IDENTIFYING AND LOCATING PRODUCTIVE POINTS

It's the middle of the week and you decide to fish a new area or location of water. With your detailed chart in hand you ask yourself, "Where is a good location to start looking for fish?".  There are many variables to consider before answering this question, such as wind, tide, current, weather, water temperature, etc.

You have decided to locate some type of structure.  One of the best structures are points.  They are easy to identity on the chart and to locate on the water.  There will be a great number of such structures located on the chart which you are looking.  Let's start looking for the ones that have the best chance of holding fish and being productive.

The first thing to look for is a rapid change in water depth.  It is shown on charts where depth lines are close to each other.  The second thing the point needs is to be close to deep water.  If it has these 2 characteristics you are headed in the right direction.  These are not all the features needed to be a productive point, but they should be considered a starting prerequisite before you do anymore investigation of the point, when on the water.

Lets explain the importance of these characteristics in reference holding fish.  The fish use this rapid change in water depth for cover when they move from the channel to feed, and again when returning to the channel after feeding.  These different rapid changes in water depth will be used by fish for specific location at different times.  These locations are controlled by water temperature, weather, tide, current, but mainly by the location of forage.  These variables also have an effect on the length of time the fish will stay at this location before either moving up closer to the surface to eat or head back for cover in the channel.  It is important that you know fish use these rapid changes in water depth in both directions, both coming from the channel to feed, and again when they are returning to the channel.

Most points are large and the ones you are looking for have quite a few rapid changes in water depth.  To fish these points correctly you must make a decision to what depths you are going to start at and pick out the type of lures or baits that will cover that depth.  When motoring up to points, your power motor should be in low speed at least 100' before you come in contact with the depth you will be fishing.  This should be the deepest depth where you think the fish will be located.  Always start deep and work shallow.  That way you will not spook any fish. It is VERY IMPORTANT not to motor over the area you are going to fish before you fish it.

FISHING A POINT

Location #1
The best times to fish this location are from just before sunrise until the sun comes up and takes the shade off of this location, again about one hour before sunset or when this location is under overcast skies such as cloud cover or when it is raining.  Bring your boat in from either side of a point . DO NOT go in directly over a point.  When the conditions are right this location can produce fish throughout the day.  Go back and check this location, at different times of the day, when overcast skies are present.  NOTE: When you fish a point at this location in a tributary, such as the Severn River, stay on the side of the river that has high banks to help
block the sun. These high banks will provide shade for a longer period of time allowing you more time to fish this location.

Locations #4, #3 and #2
Fish the locations in the order as listed above.  These locations can provide productive fishing throughout the day. As the sun comes up the fish tend to go deeper and deeper toward the channel.  Start fishing at the 25' depth line.  Using your depth finder, stay on the 25' depth line around the point until location #3. Fish this 17' depth line around the point until location #2.  Again, fish this 10' depth line around the entire point.

When fishing these locations, present your lures or bait in all water columns.  Water columns are the vertical depths from the top of the water down to the bottom.  Example: top water to 5' deep is a water column, 5' to 10' is a water column, 10' to 15' is a water column, 15' to 20' is a water column, and so on, until you hit the bottom.  You must fish these different water columns because the fish might be suspended on the point at any depth line.

End Note
Some of the most productive points are located where a creek comes into a river, or a river comes into a bay.

Tight Lines,