What's your method of cracking-the-code on a new lake?

The first thing I do try to find out all I can online about the body of water.  I look at lake reports, maps, and I look through youtube videos to see how others have fished the lake, and what their take on it was.

After I get out on the water I look at water clarity, and worry about the weather.

The last thing I do is go to the places I found on the maps and look for places that might hold bass.