What do bubbles in the lake mean? I heard it means there’s fish right there but I heard it can be something else, too. 

I would bet, based on 6th grade science knowledge, that it would be gases released from the bottom coming up, or somebody scuba diving. It does not necessarily mean a fish caused those bubbles.

Fish farts.....

 

I always figured gases being released from the lake bed or a spring.

Pretty hard to associate that directly to fish. I've seen that condition in the lakes and rivers. Fish would have to have innards of a good size to displace that much air. But I'm sure some are directly fish related. I'm apt to believe it is gas of some type being released. 

Its often turtles or Gators moving near the bottom  which releases the bubbles. Ive seen big carp leave a trail too.

I have seen fish leave bubbles.  I figure it could be any critter or swamp gas.

Any bottom hugging fish or turtle will displace mud and release gas (usually methane) from decaying matter.  I have even seen the pressure from my boat hull cause the release.  

8 hours ago, Mottel said:

What do bubbles in the lake mean? I heard it means there’s fish right there but I heard it can be something else, too. 

Could be fish, could be turtles, could be gas, as well as a combination of them, or something else.

It's usually turtles here, I've tried casting to bubbles before and got a big ole turtle's attention a few times. I've also heard it could be carp, catfish, or a gator. But the gas releasing thing said above seems like a viable reason, could be an animal thing, or could be a natural thing that's going on down there.

A constant stream of bubbles isn't coming from animals, not fish as they don't have lungs to breath air. A short burst of bubbles could from animals including some fish releasing air from pressure changes. Bass can't release airbladder gases so it isn't bass.

Springs can be a source and decaying debris would be the most common source.

Tom

11 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

Its often turtles or Gators moving near the bottom  which releases the bubbles. Ive seen big carp leave a trail too.

When I said that I primarily meant when they move near the bottom or make contact with it gas or oxygen bubbles from the muck float up.

It seems feasible too that ,, since Gators and turtles are holding their breath they would occasionally release some oxygen too.

Bubbles in a lake could be from all the above mentioned...………………………… bubbles from a bath tub...… well that's a different story?

Lake bubbles could be anything but, most likely decomposed organisms releasing gas. River bubbles are slack water and a great place to find fish.

Around here: Turtles, carp stirring up vegetation, beavers (jerks), otters.

What about Swamp Thing ?

A-Jay

Usually it is gas released from decaying matter on the bottom.

 

It happens all the time.

 

Nothing to be concerned about.

 

Unless you are fishing the Black Lagoon. Then it could be the Creature from the Black Lagoon. 

 

Decomposing weeds release methane and other gases. Sometimes see the lines of bubbles trailing up on sonar too.

 

Or it could also be from this:
 

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Down here! ?