So you totally ignore seasonal patterns Craig? Huge mistake dude. You can
have your channels & 15 ft depths in the spring & fall. Any good map or
plotter will show you your channel intersections etc.

As for smallmouths, in the winter & spring they hate current.

Warren
--
http://www.fishingworld.com/MesaTackleSupply/
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com http://www.secretweaponlures.com
http://www.warrenwolk.com/ http://www.tri-statebassmasters.com/

"Craig" wrote in message
...
Pre-fishing is absolutely necessary for any tournament, if for nothing
else
than becoming acquainted with the lake and its major structure. When I
fish
a new body of water, the first thing I usually do is lock on the 15-foot
contour line and follow it from one end of the lake to the other, or in
shallow lakes, I find the main channel and follow it while marking
channel
intersect points. Then follow as many of those intersecting channels,
roadbeds, ditches, etc., to see where they take me.

I have learned a long time ago to focus on incoming water and its channel
to
where it meets the main channel. Those channel breaklines and the first
90-feet of any adjoining flats or shallows will be statistically the most
productive. Regardless of time of year, I will start at the main channel
and
work my way up the incoming water channel. Why? Because first and
foremost
I am a smallie angler and smallies like current. Second, these fish are
more likely to be in an active state. Third, these fish are less likely
to
be effected by changes in the weather - even if this incoming source
starts
dumping in mud (breakline between the mud and clearer water can be killer,
especially around eddies).


--
Craig Baugher