Late notice but I just took tomorrow off. It's going to be 67 degrees so it needed to be done.

 

Heading to a new lake.

 

It's not a very well known lake that has some pretty big fish in it I guess. Going to be about a 2 hour drive.

 

I'll be 100% honest, it's a little out of my comfort zone. Yes, sounds embarrassing.

 

I mostly fish a couple of small local lakes. They require short drives and I know the areas well. I pack a very small amount of food, and a small amount of tackle.

 

I figure I'll fish as long as I can which means packing will be different. More food, more fishing gear, more everything.

 

I printed off the map, not sure if that will really help as I don't have electronics. But it should give me a rough idea.

 

I'm not sure what the word is. I'm not scared. I guess the better word is I'm uncomfortable. It's just something I've never done. The water itself isn't very intimidating, it's roughly 150 acres. It's just the whole thing. Apparently I'm a creature of habit.  SMH

 

Anyways, what do you guys do when you head to a new lake?

 

Any thoughts or suggestions for a guy that clearly lives (fishes) in a small bubble? LOL

 

THANKS!   

150 acre lake, I fish lakes of similar size  lot in north Missouri. I usually start from the boat ramp and fish my way around. 8 hours and the whole thing can be fished.

Going to a new lake (ignoring electronics for a moment), I like to think about what the fish are doing for the time of year.  Around here, the water is about 50-52 depending and has been dropping.  The fish are pulling out of their fall feed up to a little deeper water.  A hot sunny day might get them in a feeding mood, but there needs to be deeper water close by without the fish expending a lot of energy.  That means steeper banks, bluff walls, and especially where steeper stuff meets a more rounded edge.  That gives them easy options to be in shallow or deep without swimming a couple hundred yards across a flat.  Put some cover there and maybe some current (wind blown or otherwise) and that's a spot that will hold fish often.  When my energy and concentration are highest at the start of a trip, I'll find a couple likely areas like that and work them over decently well with a couple different things in a couple different ways.  I'll also revisit them later in the day if there has been a good sunny day and the shallows warmed up a little.  Sounds like you have a topo map of the lake so I'd look at that and google maps to pick up 2-3-4 spots like that to start from.

 

More generically (not time of year specific), I like to get a feel for the lake by covering some ground.  A hundred acres is a good amount to cover on a half day if you're in a boat (shore conditions will vary your ability on shore).  After hitting some high likelihood spots I like to meander around and throw lures at what I see.  Start to get a feel for the layout of the lake for other seasons of the year.  Learn where there might be good cover spread around.  Electronics are good for this if you have them.  In my case, if it is when the grass is dead or gone I'll map the lake so that when the grass is thick later in the summer I already know the depth areas.  

 

Also, go in with the right expectations.  If I show up to a new lake in the middle of May I have different expectations than the middle of March.  

Now the water is gonna be in the 40's.  Fish lures and areas that will produce in the winter.  Channel banks, the dam, deep, green weeds if you can find them.  Jigs, jerkbaits, crankbaits.  I would stick to winter areas and winter baits.  I think you can waste a lot of time, even on a small lake trying to fish the whole lake with all the baits in your box.  If you catch an adult bass there are more around, especially now.  Have fun, and go catch 'em!

I have a bit of apprehension checking out new water as well. For me, finding access is what I'm unsure about. I'm never sure what is private, what is public, if there will be parking, and so forth. Course being mostly a bank angler, it's more challenging to know if you're on private property.

Current water temp here in north Missouri is in the low 50's. Bomber Model A  crankbait time. I'm going tomorrow too and already rigged up. I plan on fishing the rip rap dam hard unless there are others already fishing it. Then play it by ear.

I usually just fish the conditions on any lake - that means the conditions a few days prior and the conditions today are kept in mind when selecting areas to fish.  A 3 day blow with cold front might have me fishing protected banks - a warm day might have me fishing shallow areas with cleaner water and hard stuff like rock and wood.  A cloudy windy day might get me fishing deeper on structure or more on heavy cover.  You really have to fish every day differently and I just try to fish the day I get!

Late fall early winter transition usually means slowing down and using bottom contact lures like jigs, jigs and maybe T-rigged or C-rig soft plastics. I look for main lake long points with clay and rocks where crawdads migrate to. 
Very slowed down jerk bait trigger a few strikes. 
The dam area is the deeper slightly warmer water and a good place to try. Wind blown side is usually a better but uncomfortable area to fish.

Tom

I Do my best to fish the conditions. Temp and wind and water clarity. Other than that I work the bank parallel. Fantasy the deep water. And fish any kind of structure or vegetation that’s different. Points, rocks meeting soft bottom. Vegetation that’s grows against other vegetation. A odd clump of vegetation. It’s all cover. Even if it’s not a big lay down. They relate to that. Fish baits you are confident in. I like to fish something moving and something finesse. That way I’m covering two columns of the water and 2 speeds with out retying. Of course here in Iowa we are in fall and I don’t have a ton of fall experience. But that’s what can offer. Hopefully the scenery and the time on the water is great that’s half the battle to me. 

You guys are so analytical and draw from deep wells of experience. My approach is similar to @casts_by_fly, but Al continues to land big bass in Iowa, so I'd be fishing...

