how many of your fishing spots did you originally locate on a map, when out to see its worth with looking for structure/cover on your electronics and start catching fish, versus your spots that are not on a map such as brushpiles and hydrilla which you found just by being out on the water and finding it with your electronics

Let me preface this by saying I am no expert map reader or electronics guru. I have usually used maps like you said, to find a general location and then used the electronics and just plain sight to look for good spots in the area. Do'nt know that I have ever found a hot spot just from a map alone

just my  $0.02

logger, you agree with my non-expert take in this subject. Use the map to put you in the area, then find the cover on the structure. I can't recall ever finding a hot spot with just a map.

Cheers,

GK

You really can't replace map study. In the 10-12 lakes I fish regular it doesn't matter were anybody else is fishing I'm aware of whats on the map and possible bottom content. So every boat on the water is prefishing for me (nice people).

If you just go up and down shorelines it proably not that important.

Garnet

i guess i didnt get my question across clearly.  what i mean is oviously you need your electronics in addition to the map when locating what you originally observed from the map alone.  versus just say your in an area your not intending to fish cause the map did not show anything to grab your attention but instead you observed a brush pile or hydrilla and it turned out to be a good place that holds fish.   so based on these two scenarios what percentage of your fishing spots is based from a map/ electronics or no map/ electronics  

I would have to say 70% electronics with no map and 30% electronics with a map. This is a direct result of the fact I turn my electronics are turned on as soon as my transducer hit water and is not turned off until the boat is back on the trailer. It doesn't matter if I'm just idling or running I'm constantly scanning my electronics. I have a couple dozen spots that are in a boat lane or within casting distance of a boat lane.

You really can't replace map study. In the 10-12 lakes I fish regular it doesn't matter were anybody else is fishing I'm aware of whats on the map and possible bottom content. So every boat on the water is prefishing for me (nice people).

I'll drink to that

The vast majority of my most productive holding sites were found at home on a contour map and not on the lake.

It doesn't matter if the lake is 2,000 miles away (last year it came close), I'll painstakingly select the most promising trial sites

based on bottom contour, inlets, outlets, shoreline configuration and the like. Once I reach the lake, nearly all my time on the water

will be spent evaluating the "cover" at each trial site. Some sites will immediately be eliminated, others will be upgraded,

but most of the lake's area will be totally ignored.

Roger