I’m going to try fishing a lake with no public access but connects to public land. The DNR has a map, but no fish survey. It gets deep enough to hold fish(good amount of water over 12′), but I can’t find any info. What lures or tactics would you guys use to assess the lake?
The best way that I’ve assessed a lake is to do it the old fashioned way, start with a worm and bobber. If you establish there are smaller fish, move your way up the food chain with different tactics like cranks, spinners or topwater pike/bass gear. When I was little there was a small lake by my house that my dad thought I was crazy for trying to fish. Turns out there was some nice bass in it.
I would pull some spinners with a minnow along the east and south shorelines.
Jigs catch everything that swims. I’d probably try a white paddletail on a 1/4 ounce and cover a lot of water, but not before driving around with the electronics to see what I’m dealing with. Good luck!
Look for action on the surface too, bugs, frogs, birds etc.
Spend a considerable amount of time scouting. Checking depths, weedline, shoreline composition, etc. Shoreline usually tells ya enough. Then start casting, 1/8oz jig, with smaller 2″ paddletials. Catches big fish, and catches smaller fish, good overall scouting bait.
Good luck! Those can be gems.
Depths and worms I would try first.
I actually have a lake this summer I want to that out on.
Small Beetle Spins catch everything and cover water fast
The best way that I’ve assessed a lake is to do it the old fashioned way, start with a worm and bobber. If you establish there are smaller fish, move your way up the food chain with different tactics like cranks, spinners or topwater pike/bass gear. When I was little there was a small lake by my house that my dad thought I was crazy for trying to fish. Turns out there was some nice bass in it.
That was going to be my first tactic. I can pull my 12′ boat int here with another guy. Its about a 100 yrd. trek. I will use my vexilar for electronics but nothing fancy. It is very bog stained so I don’t expect a weedline to speak of.
I’ve done the same thing but on a lake without a map.
Like others have said: Worm or minnow and bobber to start.
Spinners, Small Crankbaits, Jig-n-Plastics
I have another I am going to try in next week or so, means portaging my Canoe 1/2 down non-paved trails with fishing gear.
2-lakes side by side, South lake appears covered with scum in Aerial Photo while the North lake appears dark indicating deeper clean water.
Sits in between 2 good fishing lakes along a creek, I’ve seen lots of Sunfish, Perch and small Bass in the creek.
I’ll let you know what I find.
I’d wait until winter and then go poke a few hundred holes and drop my flasher and/or camera down each one and see what shows up.
I considered that but I can’t wait that long. It would drive me nuts. Now the area is getting pounded with rain. have to wait a bit more….
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