 

Quote

...lures and areas that will produce in the winter.  Channel banks, the dam, deep, green weeds if you can find them.  Jigs, jerkbaits, crankbaits.  I would stick to winter areas and winter baits. 

 

Let us know how it goes. I'm glad you're going. 

I start with Google Earth and look at historical imagery. This can be especially helpful to find structure when the water level was down. If the imagery is clear enough you can also see where there is aquatic  vegetation, laydowns, stumps, rip rap, etc. You can also see where points have formed, where there are feeder streams, etc.

 

Since you don't have electronics, you can use Google Earth on your phone and drop pins for any of these locations and then check them out once you are on the water.

 

Being that small of a lake, there may not be any depth maps. But you can always try a Google search for one.

"Face the future proud and unafraid".  Just go out and fish.  We made a trip a few years ago from GA to ME, took a kayak and camped and fished in many states.  All the lakes and a few rivers were new to me.  Caught many fish and had a ball.  I was 80 at the time.

8 hours ago, Alex from GA said:

"Face the future proud and unafraid".  Just go out and fish.  We made a trip a few years ago from GA to ME, took a kayak and camped and fished in many states.  All the lakes and a few rivers were new to me.  Caught many fish and had a ball.  I was 80 at the time.

 

^My hero^ and I suspect I'm not alone.

How did your day go?

 

I didnt go to a new lake but visited one  for the first time this late in the season. I only caught 8 bass on riprap using cranks and tubes. Thats averaged out to one an hour. It was tough and the largest about 15 inches. My expectations were a lot greater. It was a nice day though and only one other boat on the lake.

Well I didn't go.  

 

I got the idea to go Thursday at work but I wasn't thinking the best because it was my son's birthday.

 

So most of the evening was spent going out to eat, etc.

 

There just wasn't enough time to pack and get things ready. Friday I organized like crazy so that will help future outings.

 

Then the weekend was spent mostly watching sports because I'm very close to having a gambling addiction.  No I'm not kidding. But good news, I closed all of my betting accounts and deleted the apps. I'm mad at myself for sports betting over fishing. I made money, but I'm still disappointed.

 

I have the whole week off next week. If the weather is decent I'M GOING!

Like you, I stay close to home. I guess it is just a comfort thing. It is a shame because if I drive 2 hours I could try many different lakes. I need to just go for it. Since I am always by myself, I have that nagging feeling, what do I do if something happens on the road or at a new lake. I think when you get older your world gets smaller. I am going to branch out and hope for the best. I guess there is not too much to fear, drive careful and don't for get your cellphone.

Thank you for updating!
Tom

57 minutes ago, rboat said:

Like you, I stay close to home. I guess it is just a comfort thing. It is a shame because if I drive 2 hours I could try many different lakes. I need to just go for it. Since I am always by myself, I have that nagging feeling, what do I do if something happens on the road or at a new lake. I think when you get older your world gets smaller. I am going to branch out and hope for the best. I guess there is not too much to fear, drive careful and don't for get your cellphone.

Yeah it’s weird.

 

When I was younger I would go fishing by myself all of the time.

 

Now I’m still by myself but it’s just harder to go. I LOVE fishing, but for some reason it’s hard to go. I’m sure it’s hard for most to understand, heck I don’t even.

 

Whenever I do get out on the water I always tell myself “I’m sure glad I went fishing”.

 

I think it would be a lot easier getting out if I had a fishing buddy. I even thought about getting a dog to go with me.  

For me, confidence comes from preparation & experience.

And that starts well in advance of heading to any body of water.

Being prepared mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally helps me feel confident

and allows me to believe in myself.

And that's huge.   

I have to see it in my mind's eye before I can believe it.

I'll never be ready for everything that could happen, but I can come pretty close.

In my world, hope is not a strategy.

Stay Safe and Go fishing.

A-Jay

 

I love to explore new water!  With that said it is only two hours away and in Iowa and for the most part the Iowans kinda nice so it to worry.  Enjoy exploring the lake and have no expectations.  Through lures you know will work year round.  I think I would start with a moving bait to cover water and  jig.  Then if those two don’t produce I would get the Ned rig or drop shot out.  
 

Once you have explored the lake you can start to pick it apart.  
 

enjoy!

Hey @HawkeyeSmallie, I’m your buddy! You should be rich from sports gambling, just take the under on the Hawkeyes every time…….

 

 

Just playing man, the house always wins, smart play deleting the apps. 
 

I take my dog fishing sometimes but he stinks up my truck something fierce……….

 

i liked your line that read something like “every time I go fishing I’m glad I went”

 

last night I launched at 5:15 and it’s pretty dark at 6. Seems like a waste of time until you’re out there, then the thought is always “beats folding laundry” 

 

I wish you lived closer, I bet you would keep us all laughing in the boat 

 

 Signing off now to go fold laundry before work 😡 

10 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Hey @HawkeyeSmallie, I’m your buddy! You should be rich from sports gambling, just take the under on the Hawkeyes every time…….

 

 

Why you son of a...

 

That joke is so 2023!!!

 

56th in the country in scoring this year. 

My buddy’s wife went to Iowa so I know to say “go hawks” even tho it’s Hawkeyes 

15 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

My buddy’s wife went to Iowa so I know to say “go hawks” even tho it’s Hawkeyes