Fishing new ponds/lakes?

[Steel Nuttz]

I love to fish, and being terrible at it is really frustrating for me...

This is a multipurpose question, because I split my time between trolling for salmon/trout, and fishing for bass (S&L) and crappie.

If hitting a new body of water, what things do you look for if trying to find bass/crappie?  How long do you fish one spot?  If fishing the shorelines, how close do you get? 

If trolling for salmon/trout, do you stay shallow at first or head to the middle?  I mostly use mooselook's or similar lures...

Thanks for any replies.

[gamefisher]

I love to fish, and being terrible at it is really frustrating for me...

This is a multipurpose question, because I split my time between trolling for salmon/trout, and fishing for bass (S&L) and crappie.

If hitting a new body of water, what things do you look for if trying to find bass/crappie?  How long do you fish one spot?  If fishing the shorelines, how close do you get? 

If trolling for salmon/trout, do you stay shallow at first or head to the middle?  I mostly use mooselook's or similar lures...

Thanks for any replies.

I can't speak to the bass and crappie but if you want to hit the trout and salmon, I dare say this weekend coming is d**n near fool proof regardless of skill level.   Moon will be perfect, water temps are perfect, and fish have spread out.  The jr. mooseluk in half copper and half silver at 3-5 colors have been working best for me lately if that helps.  Good luck.

[FishPaws]

Same as Gamefisher on the Bass/Crappie... I guess some guys actually TRY to catch those. But not me.

Right after ice out the gamefish are a little sluggish.  Trolling hardware & flies requires a little speed. Trolling something such as a sewn smelt at a slower speed, say .7 to 1.5 may entice those lethargic creatures when water <48-50 degrees.

As for Shallow/Deep... Early on, smelt stream tributaries, I'm sure you've heard of the Songo.  After that gotta find'em, I try depth changes. A fishfinder with temp & speed certainly help on all fronts.

          

[icefisha22]

on the bass fishing end of things, i find that if they are there, you are gonna catch it right off (given you have found a lure that is working).  I like to start out in a spot with a big boulder, stump or some other sort of good looking structure and give it a couple casts, switch lures, repeat until you get one. If this fails, move to a new spot and keep trying it until you get into them. The key is to keep trying new things, keep moving.  As for lures, my go to is a wacky rigged green rubber worm.