Technology, we can’t and don’t want to live without it these days. For some, the latest reel is a must-have; for others, it might be that specific rod with unprecedented action, a nice boat, or a fishfinder, and then they’re ready to go on the water!
Going back a few years in time, a lot has changed in the field of fishing. The changes in sonar units we use on the water today are also in major contrast to the past. Nowadays, a luxury fish finder is no longer enough, or perhaps there are other ways in which you can also read the water more easily? As far as I’m concerned, yes. I have always said that a decent water map is perhaps even more important than the sonar equipment itself, and that it can help you take big steps forward, not only in becoming a better angler, but also in adding new pieces to an existing puzzle. In that aspect, you’ll never get tired of it, because behind every edge there may be a new secret lying to be found…
It’s all about finding patterns that lead to catching fish this size, a True Gem from a tough day: 49,60” (126cm)
Those who have followed me online know that I have been using Navionics Sonar Charts for many years. In itself, it’s a great map if you want to know how deep it is and where to go. However, if you want to take it to the next level and explore the subject of “catching” and why it occurs at that particular moment and structurally, then you really can’t do without Relief Shading. For me, this has been a real game changer, allowing me to see at a glance where to be on all waters, without having fished there before. In this article, I want to share with you the insights of Relief Shading and what to look out for when fishing in different conditions.
Casting for Pike
When casting for pike, several factors are always important to me. Structure and vegetation. Of course, you can’t see vegetation on a water map, but you can assume that it is always located in or near a shallow zone. That’s why, when casting for pike, I always look for a combination like this. In the summer months, as well as in the fall, or actually throughout the year, you can expect to find pike in shallow water (1-5 m). A good bottom structure, such as a steep slope from shallow to deep water, or an underwater island surrounded by deeper water, can be very interesting.
A great edge to cast, shallow edges, and medium deep water in between
On the normal Sonar Chart, a steep drop off is shown where the range lines are close together. This is no different on Relief Shading. Here, finding such zones is suddenly made very easy for us. The range lines are also close together here, forming a shadow zone in a hotspot with different depths, something which you can clearly see in the screenshot above. If the lines of a drop-off are farther apart, this is most likely a shallower edge. This makes it easy to recognize differences.
Hybrid jerkbaits, like this Savage Gear Lowglider, are fantastic to fish slowly onto drop-offs in search of big fish!
Trolling for Pike
When trolling for pike, I mainly look at the structure rather than where the shallow zone is located. Deeper water (5-9m) is very interesting to me here. When fishing a shallow zone, casting is unbeatable. The fish are often concentrated in a small area, and you can easily pass them by at a speed of 3 km/h, for example. In that case, casting is the better option. However, if you want to tackle longer stretches of deeper water, trolling is the way to go!
Big baits, such as this Svartzonker McRubber XL in 30cm, are great for trolling edges!
Now, I’m not saying that you can’t catch big fish in shallow water, but in general, the larger fish rarely come “up.” There’s a reason why a large pike is so big, and that’s because it spends most of its time in the deeper layers of water. There are several factors at play here, namely a more abundant food supply, more oxygen, and often attacking prey fish from an ambush, or an underwater structure or edge. I prefer to fish in transition zones in deep water, where this is not just an edge, but, for example, a transition from the thermocline (summer) that affects both deep and shallow water. Such conditions can, of course, be found first on the 2D sonar, but depending on the time of year and tide, they can be recognized more quickly on the map. For example, once you know how deep a layer like this is and what it looks like on the map, it is easy to find other similar spots.
Deep water meets shallow water, and an ”in between edge” perfect Big Pike hunting grounds!
Pelagic fishing for Pike
Trolling can, in principle, also be “pelagic,” whereby we fish between various layers of water, but in general, another factor comes into play during pelagic fishing for pike, especially in winter: deep water (6-18m). Whereas I wrote in the context of casting that pike stay in shallow water all year round, there are also a large number of fish that move to deeper water, only to return to shallower waters when conditions allow in winter. It sounds illogical, but when there has been a period of severe frost, for example, the fish can suddenly roam around in the upper water layers above a depth of, say, 15 meters, because the water happens to be nice and warm there in the last winter sun of the day.
A Trophy from the deep, the result of fishing deep edges at night in winter!
However, this phenomenon is not encountered in shallower water in winter, but only in deep water. In deep water, the bottom zone temperature is always 4 degrees, and at a temperature like this, the fish thrive. That is why you always see large numbers of whitefish in deeper water in winter, and this naturally acts as a magnet for large fish.
Deep water & steep edges, it doesn’t get any better for pelagic fishing!
Here, I find Relief Shading a MUST-HAVE once again. On the map of a potential water, I can immediately see where the abyss is and the transition zone to the depths. This is fantastically displayed in dark blue. Incidentally, when there are also underwater ridges in a deeper section, you often hit the jackpot. However, you can only see this on Relief Shading, which is why it is a real must-have for me when fishing for pike.
Another one from the dark, this Fall fish was hiding in an edge I found with Relief Shading
Endless possibilities
Catching big fish and repeating this systematically is purely a matter of 1+1=2. Years of experience and thinking outside the box are needed to achieve the desired results time and time again. Don’t just head out to the water without a plan, but always with a clear and, above all, realistic goal based on the conditions that day and how best to deal with them. We are always dependent on the weather in terms of fishing, and especially on the wind. The wind determines where we fish, and safety on the water also plays a major role. Don’t just go to the water and start exploring; no, be in the right place at the right time. And sometimes you happen to be in the right place at the wrong time. With a good water map, in this case the Relief Shading, I can spend more time planning where to go and less time on the water if the conditions turn out to be different.
The extreme details are clearly visible, here a lake meets a river system!
I make a plan in my head and fish strictly according to it every day. I carefully examine the bottom structures in advance, and then, based on the conditions I just mentioned, I decide where to go. Once you have found a “pattern,” you can keep repeating it indefinitely and apply it seamlessly to various waters. This inevitably results in more effective hours on the water and less searching for needles in a haystack. Even if you only have a few hours to fish, you can achieve fantastic results with this method.
The reward can be BIG! When all details fall into place…
Am I saying that a water map is more important than a good sonar? Absolutely! Of course, you can’t have one without the other, but understanding what you are doing before you know what is going on gives you a lot of insight into how things work on the water. By bringing together different factors, you ultimately get a complete picture, and your fishing time is spent more effectively, and more effective fishing ultimately means better fishing.
Good luck on the water!
Christian Drost
