1. TIDES - Moving water carries the food that fish eat, and ebbing and flooding tides' move food to the fish. At a slack tide, no food is coming their way so they don't eat. It is that simple, no food flowing by - no eating Period. Tide tables are useful tools for determining the most productive fishing times.

2. COLOR OF WATER - In Clear water, fish see the lines and hooks, so smaller diameter lines need to be used, and hooks must be hidden inside the bait. In milky water fish can't see lines and hooks so line and hook size are not as critical. This applies to fishing at night as well.

3. STRUCTURE - Find some structure, wrecks, reefs, rock piles, debris, or breaks in the bottom depth. Look for something sticking up. Fish don't live in the desert. Local charts or fishermen may be able to help you find these spots and a depth sounder is critical.

4. ELECTRONICS - Use your GPS to guide you to your selected location, then use your fish finder to find that structure, or anything that holds fish, even a hump in a flat area or a hole in the channel, anything but a flat bottom. Hills, mountains, wrecks rock piles all are great.

5. PLOTTERS - Start drift fishing, if you haven't found the spot you want to anchor at. When you hook up to a fish, mark the spot on your plotter. After five or six passes over the area you'll build a history of where they are, then anchor in the hottest spot. Be sure you anchor up-tide of this spot. Then start chumming.