New to ice fishing

hello everyone I am new to ice fishing and i know some spots on where to fish but how do you guys look for new spots and why do you choose the lakes you fish and how do you know there are fish there? Thank you!

Scouting in November helps. Do you fish reservoirs, natural lakes or borrow pits? What species do you seek? Lake maps help, so does drilling systematically. Your question is a bit too general. Certainly read articles in the Ice team Publications on the Ice Team website. websites like http://mattjohnsonoutdoors.com and other web sites offer advice and videos. Here in SE Nebraska, I like to start with the drop off to the deep water on our reservoirs, usually 5ft to ft of water where the drop starts. If that does not work drill holes systematically on flats 7ft to 15 ft deep, hopping holes, hoping to find a fish or three from some of those holes. Known brush piles can be good at times.
Frank

summer spots are the first ones I hit on hard water. Depending on your state, the DNR may have lake maps on there website similar to lake finder in MN. Also, shooting the breeze at the local bait shop(s) can yield a pile of info.

If your into finding new friends to fish with join your local fishing forums and ask to join some people on a trip. I took a couple guys fishing this winter that became good friends because of this. Forums also give you a good idea of the more popular lakes, then you can study the types of fish in those lakes and make a game plan with a topo map.
My favorite way to find new lakes is to pick a lake in the area that seems to have very little info on it. Look at the DNR stocking reports to see whats in it and more importantly what type of bait is there. I then try to find a lake map and make a game plan.

Lakefinder is a good website to start with. It has the lake maps, surveys, and stocking information.