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Old 10-08-04, 03:20 AM   #1
MarkR
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Default Thermocline

Is a thermocline present troughout the year or only in hot and cold months?

Do you fish above the thermocline in the winter and below it in the summer??

How much is the temp drop over the thermocline?
thank ya! Â*;D
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Old 10-08-04, 09:24 AM   #2
bassfisher14
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Default Re: Thermocline

Thermocline only exists in summer months when it is hot. What causes it is lack of oxygen in deeper parts of water. If you have a good fishfinder, you can find the thermocline. Fish will rarely go below the thermocline unless they are chasing something to eat, but they will come right back out of it after they catch what they are chasing, or they realize they have no cahnce of catching it. As far as temperature goes. I could be wrong, but I don't think there is much of a temperature change on either side of the thermocline.
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Old 10-08-04, 01:45 PM   #3
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Default Re: Thermocline

BOOGER,
Â* Â* There is quite a change in the temperature at the thermocline, depending on how warm the upper area (epilimnion) is. Below the thermocline (hypolimnion), the water temperature will be quite a bit colder, approximately ground temperature. The thermocline is the layer where these two different water temperatures meet and mix. Below this thermocline, the water is oxygen starved and very few fish will remain there for very long.

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Old 10-09-04, 09:35 AM   #4
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Default Re: Thermocline

An example.....if you drop a temperature probe in one foot increments, taking a reading at each foot....the water may be 80 degrees at 1 foot.....
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* 79 at 2
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* 78 at 3
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* 77 at 4
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* 76 at 5
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* 75 at 6
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* 74 at 7
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* 71 at 8
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* 70 at 9
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*

The thermocline being between 7 and 8 feet...... Â*most fish will hang on the thermocline....now, finding structure and or cover at that level will assist you in finding the bass......

Also finding baitfish (forage) and fishing generally through them at 7 to 8 feet will also be helpful.

I realize there are also other factors, but for now am hoping this helps.







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Old 10-09-04, 10:52 AM   #5
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Default Re: Thermocline

MAC,
What you failed to take into account is the fish's comfort zone. The fish will stack up on the thermocline if it is the lowest temperature in thier comfort zone. If the water three ft above the thermocline is in the bass's favorite comfort zone, they will suspend at that zone. However, until the water above the thermocline becomes warmer than thier chosen zone, the bass will stack at the upper zone. You must remember that the closer to the surface, the more oxygenated the water is, due to wind and wave action, therefore the bass will chose the more oxygen rich area until it gets too warm for thier comfort. When the bass suspend at lower levels, they are much less aggressive, as they do not want to use up the available oxygen chasing prey. They become more of a opportunistic feeder, and follow schools of baitfish in the lower depths. This is the reason that you have to drag a bait in front of thier nose when they are suspended, before they will bite.

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Old 10-09-04, 11:05 AM   #6
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Default Re: Thermocline

It is a time of the year when the fish are right near the surface for a number of reasons already mentioned. The oxygen is richer up there, and the temperature is generally in their comfort zone.

Largemouth bass love temperatures in between 50 and 80. The water is around 55 right now. The baitfish are moving around eating whatever they can find, and so are the predators. They are feeding up for the winter. they are on a seefood diet. They see food, and they try to eat it.

Although the weeds are dying and now sucking up oxygen instead of supplying it, cold water can hold more oxygen than warm water can. And after windy fall days when the wave action and wind up top supply more oxygen, along with October rain, it's a great near surface bite.

The best thing to do now is usually run a crankbait or spinnerbait right under the surface. If that doesn't work, try 6 inches down. Then a foot down.
If that doesn't work, well, then your fish are weird. :-/ ;D
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Old 10-09-04, 08:35 PM   #7
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Default Re: Thermocline

Thanks Jack,

I stand corrected, and enriched. Appreciate the information.....thanks, Mac
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Old 10-09-04, 09:28 PM   #8
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Default Re: Thermocline

i usually fish shallow,IMO the thermoclime has nothing to do with fishing shallow.to be honest with you i have never paid any attention to the thermoclime.i don't think i would even know what it looks like on my finder.
and i always keep my finder on automatic,i only use it for depth and bottom structure.
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Old 10-09-04, 09:33 PM   #9
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Default Re: Thermocline

actually tom it would still show up it would look like a jagged line acrossed the depth finder mine also is on automatic. the one on badin was around 20 feet down in over 100 feet of water.


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Old 10-09-04, 09:35 PM   #10
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Default Re: Thermocline

i get the cheapest lowrance or eagle finders i can find.they don't show thermoclimes.(not that i ever noticed)
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Old 10-09-04, 09:37 PM   #11
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Default Re: Thermocline

i use a eagle 320 and a eagle 128 both will show the cline.

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Old 10-09-04, 09:39 PM   #12
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Default Re: Thermocline

the finder i have now is an eagle.as for the model,that's anyones guess.the stick on label is gone .
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Old 10-09-04, 09:47 PM   #13
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Default Re: Thermocline

bass booger you are wrong the cline will show up during the winter also in deep lakes that freeze over. i won a ice tourny by finding one with a depth finder. the cline was down 30 feet in 180 feet of water with 5 feet of ice on top


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Old 10-09-04, 11:09 PM   #14
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Default Re: Thermocline

Never knew that Zooker. Â*I haven't dealt with thermocline alot and what I have always heard was what I wrote. Â*Oh well, I was mis-informed. Â*Thanks for the info.
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Old 10-10-04, 12:08 AM   #15
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Default Re: Thermocline

if there is ice on the water in the winter for more than a few days where you are you should migrate south with the ducks and geese ;D
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Old 10-11-04, 11:00 AM   #16
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Default Re: Thermocline

cullin,

How about 5 months?
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Old 10-11-04, 11:43 AM   #17
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Default Re: Thermocline

ARCHER,

Then you should learn to knit!!

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Old 10-11-04, 03:53 PM   #18
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Default Re: Thermocline

Migration is not the answer! Theres enough down here already. Stay home unless youre visiting for a week or two. 8)
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Old 10-11-04, 06:27 PM   #19
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Default Re: Thermocline

and take one of "them" back with you..


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Old 10-12-04, 09:20 AM   #20
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Default Re: Thermocline

I find talk about thermocline and lake turnover interesting but I'm glad I don't have to deal with it down here. Shallow water can also have some drawbacks. Water temps can fluctuate wildly in fall and spring and a lake that has them jumping in the boat one day can seem like it doesn't have a fish in it the next.




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