Fishing "Hot Spots"

[MrGiggles]

I've read people talking about fishing hot spot maps and how good they are.

I browse the Navionics maps quite a bit, and I've seen these red fish icons in areas that seem to be good spots, structure wise. 

I can't help but wonder, are these what you find on the hot spot maps?

[fishinwrench]

I dunno, but I'm not fishing in 40+ foot of water.   

[DChance]

Guess I have never heard how "great" hot spots maps are. They are readily avaliable, but by far not great. Maybe due to the fact it is most readily available paper map???

I wouldn't mess with them unless you don't have access to navionics app or lakemaster charts. 

[Dutch]

They were all we had before the gps and chart functions.  I have a bunch of them in the rod closet in the garage.  I haven't looked at them in years.

[Quillback]

I bought some Hot Spot maps when I first moved here 10 years ago.  They'll tell you bank structure like rocks, gravel etc., and the contour lines will help when you are looking for drop offs or underwater bluff ends.  They'll show you old foundations, bridges, road beds and so on.  I've found some pretty good fishing spots by looking at those maps.  There's quite a bit of structure that those maps will show you that are not on my maps on the fish finder.  That being said, I haven't looked at my paper maps in a few years.  

[rps]

Hot Spots maps are based on U.S. Geological  surveys done before the lakes were impounded. Then they supplement the information with what they can acquire from guides. As QB wrote, they are a useful starting point, but they do not show everything. For example, underwater stump beds, left over fencing, and rock walls I know exist on Table Rock do not show on the map.