Instructions

1

Determine the type of fish you want to catch. If you're spending the day fishing alone, try fishing for something you've never caught. But if you're taking your child, a novice angler or you have limited time, fish for sunfish or bass.
2

Decide whether you want to use a boat or fish from shore. If you're taking a child with you who is leery of the water or if you're going with a large group, fishing from shore is best. However, if you want to try some new spots and pick up and move many times, take out a boat.
3

Read books or magazines articles about your hometown fishing spots or ask around the local bait shops for advice on where to find certain types of fish. You can find fish by trial and error, but asking around for advice on where the fish are biting saves a lot of time and gas.
4

Look for the places on the lake that your preferred type of fish is most often found. Bass and sunfish generally dwell in shallow coves along the shore or by rocks where there's plenty of shade. So cast along the shore for them if you're fishing from your boat. Cast about 10 feet away from shore if you're fishing from land. Look for walleye and musky in places where there's moving water. Rivers are a fun place to find them, but fishing a river can be challenging for the new boater.
5

Prepare for much trial and error fishing when you go to a new lake or river. No matter what kind of fish you're after, a little bit of perseverance and the ability to learn as you go along is the best way to learn how to pick the best fishing spot.