Ways To Find Good Fishing Spots
Posted on: 27 April 2022
The first step in fishing is determining where to cast, and your chosen location will vastly impact the chances of catching fish. Here are some methods you can use to find good local fishing spots.
Ask Local Anglers
The most obvious source is to ask local anglers where their favorite spots are. Although most are unlikely to give up the secret spots they absolutely love, some may offer general guidance or let you know of well-known spots.
Even general guidance can be helpful, since it points you in the broad direction where you have an above-average chance of catching something. You can also examine the features of the area, and see whether any other nearby areas have similar features. If they do, those other places might also be worth trying.
While you can ask anglers outright where they like to go, you may have more success by making small talk. Ask anglers where they're headed or where fish are biting, and you could get a few hints. The marina is a great place to make small talk with fellow fishing aficionados.
Watch Where Charters Go
The captains of charter fishing boats earn their living by knowing where the fishing is good. You might not fish for what charters drop lines for, especially if they're trawling or deep-sea fishing. If you do target the same fish, though, follow one of them out and drop a line in nearby—although not so close that you become tangled with their lines.
Note Where People Are Fishing
As you boat or drive around, note where different people are fishing. Anywhere that someone else is could be a place to try, and some of them might be quite active areas. These have the added benefit of showing you the precise location to try, rather than a broad area.
You can sometimes gauge how good a location is by asking whether people have caught anything. Call out as you pass by, and most people will tell you. If they've caught a few, theirs may be an excellent location. If they haven't, you might still put the location lower on your list of spots to try.
Look for Varied Topography
Fish often feed or hide in areas where the bottom has different topological features. Underwater cliffs and ridges can be popular features, as can places with changes in the bottom (e.g. from rock to sand).
You can somewhat gauge where underwater features are located by examining charts of the area. A depth finder will show you exactly what the floor under your boat looks like.
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