Angler's Maps

Anglers who fish rivers, lakes, streams, bays, bayous or brooks can improve their results with maps, GPS units, and other information rich sources that help find good fishing and, in some cases the way home. Maps can show you if a stream drains south or north facing watersheds - the former clear and cool down to fishable temperatures first - or if you face meadows, riffles, rapids or waterfalls. Maps also show the easy trail in, the best spots to find gas and gear and much else. So they may be, after adequate tackle, your best angling investment after a compass - more on the last another time.

I've've used maps for at least 50 yearsI'mI'm 64 and started with Sierra Nevada United States Forest Service (USFS) maps when I was eight or tenI've've coated maps with all sorts of waterproofing, backed USFS maps with cheesecloth so thwouldn'tn't tear on fold lines and then, when I started bringing fly rods into the boondocks, rolltopospos up into rod cases. The last few yeaI've've used GPS systems to find my way back to the truck, offshore reef or the hot spot on a featureless flat. So let's look at GPS first.

GPS

As most know by now these read satellites and are good to within a few feet. Nothing is better to find your way home or, when you hit that logging road where you parked, show you the way to the car. Of course, these work on batteries so a spare pair is a good start. Some of the more expensive systems come with built in maps. Most allow you to enter way points along a trail or cruise route to fine-tune your return. All will do a lot more than the average user. If you fish hugebackcountrykcountry and featureless waterways these are a good way to go.

Topographic Maps

I started with United States Forest Service topograptoposaps - "topos" and they work, but some are terribly out of date. The survey date is printed on the map, so check. The scaleisn'tprefer isn't always available everywhere in the USA either. Alternatives to USEarthvisionsEarthvisions US Terrain SerCDs come as CDs that hold a batch of USFS information and updates of much else. You can just print off the maps you wish with any decent computer printer. It's simple and some of these systems allow you to insewaypointswn waypoints and information like hot holes or shooting stands.CDshile the CDs costtopos than "topos" they cover a lot more information. Special collections include National Parks and more.

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