# Navionics Card for Kentucky Lake ??



## RMK (Feb 21, 2017)

I will be heading to kentucky lake for the 1st time this spring looking for crappies. i came across a kentucky dnr website with a map that shows fish structure that has been added by the state and gives GPS coordinates for each structure. I could manually enter as many of these coordinates in to my helix 7 si/gps as i had time to, but it seems a little time consuming and seems there should be an easier way to do it. ??
i came across navionics chips after a little more research and on the navionics web app i could see that all of these structures are already marked on there. as well as marked creek channells, submerged roads and bridges, docks, and not to mention detailed contour lines. 
Would the regional card give me these waypoints or do i need the platinum plus card?
Any other options anybody would recommend other than navionics that might meet my needs?


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## wallyandre (Nov 5, 2012)

None will give you waypoint. Waypoint are in your unit


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## RMK (Feb 21, 2017)

wallyandre said:


> None will give you waypoint. Waypoint are in your unit


maybe i m using the wrong terminology.... these saved spots marked by fish with a circle around it and then numbers on these maps are what i was referring to as waypoints. these same spots marked with fish symbols and their numbers coincide with locations given by the KY dnr as places where fish structures have been placed over the years. screen shot from the navionics webapp....


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## wallyandre (Nov 5, 2012)

If they are on the chartviewer they will show on the card


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## RMK (Feb 21, 2017)

wallyandre said:


> If they are on the chartviewer they will show on the card


 on which card? the navionics + card or the hotmaps platinum card?


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## wallyandre (Nov 5, 2012)

On both


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## jcoholich (Feb 12, 2014)

Make sure you update your chart to get the freshest data available.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

RMK said:


> I will be heading to kentucky lake for the 1st time this spring looking for crappies. i came across a kentucky dnr website with a map that shows fish structure that has been added by the state and gives GPS coordinates for each structure. I could manually enter as many of these coordinates in to my helix 7 si/gps as i had time to, but it seems a little time consuming and seems there should be an easier way to do it. ??
> i came across navionics chips after a little more research and on the navionics web app i could see that all of these structures are already marked on there. as well as marked creek channells, submerged roads and bridges, docks, and not to mention detailed contour lines.
> Would the regional card give me these waypoints or do i need the platinum plus card?
> Any other options anybody would recommend other than navionics that might meet my needs?


I probably looked at the same website that you did. I took the coordinates and tried to enter them manually and I will say they were close (within maybe 30 yards) and maybe it was me, but it wasn't exact. Unless the lake is really flooded a lot of these "state marked" structures will be visible with out using GPS since the lake is still sitting at winter pool. A lot of the ones I saw were stake beds I'm guessing that were built on pallets, then dropped. A lot of these spots will be marked with a piece of white PVC pipe sticking several feet out of the water.
It's hard to sit here and look into the future and make a solid game plan. The end of March is 6 weeks away and who knows what the weather will bring. With that said if I had to make up a game plan I would say I am going to fish shallow early morning & evening (under 10') and concentrate my efforts on rocky banks and/or points. The rest of the day I am going to fish 10-20 fow and concentrate my efforts on any cover I would find using my electronics.
For me and my style of fishing I am always casting a jig. At the same time I will also have 2 rods hanging off the side of the boat. I normally use slip floats on those rods and most time I will have 1 set at mid depth (set @ 6' in 12 fow) and the other rod will probable be about 2' deeper. By fishing 1 rod off each side of the boat I can cover a pretty wide path and since I'm casing a jig at the same time usually along a the shore, I'm working a variety of depths. Once I start getting a few, all my efforts lean in whatever direction the fish tell me to.
Your electronics and your GPS are going to be your friend down there.


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## RMK (Feb 21, 2017)

crappiedude said:


> I probably looked at the same website that you did. I took the coordinates and tried to enter them manually and I will say they were close (within maybe 30 yards) and maybe it was me, but it wasn't exact. Unless the lake is really flooded a lot of these "state marked" structures will be visible with out using GPS since the lake is still sitting at winter pool. A lot of the ones I saw were stake beds I'm guessing that were built on pallets, then dropped. A lot of these spots will be marked with a piece of white PVC pipe sticking several feet out of the water.
> It's hard to sit here and look into the future and make a solid game plan. The end of March is 6 weeks away and who knows what the weather will bring. With that said if I had to make up a game plan I would say I am going to fish shallow early morning & evening (under 10') and concentrate my efforts on rocky banks and/or points. The rest of the day I am going to fish 10-20 fow and concentrate my efforts on any cover I would find using my electronics.
> For me and my style of fishing I am always casting a jig. At the same time I will also have 2 rods hanging off the side of the boat. I normally use slip floats on those rods and most time I will have 1 set at mid depth (set @ 6' in 12 fow) and the other rod will probable be about 2' deeper. By fishing 1 rod off each side of the boat I can cover a pretty wide path and since I'm casing a jig at the same time usually along a the shore, I'm working a variety of depths. Once I start getting a few, all my efforts lean in whatever direction the fish tell me to.
> Your electronics and your GPS are going to be your friend down there.


thanks for all of the great tips and advice crappie dude. minnows on a jig on your two poles you are hanging off the side of the boat? we will definitely be giving the spider rigging a try as well in our search while we are down there.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

Yes, we use minnows on those poles. What kind of boat are you using?


