What to look for on a lake map/how to find fish

[tomes1978]

I'm new to ice fishing this year and having a blast.  I got hooked at a private pond where they were easy to find.  I have since began trying to fish bigger lakes with not much luck.  I don't do a lot of fishing in the summer either so I'm looking for tips on how to find fish.  I have a book of lake maps in my area that shows depth and all the breaks.  What am I looking for on the map as a place that should hold fish.  Certain depths, or what kind of breaks, etc.  Bluegill, crappie, perch, walleye, and pike on tip-ups.  I'm sure different species like different water depths.  Any help would be appreciated. 

[bigmike7272]

I like setting up on flats that are between 15-20fow with deeper water nearby. Fish will come up out of the deeper water to feed on those flats.

[Loudmouth879]

for pike and pickerel we do good shallow around weed beds, walleye fish the dropoffs/flats like bigmike said.... crappie are usually suspended on the flats depending on the body of water perch and bluegill should be all over the place deep shallow on the edge of weed beds

[wyoutdoors]

I'm new to ice fishing this year and having a blast.  I got hooked at a private pond where they were easy to find.  I have since began trying to fish bigger lakes with not much luck.  I don't do a lot of fishing in the summer either so I'm looking for tips on how to find fish.  I have a book of lake maps in my area that shows depth and all the breaks.  What am I looking for on the map as a place that should hold fish.  Certain depths, or what kind of breaks, etc.  Bluegill, crappie, perch, walleye, and pike on tip-ups.  I'm sure different species like different water depths.  Any help would be appreciated.

When fishing bigger bodies of water, break them down into smaller sections and fish them like you would anywhere else. Don't be overwhelmed by large water.  Fish will hold on structure in a big lake just as they will on a smaller lake, or private pond.

Choose a bay or cove, or something similar, and break it down on your map. Look for structure, depth changes, humps, ridges, anything a fish may key in one. Once you locate a pattern, like the fish are holding 15' deep off a rocky point, look for these same conditions in other parts of the lake after you fish it over.

Here's a post I wrote recently on How To: Ice Trolling Submerged Points which may help you improve your hardwater experience. In this case, searching for crappie near points and working other areas using a Navionics map.

- wyoutdoors 

[Dakota Angler]

When fishing bigger bodies of water, break them down into smaller sections and fish them like you would anywhere else. Don't be overwhelmed by large water.  Fish will hold on structure in a big lake just as they will on a smaller lake, or private pond.

Choose a bay or cove, or something similar, and break it down on your map. Look for structure, depth changes, humps, ridges, anything a fish may key in one. Once you locate a pattern, like the fish are holding 15' deep off a rocky point, look for these same conditions in other parts of the lake after you fish it over.

Here's a post I wrote recently on How To: Ice Trolling Submerged Points which may help you improve your hardwater experience. In this case, searching for crappie near points and working other areas using a Navionics map.

- wyoutdoors 

X2

Key is don't stay put if the fish are not there, move on and drill. I do a zig zag pattern just in case fish are on different depths.

[tomes1978]

Thanks for the good information guys.  I can't wait to get out there and have at it again this weekend.  Plus I have my new Marcum vx1 which should also help!!!

[PaperMouthPersuer]

Inside turns, outside turns, and flats off steep breaks are great areas for panfish.