What's the best way to find a pile?

I have trouble finding brush piles even with maps and sonar and markers. Any tricks of the trade you guys would like to share? Thanks jb

Put your own out is best!

Skip

Skip is right; BUT, not all brush piles are hidden. Cruise the banks and look for the obvious such as fallen trees or holes in the bank where a tree use to be. If water is clear enough keep eyes peeled for small branches just below the water. Also, try trolling out from the bank actually hoping to get "hung up." Depth is important and I'm finding that at least 10' of water is needed this time of year. Just my opinion and what seems to work for me. Good luck.

If you're talking about trying to find already existing brushpiles, that you didn't actually build yourself, then this is what I have found that works.
I usually will spread out at least 4 poles set 1 or 2 feet off the bottom. Then I will spiderrig along any creek or river channel edges that I can locate. In my experiences the most productive brushpiles are going to be the ones located along these breaklines instead of any that you might find out on a flat.
Watch your depthfinder closely as you move along right up on top of the drop-offs. 2 things will usually happen. Most often you will just catch a good fish or two as your lures approach the pile or you will actually hang the brush.
Either way, you have just located a productive brushpile! Before you even reach for the dipnet, toss a markerbouy right on top of where the fish is coming up! Trust me, by the time that you net and land the fish you will be several yards off of the brushpile. I've always had a lot of trouble trying to relocate a pile that I saw on the graph by turning around and heading back without marking it first.
This is a little secret that I have used for years to locate brushpiles other than my own. While I am fishing, no matter if it's jiggin' tops or spiderrigging, I'm always scanning the water around the boat for one thing...turtles. If I am say 100 or more yards from any bank and I see a turtle surface you can bet there's probably a brushpile located right close by. I find a bunch of them this way when the water is calm in the summer.

Good Luck!

cool tricks guys thanks for the tips! Eventually I'll get a mess of crappie to eat. jb

get you a humminbird SI and you will find them

Keep a marker bouy close by while you're motoring from spot to spot cause like bandit said it is almost impossible to turn back around and find one you just went over.

Dadgummit,

Welcome from Alabama. You can put your own out using PVC pipe to make it hard for others to detect on sonar. You can use a good quality sonar or use the Kentucky rig until you find one. I started out the old fashioned way like everyone else did. I used those "Thingamajigs" called binoculars and looked to see where everyone else was fishin. I kept good notes and later on would go over and investigate the area for myself.

If you don't have GPS on the boat to do a way point, write something down, use your own code, anything so you can get back to that area.

You can also hire a guide on your first trip to a lake. Again, watch where the guide fishes. They are in the business to keep customers satisfied. I guaranttteeee ya that they will fish a brush (or brunch) pile or too. Again dadgummit, use those binoculars and take some good notes.

When I first started I would use my sonar to find it and wold set out a my poles until i would hang on it (minner rig will always hang) toss a marker cut you tangle line then jig or troll around your pile!! Just when you hang it dont trash the pole just toss a marker and cut the line. Thats the easiest way I ever found. After reading slabbandit hit the nail on the head yeah what he said!!!

Buy a H-bird 997 SI and you will find them.