Section: tips-tactics
Bill RiversA strategic plan for fishing ...Fishing Unfamiliar & Fly-in Lakes |
| Pre-trip Research & Planning In spite of the fact that most fly-in and many road-accessible lakes offer great fishing opportunities, anglers should develop and execute a plan for fishing any unfamiliar lake. Without such a strategy, too much time on a short trip can be spent searching for fish or prime locations. Notice that I did not say "wasted". No systematic survey of a lake should be considered a waste of time - even when fish are not caught. | |
 | One key to finding fish consistently is to quickly eliminate "empty" water, and one way to do that is through trial and error. Better, though, to spend as much time as possible actually fishing a promising or proven location. This can be best accomplished with a two-pronged, strategic approach - one prior to the trip; the other on the water. Before putting the boat in the water, "explore" the destination lake on paper through the examination of available maps and charts. Many times, gaining a thorough knowledge of the lake and the identification of potential hotspots can be accomplished without even getting in the boat. |
| Check available map & chart sources, including:
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 | Speak to others with experience on the lake, including:
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| Immediately after booking a trip work through the above lists - a task easily managed if your group shares in the research. Besides, it is actually fun trying to figure out the lake, sight unseen and even better when you discover that some of your assessments were correct. And, having done some of the "leg work" prior to the trip, you will have considerably more time for a thorough "on-the-water" survey once you reach your destination. |  Upon Arrival |