Fishing without electronics is not an easy task, or is it? The fishing industry often makes it seem as if fishing without electronics is like attempting to assemble an intricate IKEA set. However, history paints a different picture. Until 1948, commercial fishing thrived without the use of modern electronics, and it wasn't until the 1960s that "fish finders" became a tool for dedicated bass anglers. For the past 6 years, I have been fishing on a boat without electronics. Don't get me wrong, I want all the bells and whistles. But with my current situation of, "the best boat is your friends boat", I do not have that option.
Yeah, "Fish Finder", anyway.
When I say, "no electronics", that does not mean I do not use modern science to help me find fish. The following list are things that help me catch fish without "electronics":
- Iphone 12
- Aqua Map
- Fishbrain (It is useful, but it relies on others to post. I only refer to that app to confirm my locations of interest.)
Now, Aqua Map is the google maps of rivers, lakes, and bays. I pay around $20 a year. It displays nautical maps, if you have never seen them, I have attached images for your reference. This is a must if you want to safely navigate waters, let alone catch any fish.
Due to my location, I usually fish Lake Houston. It is fed by the San Jacinto river system. This system also feeds Lake Conroe and Lake Livingston. It is located South of those lakes and North of Houston. If you are thinking it is bass Heaven, it is not. Not even close. Half the time, the water resembles 'chocolate milk' with less than an inch of visibility. The other half, it's stagnant and feels like it's practically boiling (yes, that's a bit of an exaggeration). So, all in all, it is a tough outing. But I have had continuous luck with the techniques described below.
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To save myself from casting aimlessly at every bank in sight, I use Aqua Map to identify promising areas before I even hit the water. During the summer months, I focus on river points, drop offs, and rip rap. Without diving into the entire laundry list of benefits electronics offer, the major challenges you'll face without them include locating baitfish, finding underwater structures, and everything else you can think of.
As you can see from my mapped-out approach to Lake Houston, there's a noticeable lack of locations on the main lake. That's simply because I can't locate bait there, and I'd prefer not to waste my time casting into the unknown.
River Points; Depending on the depth of the tallest part of the point, I will usually throw a shakey head or a crank bait. For “Windy point X” I have had success throwing a Shakey head a square bill crank. The map doesn’t give justice to the depth change at this location. For “Windy Point II” I have success throwing a 8’-12’ crank bait. There is a ton of fallen timber (I know because I have successfully snagged it several times), and bumping off the timber has initiated good reaction bites for me.
Drop Offs; This is the hardest one for me to figure out on our lake/river system. There is tons of twists and turns that leads to many drop offs. When choosing a drop off I look for the following; fallen timber, shade, and a turn in the river. I have had great success at the location below. The trees over hang far enough that it probably reaches around 8’ (when comparing to the map in Aqua map). I usually fish the drop offs all the way to a point. This still allows me to cover as much water as possible. I throw a 10’-16’ crank bait depending on the depth, and a pegged Texas rig with a large creature bait or worm. I wish I could throw more jigs, but this lake loves to steel them. I fish drops offs relatively fast, simply because I do not want to waste time at these locations.
Rip Rap; I have the most confidence at these locations when I am fishing without electronics. This has consistently produced the most fish for me. From my experience on Lake Houston, I am the only one that I know/seen that regularly fishes this long bridge that contains rip rap. This could possibly due to the roughness of the water at this location. There is a lot if South wind that pushes directly up on this spot. I prefer the wind to be pushing up on these spots during the summer because it creates little wind waves that crash into the Rip-Rap making this spot an excellent source for oxygen. I throw 12’-16’ crank baits at locations such as these. I want to get as close as I can to the rocks as possible. I throw right at the bank, and depending on the wind I will throw horizontally to the rocks. Most of the time I want the wind at my back.
These techniques are nothing fancy, but they have yielded the best results for me. I could go up in a creek arm and throw a wacky rig or a Texas rig and catch fish, but that is hoping there is fish there. I fish these types of locations because I have consistenly caught more and bigger fish at them. Not to mention, the great feeling of figuring out their pattern.
If you have fished or currently fish without electronics, please comment on the post and let us know how you do it!
Appreciate all of you!
AJ Krawczyk