Can anyone give me a few pointers on locating fish? like what to look for, where to look for it, and when? Especially during summer months.

Thanks

I'm going to watch this thread. I have problems with this too!

cant go wrong with shade in shallows or off shore structure in the summer.

I've fished me whole life without electronics. I would love to have them, just can't afford them yet. That is the best way to locate fish during the summer. If you don't have them look for deeper structure that you can see or know is there. I like to find trees in 15-20 foot of water, the deep side of points, and deep rocks (just follow rocky banks out deeper and drag a worm to feel for them). Also early morning top water is good during the summer in the shallower water. I don't know much, but this is what I've always done. Good luck.

All of the above is good bets, as well as the thermocline.

Thanks for all of the help. I have a really old electronics but they work. I usually try to find baitfish at the off shore structures but so far havent had any luck getting bites.

Cant go wrong with early morning topwater.

Points are a great place to start. If they are on the main lake and near deeper water should always be some fish there. The other thing is creek channels are another good place. One reason why creeks are so good is all fish love drops offs 3 ft or more even better. So look for the above with good drop offs with deeper water close by and you will do well.Windy main lake points are always good place also. Good Luck ~<""><

This.. Also look where the contour lines get tight on deep structure

Thanks for all the help guys.

Sometimes this works great. When you are driving around the lake note at what depths you're graphing bait balls. A lot of times you'll find most of them are at around the same depth. Maybe 10 to 15 feet. If you do identify a pattern like this then find structure in that depth. A point, hump, whatever. It might be the temperature at that magic depth, oxygen level, algae, whatever but sometimes there seems to be a certain depth that is attracting fish all over the lake..

Great stuff and I think we could all use an old school no electronics lesson. I love the hds equipment but just reading water is something I need to get better at.

There will usually be Bass positioned near or feeding on schools of bait fish. The birds will usually show you where that is or soon to be happening.

all go info..
but in deeper water fishing, or off shore shools of bait fish..
what is the trick to getting past the sandbass??

Last time at fork we did not stick around a deep spot long if the sandies were the only thing biting. It seemed to be one or the other not both biting. I was there 2 weeks ago. Fish were shallow and deep but I am talking about the deep stuff above. On the shallow stuff in the creeks it only took a couple of casts to know if they were there. Just kept moving until you found them on the shallow structure not cover. Way too much cover like trees to fish at fork.

i look for hard bottom. rock piles or channel bends with rocks. for me if i find rocks i usually find fish.