Google Earth?

[Jpadge]

Does anybody use Google Earth to break down a lake? If so, how do you utilize it? I've been trying to play around with it but I haven't figured it out yet. Just curious because I hear on the fishing shows all the time the pro's say they used google earth to help break down the lake. Thanks for any replies!

[kry29]

Look at past images. Sometimes they have some when a lake was really low or before impoundment.

[Big dreams]

It is very useful especially if you have not been there before. It takes a lot of homework but once you play around with it and, it is fairly straight forward.

[brushsjigs]

Try angling technologies.com.. There is a free or pay for more options. Go into MAPS and click on TOPO

[fishnfireman]

Look at past images. Sometimes they have some when a lake was really low or before impoundment.

Especially lakes like Amistad that have a zillion places to fish offshore.
Some parts of the lake have several different photos from different years and different lake levels..

[Florida Jig Co.]

Especially lakes like Amistad that have a zillion places to fish offshore.
Some parts of the lake have several different photos from different years and different lake levels..

I was stationed in Del Rio in 1994 and the lake was 60 ft below normal. If you go back and look around that time, you sure can see a lot of good places to fish once the water returned to normal pool.

[okiebass]

I tried looking at angling technologies like you suggested and to topo --then nothing I guess I am an idiot and may be over my head lol

[Champ187elite]

I use it ton, mostly when I am bored at work!

If fishing bigger water I think its great to understand the whole lake so you know where you are on the lake and interesting enough if the water is clear enough you can see humps/points/ and some grassy bays with the overhead shots which should you understand whats there. Greast way to hone in on areas!

[mark-o]

Between that and Fishidy.com I've put a few extra spots on my to do list and the few I've tried worked out pretty well so far.

[Dh0ckey11]

Google Earth is one of the most valuable tools there is.

[Riccochet]

I use all tools available. Google Earth and Maps, Garmin Homeport, fishidy, Navionics HD.

[Smalliehunter91]

I do alot of shore fishing , so looking at lakes on Google earth really helps to see where I can access the lake from. As well as looking at past images on fluctuating bodies of water for when I'm in a boat. Definitely one of the most helpful tools I have come across.

[NiteBite6855]

I would like to know some of the things you look for on Google earth. I've tried it and noticed a few things somewhat helpful. But I feel like I missing a lot of the things others find useful

[MarkyMarc]

I like this one:

https://webapp.navionics.com/#boatin...wr%7BtGjub%60M

[Itismemc]

Look at lake harding over the past few years. You can pick out rock piles, tire reefs, natural ditches and drains. stump fields.

Then confirm with eyes.

[Milehibird]

I'm in the process of researching a lake in NM now. I'm using Fishidy, Navionics webapp and google maps.

Navionics - self-explanatory. You can see creek channels, contours, etc. Plus they include notes for timber.

Fishidy - look for past catches as well as spots marked. They have contour lines as well. Also, I think Fishidy uses different aerial images than google so you can see different water levels.

google - I look for what the shoreline composition is (dirt, sand, shale, rock) as well as any exposed structure or cover (rocks, humps, brush, trees) in the water. Sometimes the water level on google earth is a lot lower than Navionics shows it. Look at the two side by side and you can get a better idea of the contours, what would be exposed for low water times, etc. I also make a custom map with spots marked on it to annotate.


Also, I used Brandon Palaniuks "Percentage Triangle"

[Grahamb]

Check out Bing Maps too. I find the "Bird's Eye" images to be much better than the Google satellite images.

[Riccochet]

That's pretty much how I break down lakes. Two monitors, one with contour mapping up (Homeport with my Garmin maps or Navionics if Garmin doesn't cover the lake) and the other with Google Maps or Earth. I'll try and get info on current lake levels and temps, which gives me a good idea of where the fish might be, pre/spawn/post. Then look for channel swings that go close to points with steep sides that are relatively close to shallower flats, some bank structure and a protected cove for spawning. If I can find all that then I'll start marking those spots in Homeport to transfer to my units. Somewhere in that mix the fish will be. I'll make a ton of spots and spend one day of practice just charting, watching side and down imaging looking for fish. I'll double mark the spots I saw fish. Second day of practice I'll fish with search baits, lipless cranks, c-rigs, football jigs, all with hooks bent in. Just looking for bites. Those areas I get bites I'll triple mark.

So, when I go to fish a tournament I'll start on my triple marked spots looking for a limit, roll back to my double marked spots, and any single marked spots in those double/tripled marked areas will also get fished again. This way I can most efficiently cover water without fishing unproductive water.

My rule. If I don't see fish on my unit I don't fish it.

[BOATS]

Try some of these
http://highlandsbassangler.com/florida-lakes-maps.html

[fishin couillon]

Other maps and programs are great but can they mark waypoints, draw lines/trails, trace creek channels, trace points, etc. and export the file like google earth? I use it to do all those things and import the final file into my units. When on the water helps give you that vision of where the channel/point/hump, etc. is at while you are fishing....