You just bought a boat and want to know how to fish from it. If so, here are some tips on how to find the best spots in a lake, how to control the boat, where to put the boat, and how to behave on the water.

How to Fish from a Boat in a Lake

Learn about the skills you need to fish successfully from a boat in a lake. This will help you make the most of your time on the water.

Use Your Sonar to Find the Best Spots

When learning how to catch fish from a boat, it’s important to learn how to find places where fish are likely to be. Many game fish, like bass and walleye, are ambush predators that like to hang out near structure like rocks, wood, vegetation, changes in depth or bottom topography, or boat docks. Use your boat’s sonar or fish finder to look for these kinds of spots in a lake. If your boat doesn’t have electronics, you can also use online satellite maps to find places like ledges or creeks that are likely to have fish.

Approach a Spot with Stealth and Consideration

When getting close to a fishing spot, slow down or get off the plane and use a trolling motor to get your boat in place quietly (this is particularly important in shallow water). Today, there are many shallow water anchors and “spot lock” technologies for trolling motors that let you stay in place near a fishing spot while making little noise. Don’t slam your boat’s hatches or the lid of the livewell when you’re getting to or at your fishing spot.

Avoid Crowding Other Boats or Anglers

No matter if you want to know how to bass fish from a boat or how to walleye fish from a boat, the most important rule of etiquette is to keep a safe distance from other boats. Give other fishing boats plenty of space when you pass them, and don’t go by the side of the boat where people are fishing. Two hundred to three hundred feet is a good distance, with a minimum of one hundred feet. Also, make a plan for the day that includes more than one place to fish. If a spot is already taken, you should move on to another one. When you get to a spot and find another boat there first, it’s polite to let them fish there without getting in the way.

How to Position Your Boat When Lake Fishing

You might wonder how far away from a structure you should put your boat. Stay at least 10 to 20 yards away from the structure when learning how to fish for bass from a boat in shallow Florida lakes, for example. Before you or your anglers make a cast, you should also pay attention to the speed and direction of the wind. This will help you decide where to set up. If you want to cast, move the boat so the wind is at your back. If the wind is in your face, it will be much harder to cast. This can be especially important if there are people on board who are learning how to fly fish from a boat and need to learn how to cast.

Do you want to know more about how to fish from a boat or how to go boating? You can find out more about how to get started with boating.