Successful fishing is the result of many activities, the foremost of which is finding fish. The act of finding fish involves a combination of elements, including visual observation, intensive searching, an understanding of the habits of fish and their preferred habitat (which varies from species to species), and savvy and good judgment to realize how these elements relate to one another and how they can be taken advantage of.

Visual observation is one factor in selecting places to fish and in looking for signs that indicate the presence of fish (see: sight fishing). In a stream, trout may indicate their presence by rising to the surface to capture insects. In a lake, a school of bass chasing shad may force their prey to the surface, and the resulting commotion allows anglers to pinpoint a group of fish and perhaps readily intercept them. In saltwater, the frenzied activity of a distant group of birds (see) may indicate a school of bluefish that is ripping into bait. And on a grassy flat at low tide, the exposed tail of a bonefish or redfish that is scrounging the bottom may give away its presence to the stalking angler. In all these instances and in many others, the problem of locating a fish—which is just one element of the game of catching them—has been solved because of the activities of the quarry and the observance of the angler. Most of the time, however, fish are not readily found by observation, and anglers must search for them by other means.

It is important to realize that fish are not found everywhere in a given body of water; they inhabit specific places, primarily for food, cover, and temperature reasons. The extent to which they inhabit specific places or prefer certain habitat varies with the species and may be influenced by seasons, spawning, water conditions, and other factors. Clearly, many variables influence the location of fish.

For anglers, the question of where to fish— presumably in a place where the quarry is or will be—can become a big issue when the fishing location is new or unfamiliar. The answer, in the modern fishing era, is increasingly supplied by sophisticated electronic equipment. Some of this equipment has become important, if not almost indispensable, to many ardent anglers, satisfying their desire and need to learn more about the places they fish. Sonar devices and temperature-sensing units are chief among these and are truly instrumental in helping boat anglers unlock the secrets of the places they fish. Using sonar (see) to locate fish has become one of the foremost facets of fishing from boats in the modern era. But sonar does not tell you where to look for fish; it only tells you if they are where you are, and then it does not assure you that the fish you find are the species you want to find.

So you have to evaluate the place that you’re fishing, observing water conditions to determine where fish may be and how to present lures or bait to them. This skill is referred to as “reading water” and can be practiced in all types of environments, especially in freshwater. It is sometimes easier in rivers than in stillwaters (ponds, lakes, reservoirs) because many elements are more obvious. For example, in current, any sizable obstruction (boulder, bridge footing, pier, etc.) creates a slack pocket where fish can lie without exerting much effort and watch for food; these are readily located. Stillwaters especially pose problems for many anglers, particularly in places that they do not know well, and for the obvious reason that the surface usually gives no indication of what is below.

Lakes, ponds, impoundments, bays, oceans, and other bodies of water are all quite different, so the type and the size of a body of water play a role in what you do and how you do it. The species available and/or desired is another consideration; obviously the more you know about fish behavior and habitat, the better. Gamefish are usually found in certain places for specific reasons, and the better you understand the relationship between their depth, cover, temperature, food needs, and other requirements, the better you are able to put the pieces of the underwater puzzle together while employing electronic equipment.

The pieces of that puzzle can be filled in by making preparations before you get on the water. You can get a head start (especially on unfamiliar water) by simply talking to those who know something about it. Visit local tackle shops (several if possible), and talk to the people there as you purchase bait, license, lures, etc. Talk to people at the launching ramp and marina. Ask specific questions and be observant. Look at the products being sold in the stores to see what the most popular lures and colors are.

Obtaining and studying charts and maps (see: maps), particularly those with underwater contours and with depth and channel markings, can be a key factor. At the very least, they will familiarize you with the general layout of the place and its characteristics, but they also may detail some very specific structures (such as rock reefs, rips, shoals, flats, old roadbeds and culverts, sunken weeds, etc.) that may be important to fish. Such maps are not available for all waters, unfortunately, or the ones that are available may not be as detailed as you’d like. Even the best maps often fail to pinpoint certain underwater features that attract gamefish. Such features might include a nearshore trough that is created by wave action, or a slight pinnacle, mound, or **** that rises high enough off the lake or ocean floor to attract baitfish and thus predators, but not enough to be highlighted on a map. So don’t let maps be the last word. In any event, you still have to put your boat in the water and wet a hook.

Picking a spot to fish and immediately wetting a hook, however, is often not such a good idea. Everyone wants to get fishing right away, but you are wise to do some cruising first, looking over the water with your electronics as you go. Sonar study is especially important, but at certain seasons a temperature evaluation may be equally so.