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## RMK (Feb 21, 2017)

aluminum triton 1860sc. i m in the process of revamping the front low casting to deck to have 2 seats behind driftmaster t bar rod holders. i also have 4 clamp on rod holders that can be moved around to accomodate hanging a few rods off the side while casting as you recomended.




front deck construction in process


moveable rod holders


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

That looks like a pretty nice set up and you look to have plenty of HP to run around if you need to.


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## RMK (Feb 21, 2017)

crappiedude said:


> That looks like a pretty nice set up and you look to have plenty of HP to run around if you need to.


Thank you. i bought it from a close friend to be used as a duck hunting boat 5 years ago. my new found fishing addiction has required some "remodeling" to make it a little more fish friendly.


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## zaraspook (Jun 16, 2009)

RMK said:


> aluminum triton 1860sc. i m in the process of revamping the front low casting to deck to have 2 seats behind driftmaster t bar rod holders. i also have 4 clamp on rod holders that can be moved around to accomodate hanging a few rods off the side while casting as you recomended.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You are busy as a beaver making boat mods. Nice facility to work in.......good job, dude!


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

RMK, As Crappiedude has mentioned the fish attractor's are built and placed all over the lake and very easy to find and fish. With the lower water you'll see plenty half out of the water so their easy to find. The whole time I was there last year I fished 1 pole with jigs and different plastics and stayed quite busy tipped with bites or gulp bait. I plan on fishing the same way this year and the only thing I may change will be the speed or size. I was quite concerned like you with the activity and fishable area but not to worry you'll be fine. The biggest concern you need to have is the weather, it plays the largest part of whats going on down there. Upper 50's and low 60's and its on. Last year they lit up in February only for a cold spell to slow them down until the first week of April to get it started again. We had a 3 day blast of storms that drove me back north or I'd have stayed. We had to turn 75 to 80 fish to keep 20 at 10 inches but hopefully this year its different. Like I said earlier try different depths, we caught them in 7 ft. until the trollers shut them down running over them and did our best in 14' stumpy bottom steadily catching all day long. As the time gets closer I can tell you exactly when we are heading down (weather pending) so we'll keep in touch.


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## RMK (Feb 21, 2017)

Popspastime said:


> RMK, As Crappiedude has mentioned the fish attractor's are built and placed all over the lake and very easy to find and fish. With the lower water you'll see plenty half out of the water so their easy to find. The whole time I was there last year I fished 1 pole with jigs and different plastics and stayed quite busy tipped with bites or gulp bait. I plan on fishing the same way this year and the only thing I may change will be the speed or size. I was quite concerned like you with the activity and fishable area but not to worry you'll be fine. The biggest concern you need to have is the weather, it plays the largest part of whats going on down there. Upper 50's and low 60's and its on. Last year they lit up in February only for a cold spell to slow them down until the first week of April to get it started again. We had a 3 day blast of storms that drove me back north or I'd have stayed. We had to turn 75 to 80 fish to keep 20 at 10 inches but hopefully this year its different. Like I said earlier try different depths, we caught them in 7 ft. until the trollers shut them down running over them and did our best in 14' stumpy bottom steadily catching all day long. As the time gets closer I can tell you exactly when we are heading down (weather pending) so we'll keep in touch.


thanks for more great info. hope the weather is kind to us. makes it a little tougher having to book so far out but weather good or even not so good, i m sure we will enjoy our time down there. i wouldnt mind one bit going through 80 fish to keep 20! but hopefully those 8 and 9" fish from this year are 10" fish now!


