IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
New Hampshire => Ice Fishing New Hampshire => Topic started by: LakerChaser1234 on Feb 28, 2021, 12:55 AM
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Hello,
I’ve been told to look for humps in the pursuit of lake trout. I’m confused as to what I was told. I got a flasher and use depth maps but still don’t really know how to find “humps” I don’t have navionics but would purchase it if it’s worth it. :o
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If you’re an avid fisherman and ice fisherman, Navionics is worth its weight in gold. Excellent app for maps and finding structure. You can even mark your spots on it as well. Watch some YouTube videos. Humps are basically underwater islands. Say there is a 40 foot flat, but then within that flat there is a spot that comes up to 25feet, but is surrounded by 40, that’s a hump!
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Here is an example of a hump. This series of “islands” are surrounded by 40-50 FOW but all the orange rises (I have depth shading on) are between 30-35 fow. One hump even comes up to 24 fow. Does this make sense?
(https://i.postimg.cc/XXBNVv4R/1-BE65-D01-FB6-F-43-FA-AC99-1-E79-ECB962-BE.png) (https://postimg.cc/XXBNVv4R)
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That clarifies everything. Thank you so much!
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Check webapp. Navionics .com to get a feel for the app. App is even better with colored contours, etc. But it's about the same level of accuracy & definition.
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This spot right here has always produced a bunch of fish summer fall winter spring variety of species also 20’ surrounded by 35-45’
(https://i.postimg.cc/bsh9pWfK/B20-AB8-B4-E490-48-D5-81-A1-07-BC196-BD317.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/bsh9pWfK)
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LakerChaser, good on you for using a map in many ways I think low tech beats hi-tech. I bet your map never suffers from battery issues. The title of your post was locating fish. Humps are definitely an area of interest worth checking when you are breaking down water trying to locate the fish. Lakers in the winter can be any where but based on their nomadic and predatory behavior, look for good ambush points. Humps can be effective because the lakers shoot up from depth and forage on these humps.
When pre-scouting your fishing location, don't ignore elongated submerged points and shallow areas where the bottom composition changes.
When you are trying to find the "spot on the spot", vary your depth on the spot. I like to find areas next to deep water with some structure and a bottom contour that offers enough variation. Some days the bite is on at humps at a certain depth and then other days it's an inside bend from a submerged point.
If you like to run and gun chasing fish, I would suggest having a solid plan of attack. Fish efficiently and cover ground. Once you start marking fish, then worry about jigging cadence, lure size and presentation.
Good luck, tight lines
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And don’t write off a spot you’ve fished once or even a few times to no avail. You haven’t really given a particular spot it’s due (particularly for big fish) if you haven’t hit it in the morning, mid day, evening in different lighting and weather. Pick 3 or 4 points on a map and really beat them to death on a few trips before moving on.
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Good advise here
And don’t write off a spot you’ve fished once or even a few times to no avail. You haven’t really given a particular spot it’s due (particularly for big fish) if you haven’t hit it in the morning, mid day, evening in different lighting and weather. Pick 3 or 4 points on a map and really beat them to death on a few trips before moving on.
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I tend to target main basin lakers that like to hang out on main basin flats. This varies a little bit by lake but more often than not it's where I find numbers.
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LC 1234, here in NH, we are typically fishing "small" lakes compared to many of those that you see online. I agree with all of the replies here, but to add on to them. Bathymetry maps along with species in lakes are key. Know what else is in there for bait, know their life cycles and preferred depths at time of year. Find bait equals Lakers. This year has been an anomaly, in my opinion, Lakers have been b****y...
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Just remember, if you are not seeing them where you are after putting in some time, MOVE. Have a spot/plan B, C, D and E. Stop when you are satisfied and keep going if you are not. You can stay in one place and catch nothing or you can try 10 places and catch nothing. I promise you that you will learn more from one of those than the other.
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Just remember, if you are not seeing them where you are after putting in some time, MOVE. Have a spot/plan B, C, D and E. Stop when you are satisfied and keep going if you are not. You can stay in one place and catch nothing or you can try 10 places and catch nothing. I promise you that you will learn more from one of those than the other.
Couldn’t agree more with you sharps. That said make sure you test around the particular structure. Top of the finger, inside turn, outside turn, adjacent flat etc. Some days I have to bounce around for what seems like miles, structure after structure, other days a 50 ft move on a particular structure puts me on aggressive fish.
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Just remember, if you are not seeing them where you are after putting in some time, MOVE. Have a spot/plan B, C, D and E. Stop when you are satisfied and keep going if you are not. You can stay in one place and catch nothing or you can try 10 places and catch nothing. I promise you that you will learn more from one of those than the other.
Mike from my experience NH laker jigging is significantly different and more difficult than laker jigging in NY or VT. Once I figured out the lake bigger than winni...I never went back. Of course 2 pb's to days in a row of 15 and then over 15lbs will do that to a guy. I'm ruined.
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Mike from my experience NH laker jigging is significantly different and more difficult than laker jigging in NY or VT. Once I figured out the lake bigger than winni...I never went back. Of course 2 pb's to days in a row of 15 and then over 15lbs will do that to a guy. I'm ruined.
LOL you are spot on. I keep hearing how different it is. I am no Winni pro nor a laker pro, but I like to think that I can hang IF I am fishing where there are fish. Next season I am 100% down to fish with you. Blind fold and all.
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LOL you are spot on. I keep hearing how different it is. I am no Winni pro nor a laker pro, but I like to think that I can hang IF I am fishing where there are fish. Next season I am 100% down to fish with you. Blind fold and all.
....you will be spun around 20 times as well just to ensure you can never ever find the spot. We will make it happen I am going to spend almost my entire season next year dedicated to the biggest of big lakes.