figuring out what kind of lake bottom you are fishing on?

[Meatwad]

Does anyone have a good way of determining what kind of lake bottom you are fishing on using your flasher or a depth finder? My navionics chip does not tell me that info, and I don't have a camera.

[walleye-]

It is possible with your flasher. The thicker the bottom is on the flasher the softer the bottom is.

[tunrevir]

I have a buddy that uses a 25' metal tape measure. You can get a good feel for the bottom type throught the tape as you poke the tip into the bottom. Downside is if your fishing deeper then about 23' but I imagine you could find a 30' tape and use that.

Tunrevir~

[Deitz Dittrich]

As walleye states, you can to some extent tell bottom content with a flasher, but it will depend a lot on your battery and how high you have your gain set and how deep the water is your fishing. Even then, its still just an educated guess. If you tie on something heavy and use a low to no stretch line and drop it down you may be able to feel if you are over rock or sand or mud... But the only fool proof way would be to invest in an underwater camera.

[Gissert]

I'm with Dietz here. I usually have a rough idea of what I might be on given past experience, contour maps etc. Next, The flasher may give an indication of what you are over, but there are the variables that Dietz outlined here too.

I will clip on the old 1-2 oz depth bomb and if you are not too deep, you will get a nice "thunk" feel when it hits hard sand, gravel or rock. Clay and mud, and soft sand will have a vague feel, and it will seem to "cling" to the depth bomb when you pull it of the bottom. Since I fish with mono/flourocarbon, it is harder to get the feedback that a braid provides - but it still can be done.

The big key for me is not so much the bottom make up (though it is important at times) but if I see baitfish/fish on the flasher. Without any customers, the best looking bottom makeup is not much good.

[Meatwad]

Thanks guys!

[Neighbor_guy]

...

I will clip on the old 1-2 oz depth bomb and if you are not too deep, you will get a nice "thunk" feel when it hits hard sand, gravel or rock. Clay and mud, and soft sand will have a vague feel, and it will seem to "cling" to the depth bomb when you pull it of the bottom. Since I fish with mono/flourocarbon, it is harder to get the feedback that a braid provides - but it still can be done.

...

NAILED IT!!! I tought myself this method using a spool of black dacron tip up line when I was a kid. Now I will do this to confirm what I am seeing on the screen.

[Meatwad]

I was just told that if the bottom is red on your flasher, and your jig goes past the bottom, you are proably in some rocks.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Meatwad, not always true, if you are on a drop off of any kind, that will happen as well.