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

Good info from both my friends. I’ll be there end of next month thru most of April. Only different advice I will give is when the fish shut down on what you’ve been getting them with, change bait color or style. I’ve had days when they wouldn’t touch a painted head or even a roadrunner jig. Can’t stress it enough to go to an unpainted head, bigger or smaller in size and don’t hesitate to use an ugly color jig body. A buddy that guides there gave me some 4” black twister tails with red specks in them. They worked one day. Only one day. Use some kind of scent on any bait you choose. Can’t hurt to try it. Have fun and I hope to see all of you guys down there.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

I’ll also be down there March 19-25 chasing bass. I am going to purchase the Navionics for my Helix 5 soon


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## RMK (Feb 21, 2017)

chaunc said:


> Good info from both my friends. I’ll be there end of next month thru most of April. Only different advice I will give is when the fish shut down on what you’ve been getting them with, change bait color or style. I’ve had days when they wouldn’t touch a painted head or even a roadrunner jig. Can’t stress it enough to go to an unpainted head, bigger or smaller in size and don’t hesitate to use an ugly color jig body. A buddy that guides there gave me some 4” black twister tails with red specks in them. They worked one day. Only one day. Use some kind of scent on any bait you choose. Can’t hurt to try it. Have fun and I hope to see all of you guys down there.


what kind of scent do you like chauc? i've heard good things about slab sauce. 
it seems like at home if conditions aren't great or the bite simply isn't good... going deep seems to be the trick. anybody had experience/success with this down south?


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## RMK (Feb 21, 2017)

laynhardwood said:


> I’ll also be down there March 19-25 chasing bass. I am going to purchase the Navionics for my Helix 5 soon


mine is in and the package sitting in the boat. thats as far as i ve gotten with it. looking forward to putting the chip in and playing with it a little around home before heading south. 
if you don't mind give me a heads up on water temps, color, or any crappie info you here about while your down there. you will be heading home right when we are getting ready to go down. either a pm, here, or on the thread i have over in the out of state trips. what area are you staying?


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

RMK said:


> mine is in and the package sitting in the boat. thats as far as i ve gotten with it. looking forward to putting the chip in and playing with it a little around home before heading south.
> if you don't mind give me a heads up on water temps, color, or any crappie info you here about while your down there. you will be heading home right when we are getting ready to go down. either a pm, here, or on the thread i have over in the out of state trips. what area are you staying?


I am staying at a bed and breakfast in Springville, Tennessee. I will be on the southern part of the lake but Fishing several different spots in search of some big girls. I’ll let you know if I hear anything about the crappie.


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## RMK (Feb 21, 2017)

Thanks!


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

There's going to be a good handful of us down there at that time.. The OGF Invasion.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

I’ll be the guy in the orange camo Ocean Kayak wearing the Buckeye Kayak Fishing Trail Jersey. If you see me say hi.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

Hey Chaunc
What's the name of that place you stay at?
As of right now my friend said he wants to go to Cumberland this year instead of Ky Lake. My wife has been bugging me to take her to Ky Lake so I may go down with her for a few days if she still wants to. No way she'll go camping like we normally do so I'll need a place with TV and internet. She really likes Ken Lake but I'll need a back up if they are booked. If I do make it down it will be last minute.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

RMK said:


> what kind of scent do you like


I usually tip with Crappie Nibbles. If the bite is hot you probably won't need them but if not, I think it helps. I use chartreuse, one friend uses white and another uses pink. Not sure color matters too much. Since they are pretty soft, it helps to air dry them a little bit before using them.


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## Eriegardless (Sep 23, 2015)

I'll be down there in that area April 7th to 14th. Been doing this week every year for close to 20 years. We fish the West Sandy area up to Paris Landing.


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## RMK (Feb 21, 2017)

crappiedude said:


> Hey Chaunc
> What's the name of that place you stay at?
> As of right now my friend said he wants to go to Cumberland this year instead of Ky Lake. My wife has been bugging me to take her to Ky Lake so I may go down with her for a few days if she still wants to. No way she'll go camping like we normally do so I'll need a place with TV and internet. She really likes Ken Lake but I'll need a back up if they are booked. If I do make it down it will be last minute.


come down and stay at the sportsmans lodge when we ll be there! wide price range of places from cheap hotel type rooms like we booked to nice cabins with kitchens and bathrooms tv and internet to keep the wife comfy!


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

RMK said:


> come down and stay at the sportsmans lodge when we ll be there!


That would work for me but Ky Lake is all about the little woman, I will check it out though. Buddy of mine stopped by a few hours ago and now I think we're going to add a trip to Alabama in a couple of weeks. Neither of us can stand all this flooding we're having around here.


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

Early American Motel is where I stay. Fin and feather is next door and Kentucky Lake Cottages is just down and across the street. They’re all good. Cable tv and WiFi.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

chaunc said:


> Early American Motel is where I stay. Fin and feather is next door and Kentucky Lake Cottages is just down and across the street. They’re all good. Cable tv and WiFi.


That's up in Aurora? We stay at Kentucky Lake Cabins down in Springville.


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