Contour Maps

[FishinBetterThanWorkin]

I was at Bass Pro the other day and bought a few contour maps of some local lakes that I have either never fished or rarely. Problem is I'm not real sure what to even look for. What are the things to look for prior to heading to a new lake? Is it just rapid depth changes, especially the ones close to timber? How would the pro's here analyze a contour map :D?

[Jigging15]

In the spring I target the first drop off from the shore line. 6 ft. dropping into 8ft. Even 12 ft dropping into 18. The depth does not seem to make a hole lot of differance. Just needs to be that first drop off. Seems they stack up on this break line before there final surge to the bank to spawn. Find a spot like this with cover and you will find fish. Either standing timber or brush piles. If I have not already welcome to the site from Truman Lake.

[beagle man]

I look for chunk rock clusters, river channels and their relation to coves and how far the flat runs. also small creeks in back of coves. I look for old ponds, down timber is good, in the spring I look for the deep breaks that are close to what I think good spawn areas. I look for pea gravel and veg. areas. as chang would say be the fish another too on here is go back to the spring mounts and read some old post. they are period specific. pick a name and if you can get past the bull there is good info in old post. except for kcmocrappie slayer he is a good crappie fisherman he just cant remember where he was. later and good luck

[FishinBetterThanWorkin]

Got to love crappie.com, I can't tell you how much info I've already gotten out of this site and I do appreciate it. I've planned a sick day for tomorrow already after seeing the weather and hope to put some of that info to good use, now just need to decide where I want to go. Thought about heading out to Melvern, or might go down to Truman.

This is going to be my first full year of taking crappie fishing seriously, as before it just has been something to kill some time and get out on the water. It seems the older I get the more I enjoy trying to find crappie. Already booked a trip down to Grenada in April, and we went to Reelfoot last year. Thanks for the help!

[Jigging15]

I will be on Truman tommorow morning. Not sure where I am putting in at yet. Bucksaw maybe. Nobody has been fishing it much this winter. Somebody has to try it to find out if they have turned on there yet. I think Monty was going to hit the grand arm today. Not sure how far up though. Guess i will have to wait and see the reports may have to change my mind and head some where else. But G-26 down to G-14 or some where in between is the plan for now.

[ShilohRed]

Guys something to go along with his question. About what water temp causes them to hunt that first drop like that?
Pete

[Jigging15]

On Truman I start looking for them there when the water temp is pushing 50. And then all the way through the spawn.

[drfishjd]

I think that what you look for depends alot on what time of year you're fishing and what type of lake you're fishing. This time of year, on a timbered reservoir, I'd look for the edges of timbered main lake flats not too far from the creek channel, or other deep water. Also, watch for bends in the creek channel in deeper coves and maybe on the main lake. Just depends. As the water warms up - they'll move back into the coves, usually along the creek channel or other migration route with dropoffs and cover. Go into a cove and look for gravelly banks with cover and sheltered rolls in the bank that look like good spawning habitat. Cover and black silt helps - find laydowns. Then back off to the first breakline that Jiggin 15 was talking about. Don't ignore any good cedar trees within 50 yards of a good spawning site. Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth on the next couple of months. Finally, it all looks different on a map than it does when you get there. It pays to spend some time just looking around. Good luck.