I was in your shoes 5 years ago. Here's my advice, not sure if its what you want to hear but I won't charge you for it. Hire a guide or find someone who has great experience in the area for your first few trips. Big lake and its surrounding areas can be tough to learn and be successful on due to its vastness and appearance of open water. I fished saltwater my whole life and had good success with it, and was expecting the same when trying out the area. Got to big lake and basically burned a ton of miles and got a lot of sunburns trying to figure the place out. I've had decent success when I put in the effort, but I probably worked way harder than smarter in the process. If you want to enjoy your new boat, the ride, and the good weather than have at it! If you want to catch fish, learn the area, and find the triggers for success quickly then hire a guide a couple times.
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