I've been to Ray Bob about 15 times and never had a trip when I didn't catch sand bass. Most times I'm specifically trying NOT to catch sand bass but can't keep em off my line.

Here's one plan that will catch sand bass for you 95% of the time during summer and doesn't require a trolling motor or depth finder: Put the boat in at Pecan Creek ramp just after dark. Drive about 1/4 mile north and go under the 3002 bridge. Pick the first large tree just north of the bridge and tie up to it. Put a green or white light down in the water just about a foot or two below the surface. Vertically fish with minnows about 10 -15 feet down. Do that for an hour and I guarantee you'll catch multiple sand bass unless a cold front has just come through. You may or may not catch some crappie too but I guarantee the sand bass will bite.


A lake like Grapevine you could get skunked without electronics. But at RR there is just too much obvious structure. Electronics and trolling motor not required.

I agree that there are lots of sandies in RR but having and knowing how to use a fish finder will improve your catch. I'm not talking about just lucking into a few fish while tied to a tree crappie fishing.

I would listen to Big Dad and Boston Bob. These guys don't luck into some sandies!! It's not that uncommon for these guys to go out and catch 300+ fish in a day on RR.

If it makes you happy to just go out and catch a few crappie and sandies tying up in the trees, then go knock yourself out.

HOWEVER, if you want to go out and consistently catch fish darn near all day long (on most days...it still is fishing), then you had better get yourself a good depth finder and a GPS is just icing on the cake. Yep, I'm Boston Bob's neighbor so I am a little biased. But, I've seen him in action (Big Dad and Don the Angler as well). These guys know what the hell they are talking about!!!!!!!!

I think all of you are trying to answer a different question than the one what was asked about fish finder:

"Can you be successful without a fishfinder? It was our first time after white bass. We duck hunt out there most years." (at Ray Roberts)

My answer is yes you can. A fish finder is NOT required to catch sandies at Ray Roberts. All you guys are disagreeing but I think you just misunderstood the question.

Guys,

Thanks for all of the advice. I was hoping the USGS map on my GPS would at least get me close. We've caught bass and crappie there in the past. In fact, here's my son from a trip several years ago we took with G. Reedy crappie fishing http://www.lakerayroberts.com/Pictures/carter3lb.JPG .

We usually LMB fish on a private pond where we usually catch our fill. But was looking for table fare and a location to take other kids (other than mine) with greater results to get them hooked as well.

Thanks again,

Todd.

Todd,
You might think about hiring a guide at least to get to learn a little about where the good spots are. You can spend a great deal of time trying to find the humps, ridges etc. If you want quality fish, slabs and jigs in the deeper water is your best bet. Little schoolies are fun, but the bigger ones are more fun.
As far as a graph/GPS goes - it will increase your odds by a lot with them. If you are fishing an area off the hump you might not catch anything but a move 2-30 yards one way or the other and you could whack 'em good. If you do not know where the hump or structure is, it difficult to find fish out in the open water. Good luck!

"Don't need a depthfinder or fish finder of any sort. I go out to RR all the time fishing for crappie and catch sandies by accident"

Unfortunately, Jeff, that's probably about the best you'll ever do
without being able to FIND the school. Flyfisherman Lee Wulff once said "fishermen fish the water, anglers fish the fish".



"Got into a school two weeks ago that I caught a sandie on every cast for about 12 casts in a row with a rattletrap"

WOW, that's a lot of sandies! LMK when you can go out & catch 200 sandies averaging
1.5 lbs apiece EVERY SINGLE TIME in less than 6 hrs, without using electronics.
JUST an FYI; Bob & Don are 2 of the most experienced and successful GUIDES on that lake.
Just my opinion, but if they say it's so, you should probably listen.
Yes you can catch a few sandies here & there, and you may even have 1-2 days a year that you really get into 'em, but you need electronics and the knowledge to use them if you wanna catch CONSISTENTLY.

I 100% agree w/ Gottabefishin' about hiring a guide for your first trip to any lake.
It will only pay off for you if you pay attention.
tight lines & good luck
-Brian

Hey lite-liner, I agree but the question wasn't about what is the best way to fish for sandies or how to catch 200 every time. The guy who asked the question wanted to know if he could have any success without a fish finder. So lets try to answer the guy's question and tell him the best way to catch sandies at RR without a fish finder since he'll be on the lake without one. He plans to be on the water with an old bird hunting boat and a '57 Johsnon motor, tackle and maybe a GPS. So go ahead and tell us how to have success without a fish finder because that is the question. That's what I tried to do but some of you guys insist on saying if you don't have electronics then don't bother trying to catch sandbass. I think that's wrong and the tone of your post is kind of elitist. It doesn't help to tell people how many fish you can catch with a fish finder when they specifically said they don't have one.

Edit:
BTW, sorry this turned into an argument. We all agree that a fish finder is helpful but its not helpful if you don't have one.

I think the answer to the guys question would be " not so much"
What we are trying top do is offer advice on what could increase his success. If he wants the advice then fine, if not then fine. This forum is all about asking questions in the hopes of getting some answers or at least a little advice. Nobody was trying to argue that you can or can not catch fish without a fish finder.

Success or what one would call a good day vs a bad day varies from person to person. I have heard of folks elated to have caught 10 sand bass....? I have left the lake on days when we should have caught 100-200 fish and only managed 40-50 and was a little ticked. Some folks dont catch 40-50 fish in their life. In my opinion I go along with many others on here to be a successful sand bass fishermen you not only need the electronics you need to know how to read them. What one sees as a good day varies, but at one time in most of our lives we too,,, would have been elated to have caught those 10 sand bass.

I guess you're right, you definately don't have to have electronics to go out and have a good time.
as a matter of fact, if that is the case, my recommendation WOULD be to watch the birds & boats, because that will be the best tool you can use to locate fish otherwise.
In addition, once you have fished a lake for a while, you'll
develop your own "key spots" that you can find every time w/out
GPS or FF.
It does beg the question- how the hell did they catch fish like that before modern sonar??????
I apologize for coming off sharply in that quote, I was trying to point out what a guide like Bob, or any others on that lake, do consistently & it's because of good
electronics & the ability to understand what you're seeing, as well as knowlwedge of the lake itself. A local guide's advice is usually the best advice one can hope to get.
tight lines
-Brian

Hahaha, all this talk about fish finders...... I was just wanting to get on some sandbass!!!!! I guess I should just stick to the bucketmouths.

Tie up to the 3002 bridge and put a green light about 6ft down. I,ve thrown out some bid sandies there because I thought they were stripers. I know better now! Me and my brother took 4 dozen minnows and ran out of bait in 3 hours. They were even biting on the dead ones.

Ya, it's a dang good thing we aren't opinionated around here or anything like that