Hello everyone. I'm kinda new here and this is actually my first question since I've been on this forum. I did a search to make sure someone hasn't already asked this question and I don't think they have. I do alot of reading, especially on fishing and hunting. It seems like every book, article, magazine, or webpage always gets on the subject of a topo map. I know how to read these maps, but finding one for my home reservoirs has proven to be a huge task. (bankhead and Lay lakes in central AL). I feel like I could make myself a much better fisherman just by having these. What advice do yall have for me? If I can't find them, What do I do? Thank you for your time.

    Have you tried looking at your local tackle shops?  They usually always have some topo maps for nearby lakes.

Call up your state wildlife and parks department, they will head you in the right direction and will be able to tell you where you can purchase USGS maps.  Some states sell their own maps and I've found that map quality seems to vary from state to state.  Some come weatherproof some don't.  KS i know doesn't have wetherproof 7.5 min maps but they have a handful of lake maps that are.  Colorado offers weatherproof 7.5 min maps.

Lake bottom topography showings are not that common on maps, but some are available for certain lakes.  Be sure sure to check when the maps contour lines have been updated.  Some USGS maps haven't been updated in a few decades.

Also, I'm talking about PAPER maps.  I'm not that experienced working with GPS - I don't really trust it.

I just checked out google maps for Lay Lake, and it was not very good for topo references. Like already stated, look at local shops for a map. Another option is, I know at the walmart here in Middle Tennessee, they have a lake/river systems map for fishing. It is a big book that shows almost all the waterways in Tennessee topographically and even small creeks that sometimes I did not even know existed. It is about $30 bucks. Maybe they have that at your walmart for your state. It does not hurt to check. Also i now use a handheld GPS i bought for backpacking. I bought a unit that allows me to put a MicroSD card with all the preloaded water ways for the whole southeastern USA. The unit was cheap on Amazon, but the card costed me a bit more. But this way i can see the elevation and channels as well as mark fishing spots. I hope this gives you some options.

The NASA World Wind program has an overlay for USGS topo. If it is available for those lakes it will show up when using the overlay topo function.

http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/

The program is a hog and refreshes are slow even with a decent computer, but it has great information and some really good plugins.

Sure do appreciate yall's time and advice. I haven't tried the fish and wildlife office yet. On the worldwind program, is that something I have to download to be able to use, or is it an online thing? (not very computer literate, but I'm learning.)

Try Navionics. I have a lot of their maps and they are a lot more detailed than any others I have seen.

As far as Bankhead goes it's a smaller body of water and you will probably be better off trying to get an original grid map from the government and then drawing in the lake contour lines to outline it. When I lived in Trussville I fished it some but it has been so long ago I don't remember enough to help you with it.

On the worldwind program, is that something I have to download to be able to use, or is it an online thing? (not very computer literate, but I'm learning.)

It's a download. The link is in my original reply. Just click that link and the page it takes you to has a link to the download. There's also more to do to install the addons for Microsoft Virtual Earth and USGS topo.

There's also a video that covers how to install it and the addon as well as how to use it.

Here is the link to the video: http://www../fishing-videos/*-mapping/

Navionics Hot maps, paper maps are excellent.

WRB

http://mapper.angling-technologies.com/atom/pmap.php

Works just like google maps.  Has a topo overlay that works for most lakes, some aren't documented.  It's not 100% accurate but it gives you a good lay of the lake and structure, cover, etc.  Plus its printer friendly by using their print option!

Sent you a PM with some info.

Navionics does not have a paper map of Lay or Bankhead. Neither lake is on their computer software map product Navionics Hotmaps Explorer.

Wow! I found a website that had a few examples of the Navionics Hot Maps. Those look awesome. Exactly what I'm looking for, Just didn't have Lay or Bankhead. I wonder why they only make those maps for certain lakes? Oh well...the search continues.

website was omnimap.com

mapserver.mytopo.com/bp/mapserver/index.cfm

print them off in sections and tape together. beats buying a whole topo map. JMO

Busy mentioned USGS maps. I like these and order them at a local bookstore. There's also a company called DeLorme that sells topo CDs. I have an old version from about 10 years ago but it's still quite good. You can even change the viewing angle on these.

http://www.atlanticmapping.com/lay.htm

Though you're asking for a "topo" map, that may not necessarily be what you're looking for.

Every square foot of the United States has been charted on quadrangulars comprised of several topographical maps.

However, not all topo maps display water depths, but may only display topographical elevations,

especially where manmade reservoirs are involved. In that case, you'd have to calculate the water depths

by subtracting the contour elevation from the shoreline elevation.

However, a "hydrographic" map (hydro map) will always display the depth-lines of the lake,

even recent manmade reservoirs. To my knowledge, Garmin does not offer bathymetry for Lay Lake, Alabama.

On the other hand, hydro map hardcopies for any major lake are generally available from chart makers

like Kingfisher, CartoCraft, etc.

Roger

Yeah, I'm almost ashamed to say that I've never heard of a "hydro" map or water chart until now. But you are right. Someone else either replied or pm'd me the same info, and it proved to be very helpful in a web search. I just can't believe that as much as I read up on this stuff, I've never heard that. Everyone always refers to them as "topo" maps. Thank you though, I learn something new every day.