Who is pretty good at finding fish and pre fishing by using a map?  I may need your help. Lol 

Google Earth is a pretty good resource

I use every map I can get my hands on, but navionics (especially on lakes with high definition sonar charts option) in conjunction with google earth is my favorite.  Old maps showing farm houses, fence lines, roads, etc before the reservoir was flooded are awesome to if you can find them.

If I gave someone a topo map of a small lake could you tell me where you would start fishing at ? 

3 minutes ago, Mfannin103185 said:

If I gave someone a topo map of a small lake could you tell me where you would start fishing at ? 

I can't tell you exactly where the fish are going to be, even with the best and most accurate topo maps.  It just isn't possible to predict where exactly the bass are going to be.  My pre tournament research has three stages, first I spend time looking for reports online to get a few general areas, then I study maps and highlight which areas look like they have the right structural requirements for the season, and then I go out prefishing (if possible) and cover as much area as possible and try to establish a pattern.  So while I couldn't garruntee the basses location from a topo map, I can get a good idea of which areas have a higher likely hood to be productive.

19 hours ago, Mfannin103185 said:

If I gave someone a topo map of a small lake could you tell me where you would start fishing at ? 

Edit or blackout the lake name and markings you feel you don't want to share on this site, post a copy of your map and we can collectively help you out.

Tom

19 hours ago, Mfannin103185 said:

If I gave someone a topo map of a small lake could you tell me where you would start fishing at ? 

 

  Anyone who can't, belongs on a golf forum 

 

Can I add a pic here ? How ? 

Can you define small? 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 acres? Big difference on how I approach them when fishing them the first time.

Lets simplify this go out there and fish start with points and steep drops next to grass. Anyone on this forum can point you to spots on a map but you will be on that water use your instincts and get out there and break down that water. Try smaller lakes then work your way up to bigger water.