Whats the best way to go about fishing a new lake?

[collettja]

Whats the best way to go about fishing a new lake?

[Big O]

Buy a map of the lake, that way you can study the underwater "lay of the land" most also have "brush piles" etc. Hope this helps. Good luck and good fishing.

[slothman]

Sak questions in local bait shops- usually these people will give you some good general advice even though they won't divulge any major hot spots.

[BuckTheSystem]

Two great points. Something that has worked for me is to look for birds. Birds on the water can mean bait-fish, and bait-fish mean game-fish. Bait-fish tend to get blown to the windward side of the lake (has to be pretty windy to make much difference).

[buckhunter]

I look for fish using crank baits. You can cover a lot of water and at different depths in a short time.

[buck hunter 17]

fish the whole lake if you have time to and try differant lewers and different ways to bring it back to you.

[shane]

Try trolling past all the points.

[t_holinka]

You can get a map, or do some scouting on your own. Use the basics sleep ledges, or any cover will hold fish. The best way to get information on local lakes is by stopping by the local bait shop, get your things, and ask questions. If your lucky, the'll fill you in.

[wallofsam]

I usually fish the edges first, then work the points and drop-offs. Then finally, drift fish acroos the lake. A depth/fish finder is a big help on a new lake too!

[Sportsman21]

look for perfect areas for bass first(weeds bank drop offs and cover) then bring a variety of diff. lures and try them all untill on works

[dwaynez]

I experiment with various tackle and techniques, you can't go wrong with soft plastics.

I usually start with soft plastics and also use search baits, such as rattle traps, crank baits, and spinner baits. You can cover a lot of water with these and see if they are active or not.

Also a jig/trailer is a great bait to go to if the bite is tough, slow down your presentation and take the time to map out the lake.

[FloridaHunter1226]

Try a variety of baits and different locations. Try and move around the lake, moving each bait a different way each time you reel one in.

[rudyglove27]

Agreed with Big O and + 1 for you sir!!!