How to Break Down a New Bass Lake or River Quickly

As a bass angler, few things are more satisfying than having success when fishing a body of water for the first time. You throw yourself into something unfamiliar, put a plan together, adjust as needed and ultimately figure out the bass.

However, this can be especially difficult if you haven’t strayed from a favorite lake or river much, or if the conditions aren’t in your favor. When I’m fishing a new body of water, whether for a tournament or for fun, there are a few things I do to try and shorten the time it takes to put those puzzle pieces together.

STUDY UP

If I’m able to research a new body of water prior to my arrival, I do. I’ll look at detailed contour maps of the lake (I often use the One-Boat Network app for this) or even peruse Google Earth to see aerial views of how the lake lays out. When reviewing satellite imagery, I note any of the lake’s shallow areas I should either avoid or fish, depending on the time of year.

In summer months, looking at satellite images lets you see where the deeper water in the backwater sloughs of a river meets up with a weed line or a bank lined with laydowns. These banks often hold more bass than a slough that’s shallower or has a constant depth, as bass can return to deeper water more easily when shallow-water areas warm during the day. Conversely, in spring you want to find a lake’s shallow bays and the back ends of creek arms, which are often spawning areas. I’ll also watch for any inflows or outflows of the lake—where bass may congregate—and pinch points or areas where bass will be funneled through and more than likely be schooled up.

Lastly, if the body of water I’m traveling to is a popular tournament lake, I review past results to see what catches were like. I’ll also do some online searching to find any recent fishing reports that can help guide my efforts.

FIND THE FOOD

Determining the primary bass forage in a body of water is important, as it dictates what baits you’ll throw. You can certainly research this beforehand, but upon arriving, I’ll usually check the water for clues, too. I’ll search the shallows for any panfish swimming around. I’ll turn over a few rocks at the boat landing to look for crayfish. While idling out of the launch area, I’ll keep an eye out to see if I’m spooking any baitfish ahead of or behind me.

Doing this helps me learn what bass are eating, which informs both lure and color choices and hints at a waterbody’s potential fish-holding areas. For instance, seeing an abundance of crayfish near the landing, or small holes where crayfish have burrowed into a mud bank, may point you toward other areas of that lake or river that likely hold crayfish, which in turn attract bass. Riprap sections of banks or wing dams on a river system are good places to start in this case. The combination of current and rocks usually attract and hold both prey and predator.

Seeing lots of bluegills up shallow or hearing them popping in these areas may suggest searching out shallow-water areas with vegetation. Spots with lily pads and pencil reeds are great options, especially in the morning when light is low and bass are roaming and eager to feed.

On lakes where you see shad busting, seek out points or ledges, as bass will often push bait up onto or against them and feed. Depending on water levels and current (if it’s a river system), you’ll likely want to start on the upstream side of points, islands or ledges.

TAKE A TOUR

Once I get the boat on plane, and assuming the lake isn’t incredibly large, I’ll try to make an initial loop around it. For massive lakes, I usually just do a loop around the section I’m planning to fish that day. This could be a bay off the main lake or a creek channel that comes in from the main river.

My goal with this is to watch for anything that stands out as an obvious fish-holding location. Examples include a stretch of boat docks, a main-lake point or buoyed-off rock piles. While taking this lap, note how close boat docks are to deeper water and watch for isolated docks on a bank that lacks any other forms of cover. That lone dock could hold a school of bass given the absence of other nearby cover to hide under during the peak of the day. This is especially true if there’s good bottom structure nearby.

Also, identify points, as these are often some of the best fish-holding areas. Fish holding on points can feed on top of the point when hungry or rest there during low-light hours. When they desire, they can easily move to sit in deeper water off the sides or tip. I’ll search for the largest or most noticeable points on a lake or river first, as they often can hold the largest population of fish. From there I’ll identify smaller or secondary points, as these too can be key locations that hold bass.

If you’re pressed for time and can’t make a full loop, you can take a “virtual tour” with your electronics and often glean some of these same insights. The only thing you might miss without making a lap is any floating vegetation that is present or has moved following a previous visit.

TRACK YOUR BITES

Always pay attention to where, when and how your bites are coming. Do this whenever you’re fishing, but especially on a new body of water. By dissecting each bite you get, you can acquire lots of information, which you can use to start creating a repeatable pattern. As you catch more bass off the same type of fish-holding cover, or in the same water depth or near a certain type of structure, you can apply this to other parts of the lake.

The next time your fishing buddy suggests hitting up a new lake, consider these pieces of advice and make a game plan for your day on the water. I suspect you’ll put those puzzle pieces together in no time.

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• This article was featured in the June/July 2025 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe.

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