Even without a depth finder, anglers can eliminate considerable fishless water by using a sharp eye. Where canals intersect other water bodies makes an excellent starting point. Look for anything different or out of the ordinary such as a washout or sudden depth change. Fish frequently hang just over the edge of dropoffs. Check points, cuts, pockets, and any place where water flows from one body of water into another.
Fish often lurk at the mouths of such cuts.
To prevent this, many anglers only fish pipelines at odd times or during the week when fewer boaters travel through an area. Typically, anglers venture from marinas at first light or within an hour of daylight. If I'm not the first one out of the ramp, I'll usually start on the lakes and other points. I'll give it about an hour for the boat traffic to calm down and then hit the pipelines. Anglers fishing in or near the canals use several baits to attract trout.