New water. What do you all do????

[Randy Z]

We all like to fish new water. But how do you approach it? Personally, i will research online as much as i can. Second, MelvinP and I are lucky enough to have awesome sonar! But thats not always enough. You can fish it the way you do everything else and catch nothing. Or just the opposite. Fishing smaller bodys of water is easy compared to Seneca Lake. Whats everyone's thoughts?

 

[truecrimson]

Research online. Ask friends, including the folks here, know anything about it

Those two things are usually enough. For example before I ever hit Sweet Arrow I had a pretty good idea of what was there, and where to find what. Still couldn't catch most of it, but I knew where it was.

Also techniques don't change. A shoreline is a shoreline and a deep hole is a deep hole. So what works along the shore line in one lake will usually work in another. Trolling is trolling, the only thing that may really change is the depth and cover/structure.

 

[A-5]

I actually hate fishing new water. Lol. I fish the same holes over and over and over

 

[Bootfoot]

I don’t like new water either. It takes time to learn the intricacies of new water And time is what I’m most short of. I fish the Delaware river all the time, a handful of streams and occasionally the nock. I use to fish Harvey’s lake often but my parents sold the house.

 

[pabassman]

We all like to fish new water. But how do you approach it? Personally, i will research online as much as i can. Second, MelvinP and I are lucky enough to have awesome sonar! But thats not always enough. You can fish it the way you do everything else and catch nothing. Or just the opposite. Fishing smaller bodys of water is easy compared to Seneca Lake. Whats everyone's thoughts?

I look for shallow cover to start. Theres always fish in and near weeds. Laydowns, stumps, docks, pads ect. Next would be spending time staring at the graph. What fun . Many lakes are charted so reviewing those give you a head start. If I cant get them shallow I'd probably look for a different place to fish lol

 

[troutspinner]

If you placed me on a new lake today and taking what I currently know, I would follow the river channel looking for points and secondary points, using my finder to find structure, hard bottom, bait and fish. I would do this for at least an hour and mark the beginning and the ending of any structure, bait and fish. I would then backtrack and hit the areas that revealed fish with bait and fish it with whatever method that satisfied the depth and the depth the fish are holding. My next area to fish would be areas with structure like trees or rocks, fish them accordingly and then finally, fish hard bottom areas, most likely dragging a jig.

I would then come to the realization that this lake fishes differently than what I am use to and it has kicked my butt. I would then research the heck out of it online, buy whatever baits YouTubers and Facebookers are using on that lake, fish it 10 more times and then say this lake sucks. While that sounds very cynical, I would then realize that I need to put more time on the lake to really figure it out on my own....all the while cursing said YouTubers and Facebookers and swear to myself that I could crush them if they were fishing with me on the lake(s) I actually knew.

 

[A-5]

I have had that conversation with TS. That’s funny

 

[A-5]

And my position. I live 10 minutes to a dock. I don’t see a point driving any farther to explore.

 

[Melvinp]

And my position. I live 10 minutes to a dock. I don’t see a point driving any farther to explore.

Does that mean you’re not making that 5 hour trip north anymore lol

 

[Melvinp]

I really like to fish new water it’s definitely a challenge sometimes.I get bored fishing the same spot over and over again even when I know that I can catch fish in that body of water. I’ll try a new spot a few times before I give up on it i realize that I might not catch anything but you don’t get lucky without trying.

 

[Gremcat]

Seneca specific? I’d hire a charter for a day or 3. Used to be some near Geneva when I lived up that way on Canandaigua. Ditto Ontario, hire a small charter for a few days will at least get you started.

 

[A-5]

Does that mean you’re not making that 5 hour trip north anymore lol

Nope leaving soon. But I still fish the same holes. There. Lol.

 

[Solitario Lupo]

Can't complain about fishing new waters. I usually hear a lot by word of mouth then I like to go look at it to get a feel for what I'm looking for. It can be hard but if you know what to look for than start there and fish the holes.
If you really want to get into them and don't care about what other boaters think of you look where the boats pile up. There's a reason why they sit in those groups of 3 or more boats.

