Reservoirs- Structure Hit Spots

 RESERVOIRS: Buck Perry’s Structure Fishing Facts To Help You Lick ‘Em! (1987)

 

Lowland #3-type reservoir, with detailed areas labeled (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) to indicate various type structure situations (potentially good areas for the fish).

A good "structure situation" can be made up of many features ( structure, breaks [1] breaklines [2] ), but in order to be productive, they MUST be related to the deep water in the area. 

In other words, they must be connected in some manner to the deep, or deepest water, in the area being fished. The fish must have a visible path ALL THE WAY in their movements and migrations from the deep water (their normal sanctuary from an ever changing environment),  to the shallows and vice versa. There may be many "structures, "breaks," and "breaklines" in any body of water, but only a few may be so related to deep water that the fish will use them.

Area 1 - DAM

Area 2 - SIDE FEEDER STREAM CUT THROUGH THE FLAT

Area 3 - SUBMERGED ROADBEDS

Area 4 - HUMP

Area 5 - CAUSEWAY

Area 6 - FENCE/HEDGEROW

Area 7 - ROCKY REEFS

Area 8 - SADDLE

Area 9 - BARS

[1] - a "break" is any anomaly attached to the bottom that acts as a roadmark for fish the move about. It can be anything from a rock to a sunken boat, but the fish see it and know it's there, keeping them on track. 

[2] - a breakline is a measurable change of depth. Picture the lines on a hydrographic that illustrate the depth changes of the bottom. That is a breakline.