How would you guys go about breaking this lake down? A buddy of mine bought a house on this private lake located in the Tampa Florida area. He's a non-fisherman and has been completely useless in providing any intel. I'm flying down there this weekend and plan on fishing the lake for a few days. Going in completely blind, except for this lake map, what would your plan of attack be? Where would you start, what would you throw? Which areas stick out to you? (Lake Carroll - 210 acres)

Full Lake Map


North End with contours


South end with contours

I would start by pummeling the mouth of that creek in the southeast corner. Its a small enough lake that you can fish just about every good looking spot in a day. What's the weed cover look like?

I'll probably get a couple hours a day to fish it, as I can't go see a buddy and just disappear to fish the entire time. His equipment and boat are far from ideal as well so that'll slow me down. He plans to upgrade all that, but hasn't gotten around to it yet as he just bught the house a month or so ago. I actually doubt I'll get to fish the entirety of the lake. It's roughly 1/2 mile wide by 1 mile long. **Weed cover, I believe a mix of grass and hydrilla. Not 100% sure.

I agree with John. I'd also fish that cove's docks very hard. If I got bit quick, I might spend the day right there on the docks and drops.

On the satellite it looks like a scattered large vegetation clumps on shoreline, two clumps on opposite sides of that SE creek mouth with docks there-those areas look good if wind, conditions, etc are right. Also, the far west and NW coves look good on satellite even though it�s shallow its protected. I would look for good clean water with multiple vegetation types. Idk though, but looks like fun! Looks like some locals fish there so there may be big ones.

Find the veg and senko and fluke the heck out of it.

Going to be pre spawn down there and may have a wave move up depending on water temp. I would be throwing a split shot fluke around flats and secondary points. The docks on the small flat just north of the steep drop right in the middle of the second pic is where I would start. Pretty muddy in Florida so if you can find an area with a hard or sandy bottom, that might be good too! If none of that works then heck, when in Rome... get some big shiners and have a ball!!

True Bass Buster-if it was me I would rule out sight fishing first-do that if water is clear and conditions right-it�s a fickle thing though.

Id prob start out slinging a bladed jig around or a trap looking for grass. Hopefully they are set up in pre-spawn pattern relating to some sort of vegetation and you can go from there. Next step would be to fish the boat houses, if that lake doesn't have much cover this would be easy way to get some bites.

Chatterbait around any grass. Then a senko if that fails.

These are the three areas I favored when I first looked at the lake map. I had put that north flat top of my list thinking it was likely to be the warmest end of the lake and might have pre-spawners staging on the drop or maybe even pushing up. You guys have definitely spiked my interest in that SE inlet though. I'll probably throw a search bait, trap or chatter bait to try and make contact with some fish and then slow down with a jig or senko and work any high percentage areas i find.

Went back in time to May 2002 and March 2018. Picture is from 2002 prior to many of the docks being built.
Circled areas with vegetation very close to deeper water

Winter time on a Florida Lake ... good luck

Collin, good call on those weedy spots.

Lipless crank, squarebill, chatterbait, jerkbait, would be my order of attack.

^^^
That�s what I�d start with also; maybe add a 3XD 5XD on the outside grass line if conditions are right

If you get one of those north wind Florida days, shaky head a straight tail worm at the north side of the lake deep grass line to get out of the north wind