I read all the time the importance of finding and fishing creek channels and old river beds within another bigge body o water. From reservoirs to ponds and rivers bass use these channels as highways to travel. I know most southern and mid western fishing maps have these mapped out on topo maps and fishing hot spot maps. Does anyone know of a line of maps or websites that show creek/ river channels within the topography of other bodies of water. I've found a couple by chance but there must be more that people on here know. Maybe the guys with electronics can chime in??

Not even all fish finders show the channel in every lake, its getting better. If they use the lake for flood control look at it during winter or via google earth during a winter view. I know my lowrance shows the channel of my local lake but my buddies humminbird does not. If it has a channel, it was likely a river, find a map before the lake was there at say a local library. Ponds are not likely to have a channel, they are typically a bowl. A natural lake likely wont have one either.

 

If you want some software you can run try this

 

http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Products/Mapping/InsightPlanner-en-us.aspx

That's a start. So that is for my computer? I have navionics hd on my phone which shows excellent contours but no channels. I have a winnipesaukee hotspots map that show a boating channel which I would imagine is dredged out some. But a lot of the reservoirs up here were dammed so long ago it's hard to find pre dam Topos I have however found a couple but I was on a NC of VA website researching the subject and my topo.com shows channels within their waterways down there but not up here

Old Arial photos before tthe creeks were flooded to make the lake. That will show u.

Other great idea I will check out. What about any maps with them included? Or online mapping software ?