For Those Without Detailed Topo Maps

[Feathers and Fins]

I to have found it accurate as well and with personal mapping extremely accurate.

[showmebass]

At the very least, I think it would be useful for planning a trip. Even if the markings are a little inaccurate, it gives a general idea of bottom contours and structure. .

[nathanhooper]

Historical topos are at;

http://nationalmap.gov/historical/

You just need to know the quadrangle names you're looking for.

So, the fields are marked as white right?

[bfishn]

I'm sure it depends on the map, but AFAIK, fields were never specifically identified as such on topos. You just had to read between the lines, looking for sizable, relatively flat, untimbered areas often bordered or divided by one or more fencerows, and/ or a straight timber/untimbered edge.

[nathanhooper]

Guess I am not seeing anywhere that you can see fencerows or anything like that. I guess what I am saying is that the untimbered area's are generally reflected as a different color on topo maps correct?

[bfishn]

I gotcha now. Yeah, timber's green, anything else isn't. There was a lot of timber cleared right before the lakes filled too.

[jdmidwest]

I like to target old road beds for redear around here in some lakes.

I had a customer the other day that was removed from their family farm when the USFS dammed up and created Council Bluff lake. He was impressed that I knew where Enough was. Even more so when I told him I liked to turkey hunt and look for morels on his old family farm.

Old topos show the original river channels and the contours when they were actually surveyed by land. But, not as accurate as they are today with satelites and GPS. And they are interesting from a historical aspect too.