The first thing I do when I hit the lake is find the thermocline with the depth finder. I never fish deeper because I have never had any luck deeper. Matter of fact I usually dont even fish to the thermocline. Say it is at 15 foot , I will usually fish to around thirteen feet simply because that is where my success has come from. 

 

The question is do you guys   catch fish in the thrermocline  very often ? When I say in , I mean where it shows up on the depth finder .

I fish where the fish are----at the top and above the strongest sonar returns of the thermocline and below the warmest water.

 

 

The thermocline reflects sound (sonar) due to the water density change caused by rapid temperature change.

I fish where the fish are----at the top and above the strongest sonar returns of the thermocline and below the warmest water.

 

 

The thermocline reflects sound (sonar) due to the water density change caused by rapid temperature change.

It looks like the fish are above the upper layer of the thermocline which has been mu experience .

I do not recall ever catching a fish below the thermocline. I have caught some fish that could have been in that band of water but I am uncertain if they actually were. In Maryland our water does not get boiling hot like it can in the south so our bass seem to be found at any level above the thermocline. On my home lake the cline is currently down at 28 feet and the bigger largemouth are most commonly encountered in the 12 - 20 foot depths.

The thermocline llocally is usually 15 to 20 feet. They are not deep , clear lakes like in the Ozarks of southern Missouri. These lakes are shallower and murkier .  On the lake I fish most it has been unusally shallow this year with the top of the line at around 13 foot .

It looks like the fish are above the upper layer of the thermocline which has been mu experience .

Read this post to learn how to easily determine where to look for fish when the thermocline is present.

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/161227-navionics-mobile-app/

Read this post to learn how to easily determine where to look for fish when the thermocline is present.

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/161227-navionics-mobile-app/

So , was the thermocline showing up at 18 to 22 foot. And you only fished in that zone ?

So , was the thermocline showing up at 18 to 22 foot. And you only fished in that zone ?

The top of the thermocline was at 22', I just set the map highlighting to show that and just above it and then checked those depths at contour features that are suitable for the season/water temp.

I fished where I saw fish with my electronics, I did not fish where I did not see any fish. I don't waste time doing that.

I think I have posted this before. It may have been the same day.

 

If you notice in the first screenshot where the fish are under the depth readout on the bottom and then this one with the same thing. That is a sure catch when you see it.

 

 

The ones that are suspended over deeper water are much harder to catch. When they trap baitfish against the bottom contour you know they are munching.

Thermocline here is 30-33 ft. Don't catch any below that but regularly catch them suspended near it in 50+ fow.

I avoid lakes with a thermocline  

          (that's a joke btw)

I don't have a ton of experience fishing below the thermocline. The way that I've understood it, that despite the colder water, it typically holds less oxygen than the warmer water above it due to the lack of vegetation and the decomposition process eating up oxygen, at least in lakes at aren't crystal clear.

Here's an article on thermoclines you might find interesting....

 

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/thermocline.html

Alright y'all need to quit with the screen shots!

I'm wide awake & aint on the lake looking at my depth finder!

What creates a condition of very low DO levels under the thermocline in lake where the water column is stable without current is decaying organic matter using up the oxygen near the lakes bottom areas.

Lakes with current or aeration systems also have good DO levels under the thermocline, if one or more exists.

Most bass lake develop a thermocline during the warm water period, nearly all lakes develop a life zone or preferred depth zone during summer. Your sonar unit easily defines the thermocline and or life zone depths.

Tom

Looks like most fish are caught above the band that shows up on the fish finder and not inside it , which is what I have experienced . Just wanted to make sure I wasnt missing out . I'm not to old to read , learn  and experiment.

Does the PH play into this too?

I'd like to learn

Does the PH play into this too?

I'd like to learn

I have never given ph a thought. I know they use to have ph meters but I never fooled with them. 

 

I did have a light and temperature probe that I used a bit. If there was a thermocline the light and temp would plummet at that depth .

Does the PH play into this too?

I'd like to learn

It does. Different species are comfortable/adaptive to different ranges. I want to say this stuff gets covered in Al Lindner/In-Fisherman's Strategies books, and makes sense. Too high or low can stress fish. That said, it's probably what I'm least concerned with in most cases when trying to locate fish. Things like food, oxygen content, water temp, structure, all come first.

One of Bill Dances tips covered this but being old now I can't remember. I think the Ph 7 is the best to look for. But the TC factors into this. I have four or five Combo C Lectors they measure water temp, PH and recommendations on color patterns. The wrong PH will shut them down.

I know that the heavy rains can stir up the bottom and cause the bacteria to rise in the water column changing the PH. but does it affect the TC too?

There's more than one reason and cause why a tough day is a tough day.

I ask myself sometimes why does a feeding frenzy occur when a weather front moves in. But it also shuts them down too sometimes. I've fished during many rain storms trying to figure this out. I've seen the frenzy before and during the rain. I've seen it between the rain storms when it calms down. But never seen this feeding frenzy after the rain storm stops. Maybe it's a combination of the weather front and the moon phase that causes this feeding frenzy.

Frenzy like standing in one spot on the shoreline catching 19 bass all different sizes. At the swamp it happened one night too but mostly dinks to 1 1/2lbers.

At my other spot it was an assortment of dinks to 5lbers non stop action. I caught a crappie the size of a five gallon bucket lid.

If your sonar unit shows fish in the area you are fishing, the important factor is depth. If the Ph isn't comfortable the fish will not be there. Ph of 7 is drinking water or neutral acid to alkaline level.

Modern sonar unit is your best tool to locate bass and bait fish.

Tom