 

[Melvinp]

Nope leaving soon. But I still fish the same holes. There. Lol.

Good luck

 

[truecrimson]

I actually hate fishing new water. Lol. I fish the same holes over and over and over

I don’t like new water either. It takes time to learn the intricacies of new water And time is what I’m most short of. I fish the Delaware river all the time, a handful of streams and occasionally the nock. I use to fish Harvey’s lake often but my parents sold the house.

I'm the opposite. I love new water. Even if I have not figured out a lake to the degree Don does, I still get bored with the same old same old. I guess that's why I love creeks. Every inch is new every time and the next big rain will change everything again.

I really like to fish new water it’s definitely a challenge sometimes.I get bored fishing the same spot over and over again even when I know that I can catch fish in that body of water. I’ll try a new spot a few times before I give up on it i realize that I might not catch anything but you don’t get lucky without trying.

Yep. 100%.

 

[Bootfoot]

When I was young I would fish new water all the time. Then I discovered how diverse the Delaware river is as a fishery. My search was over and only 20 minutes from my driveway. I didn’t learn this until I started having children and my fishing trips were reduced to places I could get to, fish, and return home all in 4 or 5 hours. I lived within 30 minutes of the river my entire life yet I would travel 2 hours and more to fish every weekend. It’s how I developed my love of the resources near me and have no bucket list fishing trips. I don’t think much about what the next guy has in his backyard that I don’t have. I also very much enjoy creek fishing but a new creek is a lot easier to figure out and fish than a new lake.

now when I retire for the final time in a couple years, I may travel a little more. I don’t know, we will have to see.

 

[Don]

I live within 500 yards of the Delaware and I rarely fish it. One could fish three summers to catch a 2.5 lb bass. Walleye are very rare. I’ve seen musky but, but, forget that! Smallies are a blast….never caught a keeper. Cats can be fun sumetimes. Panfish are scarce and disappointing. Winter trout I hear is getting better. If I got serious about the Delaware it would have to be for Shad and Striper. With the exception of Shad I can catch all the above and more, all year round, in keeper sizes, at numerous local lakes.

 

[truecrimson]

Was up in Wilkes Barre for job #2 today. I drive all over the eastern half of PA for them and notice lots of interesting looking water. One day when I have the time I'd like to drive around and just check out whatever weird or interesting little creeks, lakes, and ponds I find.

 

[Bootfoot]

I live within 500 yards of the Delaware and I rarely fish it. One could fish three summers to catch a 2.5 lb bass. Walleye are very rare. I’ve seen musky but, but, forget that! Smallies are a blast….never caught a keeper. Cats can be fun sumetimes. Panfish are scarce and disappointing. Winter trout I hear is getting better. If I got serious about the Delaware it would have to be for Shad and Striper. With the exception of Shad I can catch all the above and more, all year round, in keeper sizes, at numerous local lakes.

We all have bad days and slow days but no truer words have ever been spoken when you said you rarely fish the river. 3 summers to catch a 2.5 lb bass, never caught a keeper SMB, walleyes are rare and winter trout getting better?????????whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?? Walleyes are plentiful, a keeper SMB is 12”, the upper Delaware is a world class trout fishery. Hate to say it but It’s not the river, it’s your fishing. Your doing something seriously wrong. by the way the striper biomass is approaching moritorium level so now is not the time to start targeting them during the spawn for eating. Probably best if you stay at the lakes of plentiful fat fish.

 

[truecrimson]

We all have bad days and slow days but no truer words have ever been spoken when you said you rarely fish the river. 3 summers to catch a 2.5 lb bass, never caught a keeper SMB, walleyes are rare and winter trout getting better?????????whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?? Walleyes are plentiful, a keeper SMB is 12”, the upper Delaware is a world class trout fishery. Hate to say it but It’s not the river, it’s your fishing. Your doing something seriously wrong. by the way the striper biomass is approaching moritorium level so now is not the time to start targeting them during the spawn for eating. Probably best if you stay at the lakes of plentiful fat fish.

Have you two compared the locations or areas you are fishing?