Spend some time learning where they are on your favorite lake and start with small areas that you have selected from mapping. You cannot absorb the layout for the whole lake all at once. Just remember few fish are caught while you are running the boat from place to place.

Your goal is to find the best 3 shallow water spots on your lake. Your next goal is to find the best 3 second drop spots by fishing all the cover between the shallows and the bass's comfort zone. Your third goal is to find the 3 best ledges which will keep you on those bass as they return to their home environment and comfort zone. Having these 9 areas to fish each day whether your in a tournament of fun fishing is a must.

Before you go just make your mind up that your not going to those spots. That's what I have to do. Sometimes it sucks because the different parts might not pan out but that's just part of it.

Thanks Donald

Thanks for passing on some of your knowledge Donald! I've learned a lot from you on this forum and appreciate your sharing.

It's hard to leave a honey hole, especially if you're catching fish. But you'll never know if there's an even better honey hole if you don't move around. One enemy of all fisherman is staying in a spot too long and fishing history. We've all done it, it's easy to do it, but it's not always the best thing to do. I'm bad about fishing a couple of my honey holes every trip, but I also make an effort to try out new spots too, and spots I haven't fished in a while. However, there are times where I fish new water the whole day. Just mix it up and have fun with it.

If you're going to a new lake try to look at Google Earth (or Bing Maps) and a contour map before you go. That way you can pick out a few spots and once you get to those spots, you can expand on them. If you don't have access to maps or anything, just go and fish. Put your trolling motor down and cover water. You can learn a lot by just fishing and looking at the lay of the lake while doing so.

This explains what I do when mapping a lake.

20 HOT SPOTS:
Number from 1-20 the ones believed to be the best Shallow water spots with the most potential. On almost every lake it appears that you are fishing every nook and cranny the lake has to offer. If you are going to find shallow water fish that is exactly what you have to do. After that 20 you pick 40 more. It takes that many spots to come up with the best 3 on the lake. Hopefully you will recognize the shore line and creek channel features with some cover in the water that is attractive to bass causing them to be there on a regular basis. You will have to be patient, just fish hard, pay attention to the cover and learn from your catch ratios what the Bass in your lake are wanting. These desires will be the same over the whole of your lake. Once you develop a pattern and pull in on a new spot you will know the potential it has right away. Twenty spots will only give you one best spot. Now you will take the information and be able to select 40 more spots to fish. This will give you 2 more hot spots on your lake. It is a must to have the best 3 spots shallow to track the big Bass out to their comfort zone.

TIME SPENT:
Shallow water spots in the Summer months are good for the first 2 to 3 hours each morning. You must cover 3 spots each day. On cloudy days you can count on a couple of more hours to fish and maybe get in 6 spots for the morning. Some spots are way back away from the boat traffic and may not even be possible to get to during low water times. You will have to move out toward deeper water as the fish move. Bass do not move far from home; so the next best area toward deep water will be a new search point. Some of the spots are up the river through all kinds of timber. Look at your map and stay in the creek channel to get to them. Also look for cleared fields close to the shore in even shallower water that may make idling back there safer on the old lower unit.

There are 19 criteria that I look for in picking the best spots. You should use a Ledger to record your catches. You may want to consider giving some of these spots a second chance if you do not feel the weather conditions were right on the morning you were there. The number one criteria for picking and catching big Bass on a spot is cover. Again I am not there to see the potential. Your first indication is visible cover. That is a good start, but the cover under water out to the ledge or slope that these Bass call home is the most important. After you finish your 3 selected spots each morning and have been successful on one, start your search. A side imaging unit is your best tool. I had to find all my underwater cover with a C-Rig and some times this may be the best way to find it especially if you are dealing with heavy grass and hard woods. Bass move from their comfort zone each and every day to the first drop using the same bush, stump or rocks to ambush pray. Then they move to the next one toward the shallows. She will use the same ones each day and only making changes if the hunt is not successful or the water level drops drastically. Find these pieces of cover and you will find a monster hanging out there.

THE LEDGER:
The ledger provides a record to keep up with the places marked. Your goal is to come up with the 3 best spots on the lake. Record the number of fish caught in each spot 1-60. Just take a guess on the weight of the fish caught. There is really no need to get out the scales on every fish. Now on big fish it is just nice to know and make a few pictures of your catch to share in your reports to me. This record is a must if you are going to find second level and deep water fish. Those shallow water fish are coming from somewhere and your goal is to find them. The way to do that is by finding the 3 best shallow water spots that your Bass are using year round, in 40 degree water, and in 95 degree water. They are always there and will be active if you are throwing the right baits for the season. Just a quick and short note on the ledger is helpful when you start going back to the best spots in the future. Always note any irregular features of these spots that they may have; such as heavy wood, heavy rocks and heavy grass. If the cover is not adequate the Bass have no reason to be there because the bait they are in search of also require cover.

I am bad about fishing memories. I may still hit my spots to have confidence in the bite but I try to make myself fish new water or a different technique. I really enjoy catching fish better when I figure out something new.
I'd also like to recognize Donald Harper. I appreciate the valuable information he gives that makes me think and fish better.

Thank You Mr. Harper!!

Takes a lot of time to do as Donald preaches, and time on the water is what makes everyone a better fisherman.
I've got "honey holes" on most of the lakes I fish but I force myself to pre-fish on "new" water. Sometimes, it is a bust and the new areas aren't any good but often, I will find a small pocket, point or piece of cover that does hold fish. Which, allows me to add a new "honey hole" to my list of spots.

thanks everyone for the replies. Lots of great info

There is no shortcut to time on the water. People who spend time on the water will always have more consistent areas to fish day in and day out.


First I learn how to run the lake, so I can use my time more efficiently while on the water.

Then I try and use my past experiences to find productive areas for the time of year I am fishing.