Contour lines- Reading a Map

[G-Man]

Hi Guys
Well as we head into 2012 I plan to do as much planning for tournaments and pre-fish so I can tkae my boat and finish the day with 5 in the well.

So today as my wife and daughter head tot he mall I am studying the map for my first Tournament of 2012 on Jackson Lake in Georgia end of January.

So I am reading my map and have what might seem like a stupid question...

When you read the contour lines of a map I understand that the closer the contour lines are together the faster the drop off and the wider apart the contour lines are the slower or flatter the fall to the lake bottom.

So am I correct to look for close contour lines with fast drop offs to pre fish or fish the flatter fall.

I have not fished any Tournaments in the winter as I am fairly new to fishing ( Got my boat last year for Christmas) and want to make it to Top 6 this year.

Any help you have would be welcome.
Thanks and a belated Merry Christams and BIG LUNCKERS TO YOU ALL in 2012.

[keithdog]

Your right about the lines on the map. Closer together means a faster drop off. Wider apart would be a more gradual slope. But I'm not sure I understand the rest of your question. Where you choose to fish is largly determined by the time of year and the forage movements the bass feed on in any particular lake. I wouldn't pinpoint abrupt drop offs and concentrate on just those areas. They are a clue or perhaps a starting point and may in fact hold bass. But they are often just staging points for bass that are moving from one depth to another. For instance, in mid spring you might find bass have moved into shallow flats or bays for the spawning season. Now if there is a creek bed working from the main lake into that flat, or a point that extends into deep water bordering that flat or bay, you could very well find bass in that shallow water. But they may not be right on that point or in that creek. Having deep water nearby is a key to a larger picture. And as summer approaches, the bass may start staging near that drop off as they migrate to deeper off shore structures. I hope this helps. I know there are others in here that can do a better job of explaining.

[woody]

I would target: Points, Ridges, Humps, Flats, and Channels.


-Mark

[mike234]

Contour maps are great. Even though I have DI sonar I always use a map before I fish. You will be surpised how much it will help. Donot think I cold fish different lake without one now.

[bamabassman]

i have to agree with woody g-man. fish the "strong" points FIRST. then fish the areas like mike234 says, the same as oyu would during spring and summer or fall.