Lake Fishing

Everything You Need to Know About Fishing Lakes

For many people lake fishing is the perfect way to spend a lazy summer afternoon. Check with the bait shop for the latest fishing report, grab a fishing rod and get ready for some of the best fresh water fishing you’ll find anywhere. Casting a crankbait for lake bass fishing, jigging for bluegills or tossing out a doughball for catfish and carp are all part of the fun. Whether you’re boating into some outstanding Lake Erie fishing or fishing lakes only an acre or two in size, this is what you need to know.


Fish the structure. Nearly every species from bluegills to muskies relate to structure. Available structure is what you find and it varies greatly from one body of water to another. Shallow lakes are often weedy with overhead lily pad cover and rotting stumps below the surface. Other lakes have few weed beds but lots of rocks, sharp drop offs and uneven lake bottom. The fish will find what they’re looking for and that’s where you should start looking as well.

Many times lake fishing reports are helpful. Bait shops, the local conservation club and state fisheries biologists all have either unofficial or official fishing reports. Many organizations will put what they know about a particular lake on their website. Talk to these people to know which lakes are producing right now and where the best spots to fish are located on these waters. Fresh water lakes receive a lot of attention and you can find much more detailed information on fish location than you will concerning salt water fishing.

Take lake conditions into account. Know where the fish are depends a lot on what the lake conditions are like on any given day. A cold front or intense summer heat can shut the fishing down and you’ll need to fish deeper than normal. If there’s a lot of daytime boat traffic try fishing later in the evening or at night. Respond to the lake conditions. That’s what the fish are doing.

Use the right bait. Lake bass fishing calls for serious consideration between different types of artificial baits. Bluegill fishing, on the other hand, means you can always use a nightcrawler and never go wrong. Match the bait to the species you’re targeting. If you don’t care what you catch try an earthworm or a live minnow.

Fish the right time of day. Lake fishing is usually more productive in the early morning or in the evening. If you have limited time, stick to these opportunities.