Mapping shallow lakes

[monzster]

I am a dinosaur I guess. We watch the shore line and the drift of the lake while they let water out. We pretty much know the lay of the land underwater where we fish. Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma is a big lake. Have not fished in all areas yet. Figure now that I am retired and will have a boat next year the fun will begin. Have no interest in the electronics of fishing. Sometimes tossing a cig butt in the water will tell you a lot on where the fish are. I will leave it at that.

One of the reservoirs I fish let the water out last year to work on the dam it dropped about 20 feet I was amazed at the things you find structure wise. I took a lot of pictures of the "lay of the land" unfortunately they have let more out and closed the boat dock this year but it was really cool to see that kind of stuff. When I smoked way back in the day I used to the old cigarette butt trick. I have had my Garmin a couple of years now and still have a hard time knowing what Im looking at but it is kind of cool.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

OK, for someone that quit in there early 20's, what is the cigarette butt trick?

 

[sonny1]

It floats in any current caused from letting water into the lake or out. When it runs alongside some brush or anything else sticking out of the water you know that there are fish close by. At times since Eufaula is such a large lake you end up with some mild but strange current as water comes in from the rivers and creeks and such when they let massive amounts of water out of the dam. When the butt circles in the water you have dinner.

 

[GilK]

OK, for someone that quit in there early 20's, what is the cigarette butt trick?

Thank you for asking. I still smoke but didn't know that. I don't throw my butts in the water but the idea is interesting

Sonny1 thank you for answering.

 

[wmk0002]

I like the Garmin mapping. Another plus is Garmin offers it on their really low end models too.

The only negative (IMO at least) is that you have to have a $$$ Garmin trolling motor to automatically follow contours and stuff where as with a bird you can connect it to some more affordable motors, and there is a much larger used market for some of the nicer bird models that can do it as well.