Hello all. I have a problem. I have bass fever, but I can't find the bass.

Now, I'm not new to bass fishing...I grew up on a fish farm in Southeast Georgia with nearly a dozen ponds ranging from tiny to fairly large, and I fished them alot. What I am new to, though, is bass fishing on lakes. I recently transplanted to western NC, and there is a chain of lakes stretching along the Catawba River that I have been fishing recently, but I have yet to boat a single fish. (We're talking 7 or 8 trips, here.) As you can probably imagine, I am getting kind of frustrated with this total lack of success. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy the trips, as I am an avid outdoorsman and love being on the water. But it sure would be nice to bring home a fish or two once in awhile to justify all the money I have spent on tackle and gear. I read articles and do research constantly, watch most of the bass fishing shows on tv, and try to follow the advice I find, but it seems to me that if I can't find the fish, none of that is going to do me any good.

I have a small boat with an outboard and a trolling motor, a handheld GPS unit, and maps of most of the lakes I fish, but I do not yet have a fishfinder. I will have one in the near future, but I'm still saving up for a good one. I know that puts me at a distinct disadvantage, but can anyone give me any advice for the best way to go about finding fish without one? I have spent most of my time in small coves without much luck. I guess I fish these locations because the layout and structure are more familiar to me, being somewhat similar to a pond. Am I looking in the right places? Should I focus on certain ares of the lake such as feeder creeks, etc? Most of these lakes are very simliar to each other, with the river coming in at the upper end, and the lake deepening and widening out towards the lower end, where there is almost always a dam. Should I be avoiding the main body of the lake? If so, where should I be heading?

I really appreciate any advice anyone might have for me, and I look forward to reading your replies. Thanks!

A really good fish finder should be your top priority.  Do you have a Dick's Sporting goods near by?  They have a FishMark 320 on sale for $130.  This is a great unit for the price.  You should by the best fish finder you can afford, so if you can afford better by all means do it.

I would suggest you hire a guide on the lake(s) you fish.  He will show you the best fishing spots and will most likely swamp you with information on that particular lake while you fish with him for the day.  After that you should be all set!