Hello all! New time poster, long time fisherman here... looking for some advice on fishing what I believe to be a quite underfished/untapped lake/pond.

Basically long story short I just recently purchased a float tube for fishing. I've always been pretty much just a shore fisherman, with the occasional outing on a friend/relatives boat for miscellaneous species. Now that I have my own personal access to more than where the land permits (and in some cases, where boats cannot take me either) I'm really looking into getting into a lot more bass fishing. I have the gear (few decent casters and spinners), have the tube, and have the willingness.... but I'm at a loss where I should begin. Entering a world where I'm not as landlocked as a pine tree is proving to be a little overwhelming.

The pond/lake I'm looking to fish is located in a state park in Michigan (I'll post a photo of it below). I have fished it several dozen times with very limited access from the shore, and caught one of my better shore bass in it (just under 4lbs on a cheapy wallyworld special spinnerbait), so I know the water contains bass. What I don't know is how to go about lure selection, reading terrain, and all the basics. 

The Northwestern cleared out section of the pond is the only place where shore fishing is available, and it's fished quite often. There is no ramp access for boats, only the occasional kayak fisherman. The lake to the west lies 40-50 feet below this one. Doing a little measuring, the lake is only 1000'x1600', so it's not huge. Lots of lily pads, reeds, and dead trees. Assuming it's mostly gravel bottom, because that's what's along the shore. 

Any advice here? This could either be a honey hole or a bust, but I'm sure I'll catch fish. My plan was a 5 wire A-rig with 5" swimbaitsto start, possibly a few shallow crankbaits, and if all else failed, a football jig with a crawdadtrailer. 

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~

Fish with whatever baits & presentations you've had success with from the bank -

Difference now is you'll be able to present them from the other direction.

Good Luck

A-Jay

Well the first thing I see is that it appears relatively shallow throughout. Perhaps its the picture, maybe just my laptop, I don't know. However, it appears that there are a few pockets but a lot of shallow on the west side. Which lake is this? I'll look it up.

But like @A-Jay  said, what brought success during your shore adventures should continue to work with variation.

1 hour ago, SemperBass said:

Well the first thing I see is that it appears relatively shallow throughout. Perhaps its the picture, maybe just my laptop, I don't know. However, it appears that there are a few pockets but a lot of shallow on the west side. Which lake is this? I'll look it up.

But like @A-Jay  said, what brought success during your shore adventures should continue to work with variation.

It's a no name lake, part of Seven Lakes state park in Oakland county Michigan. Most of the other Lakes aren't well known for their bass fishing, nor stellar fishing of any kind. However, most of them are also fished quite frequently. Something that this pond rarely sees much of.