fish finding techniques
 

ok i made this post for us to discuss what you belive are good fish finding techniques, while fishing an area for the first time. what kind of lures, structure ect..

first i look for moving water. if im in the marsh i look for water moving through "choke points" or "cuts" good ambush points for fish. look for bait to be present, for specks look for good water or the best water i can find, i look for difrences in the bottom whether it be drop offs, deep holes in the winter, hard/ soft/ oyster bottom ect. as far a bait or lures for reds i feel gulp is a great search bait or the spinner bait works good to cover lots of water by fan casting. specks i like soft plastics on a jighead and fan cast trying diffrent depths and rate of retieval.

so lets hear what you guys do to find and locate fish effectivly in new bodies of water

spinner bait, top water, and redfish magic, thats almost all i fish with now. great high speed baits to cover lots of water fast, also can slow down and work the same water a lot

I think yak'em is right on covering the same water a bunch of times I know with the reds I have caught it may take 5 or 6 casts in the same spot to entice them to bite. In addition to all the things that pox said I would say any abnormalities in the grass lines in the marsh. Reds don't seem to like a flat straight bank any slight variation normally hold a fish. Another point is just that a point I love seeing a point sticking out with a little water moving around it. I know this may be my superstition but I think the way the wind is blowing dictates what side of a grass line I fish. I find more often than not the calm areas or the side opposite of the wind blowing seems to hold more fish. This may be because that is the side that is easier to fish because it is facing into the wind. So, I fish those areas more thus producing more fish. I have to say I am still a newbie but it does seem very similar to fishing for bass something I have done regularly for 20+ years.

very very similar

I agree with everything and would also add keeping excellent boat position to accurately fish a reef or a cut also...I usually try to stay positioned to where I can easily anchor when drifting in case I get on the fish I can anchor quickly and quietly....

the better you can potlick, the better you can catch fish.

let others do the work

or you could just do like a lot of people do and ride around until you see some other boats catching,drive right up in the middle of them,toss out your car bumper anchor,and simply ask, yall doing any good?

that is why i enjoy fishing with a trolling motor deep back in the marsh. most other fisherman are too lazy to come and cut me off.

finding fish
 

If i'm fishing Hopedale / shell beach or grand isle i just pick up the phone and dial 1-800 ask a guide.
nice to have friends who fish every day!:help:

which do you think is a better bait for locating fish small, big, topwater??

i think a topwater is great if you have the paticentce because if you can entich a topwater strike it usally means there is more (schooly) fish around. on the other hand i also like smaller baits like a dudley on a jighead because it is eaiser to get a strike from a wider range of fish in size opposed to throwing a large bait hoping to catch the attention of the "loner" trophy.