You could do what some guys have done to me. Pull up beside me, make a waypoint, and take off.

What's your boat look like???

Clark reehm course is called Elite angler academy. It is taught by Clark and he is a b.a.s.s elite touring pro . He is located in the Sam rayburn area . What I was told by him is he can give the academy on his home water or possibly yours. The first and most part of the academy is taught on land. Lots of info, map reading,electronics,the use of the computer, waypoints, ect ect .lots of info in a days work . Then he puts it to work on the water, its not a catching guide trip its a learning trip then you can put the info to work for you and improve your skills. You can look him up on the forum and message him or you can type in Elite angler academy in google and his new web site will com. Up . And the tff post will come up and you can message him there. If you have any trouble contacting him let me know......good luck

Thanks neches , that's the Clark post I was talking about

You need to spend more time with the Finder / SI than you do with a rod in your hand. A lot more time. One of the big things is that people want to fish (cast) and don't spend enought time looking.

If I am going to a lake I never have been to before and want to fish offshore I typically have at least 50 spots I want to look at GPS'd on my finder. I get them from a combination of sources such as Hotmaps Explorer, Maps, etc.

After looking at them good with the SI, I typically only fish 20% of them and about half of those are usually any good.

Structure is what you want to see. Either natural such as a sharp point, rock, creek bend, stumps, trash, etc. You put a Bass in a aquarium with nothing in there but a quarter and he will go sit on the quarter. You want to find the spot on the spot. Something smaller and different from whats around. Such as a rockpile on a point.

Bait Fish are always great. Seeing bass and other fish is great too. However on some lakes you see more fish on spots than others. For example Fork is great for spotting the fish, Conroe not so much outside to May thru July.

Usually I throw a Carolina Rig with something like a Grande Bass Rattlesnake and a Deep Crank.

Thanks for all of the information, especially the information concerning the Clark Reehm course.
Everyone have a Happy New Year!

Fishspanker, that's exactly what I'm wondering............I stare at maps too, mostly nowadays just my Lowrance lakemap chip of the lake I'm fishing. I've got all the coutour lines. Can you (if you have ability) post some screen shots of the types of "spots" you look for or what you'd consider a possible GREAT spot?? I learn better visually, but seeing what the map lines look like and then trying to see things similar on the lakes I'm fishing. Does that make sense?

I'm not asking ANYONE for pictures or details of their specific spots so that others can fish them, if any can share spots without giving away their honey holes, but that show WHY that spot is or looks so good, I think that would be very helpful to many of us............and DEFINITELY ME!!

Thanks for everyone's help and advice!

what maybe more helpful is hiring a guide. I say this for this reason.I think just finding a hump or a lot of deep humps or road beds will not be a big help. I believe it will be more helpful to know what areas of the lake will have bass in it during a given time of year. You can then pull your maps out and concentrate on those areas and fine the humps and road beds during the time of year that they will produce. I know there are humps on Fork that will produce in the summer and will not produce this time of year. Yet you can move a few hundred yards and catch all the fish you want this time of year.

just my .02

https://www.google.com/searchq=great+structure+humminbird+pictures&hl=en&client=safari&sa=X&tbo=d&biw=1024&bih=672&tbm=isch&tbs=simg:CAESEgnzYmwbS9PcUCEaKtpEakxTsQ

Some of these are crazy good looking. Do a google search and it'll give you an idea. But don't expect to find places like these all the time. And they don't have to look perfect to hold some good fish.

couldn't get that link to work.

Yancey, Broad topic. My suggestion is first learn when its at its BEST. Summer fish are more aggressive due to warmer water. You want to build confidence fast when learning to catch fish in a manor that is new to you. Spend time behind the wheel (seat time) reading and understanding Sonar/GPS/side imaging tools. Next use a couple of different techniques when trying to catch fish like Football jig, C-rig, Crankbait and drop shot, because at different times fish will react better to different presentations.
What to look for: Structure is the bottom or change in elevation of bottom contours and cover is an item or object on the bottom. Structure by itself will hold fish and cover just sweetens the spot.

I offer instructional/coaching trips along with my regular guided trips. Instructional trips are based more on understanding seasonal patterns, locating fish, lures as tools, map study, electronics, etc. They are great for just what your talking about and I can go more in depth by telling you the why behind the ideas.

Hope this helps...good fishing!

you need to learn the behavorable pattern of a bass first, it is seasonal with transitions on how they migrate in bodies of water. That together with understanding how they migrate and the routes they use will help you understand a topo map.

they like the shallow in the spring, they use ditches and creek channels to get to these spawning flats, once they are done and have fed up for the recovery of the spawn they will use these same routes to get to their summer locations. FOLLOWING the bait is critical.....

Ok, I do want to be clear. I have been bass fishing since the day I could walk. I fish tournaments, have won some, and understand bass at a pretty decent level. I just don't ever fish offshore. Pre-spawn, I'll catch em on the secondary points on their way in. Post spawn, I tend to hit the same or throw a C-Rig out a little ways deeper than normal. Springtime I catch bedding bass, although I seem to be NOT capable of sight fishing. Fall, I catch em where the bait is flipping as they go back into creeks.

NOT at all tooting my horn, just want to make sure everyone gets that I'm not brand new. I understand the seasonal patterns. Hope that makese sense without sounding like a ego maniac, cuz FOR SURE that's not it or I wouldn't be here beggin for somebody to help me catch more!

James - it's kinda cool getting guidance from you. I never miss an elite tourney on tv up here and you're one of the guys I root for!! Hope to see you on Grand Lake if you're in and IF I can get my wife to let me pull the boat down there and watch the pros!

Yancey,

I appreciate you rooting for me! You've received some great advice/feedback from the TFF guys. With the part of the country you live in I would actually target spotted bass. They tend to be more agressive and willing to bite even in cold water. An added bonus is they actually get pretty big in some lakes in your state. Although different some things will transfer over to Largemouths fishing. Getting bit helps you know what your doing right, build confidence and some times they school together. Hope I am sharing something that is useful.

I will be at the Classic unfortunately on the bank. Everyone expects the Classic Expo to be huge with the rich bass fishing history in that part of the country. If you come up there please come by Yamaha, Strike King and Bass Cat booths to say hi.