Matt_Magnone
11-16-2010, 08:57 PM
Its been a bit since ive posted on this site regarding dvl so i figured id shed a little light on whats goin on.the past week or so i've been having customers coming in bummed that the fish werent reacting like they have been the past few months.
In actuality the fish are reacting the same; the strike zone is just changing. With dvl being so bait oriented fish are following the forage as well as following the seasonal changes. The thermocline and oxycline are moving therefore moving the bait in turn moving the fish. Despite what most people think, the thermocline is actually a change in water temp by several degrees. An imaginary line in the water column if you will. This could be a change in two degrees or ten degrees. In the summer months as the sun warms the water more life and more oxygen will gravitate to the top part of the water column in opposite below the temperature change, thermocline there tends to be a lack of oxygen. As summer turns to winter and we start seeing our first cool nights the cooling air temperature in turn makes the surface temp drop. As the surface layer begins getting heavier,think about the general rule of thumb, heat rises, the surface temp begins to sink in the water column. Being that the top part of the water column is denser than the bottom part of the water column the two begin to mix until they flip. This process is called stratification or turn over. This brings on the algae bloom and the muck we saw on the surface these past few weeks.
The oxycline is the highest oxygen level in the lake at one givin time. This too is an imaginary line in the water column. There are times when you'll be driving across the lake and tend to see a specific depth the fish and or bait will be suspending in. While most will think this is due to sunlight or wind, while these are factors, its not the reason. The oxycline will hold the most optimal living space in the lake. Sometimes its on the surface; sometimes its 50' deep. The oxycline will draw the phytoplankton. Phytoplankton will draw the bait. The bait will draw the fish. Its a cycle of things. When the thermocline and oxycline meet or simpler, temperature break and best oxygen level, you can have a banner day of fishing and you're in the perfect strike zone.
The bait is starting to move down in the water column. While a lot of you will most likely dispute this, its happening. Busting fish are becoming harder to catch as bait pods are becoming smaller and smaller on the surface. Smaller in terms of how they were 3 months ago. When then you'd see wolfpacks of fish balling up bait the size of a basketball court, you're no seeing the fish ball up bait the size of a small car or go kart. There is still an amazing amount of bait in the lake its just starting its downward move. Fish will still push it up in turn showing amazing boils, but the bulk of it is down now. With a fishfinder, its easy to observe this, but without it could become difficult.
Think about the lake as a whole. Divide the water column up into 3 equal horizontal sections. A top, middle and bottom. It could be 10', 20', 30', or 20', 40' or 60'. It doesnt matter. If you think back to what i was talking about, as the surface temps begin to sink, the oxygen level begins to sink. If the fish were in the upper half of the water column before, wouldnt it make sense that the fish should be beginning their move deeper? Maybe they're slowly headed towards the middle part of the water column? Or maybe they have already hit the bottom half? If fisherman hold onto the idea of how awesome the fishing was 3 months ago on the surface, they might miss the move in turn missing the hottest bite of the year!
Start working deeper in the water column. A variety of baits will work in this situation, a darter head, a spoon, a senko, a nailweighted fluke. This time of year think shad. Think movement! Movement can be horizontal or vertical. Fish are beginning to pack on the pounds for winter. They want to chase right now. Think baits that will either cover a portion of the water column or baits that will pattern a specific depth of the water column.
There are no secret baits, there are no secret spots. Everyone on the water has fished every spot. What it comes down to is getting out there and going fishing! A lot of people want the inside scoop to a hot area when that area is only "hot" when key conditions meet a specific type of structure or cover. Other times throughout the year that area might be dry of fish. You just have to train yourself to be observant and move.
There is no doubt in my mind that you guys can go out there and wreck it! You just have to think like a fish!
If you guys need any help whatsoever, call me up or stop into last chance and i'll help you break down the lake anyway i can!
-matt magnone
In actuality the fish are reacting the same; the strike zone is just changing. With dvl being so bait oriented fish are following the forage as well as following the seasonal changes. The thermocline and oxycline are moving therefore moving the bait in turn moving the fish. Despite what most people think, the thermocline is actually a change in water temp by several degrees. An imaginary line in the water column if you will. This could be a change in two degrees or ten degrees. In the summer months as the sun warms the water more life and more oxygen will gravitate to the top part of the water column in opposite below the temperature change, thermocline there tends to be a lack of oxygen. As summer turns to winter and we start seeing our first cool nights the cooling air temperature in turn makes the surface temp drop. As the surface layer begins getting heavier,think about the general rule of thumb, heat rises, the surface temp begins to sink in the water column. Being that the top part of the water column is denser than the bottom part of the water column the two begin to mix until they flip. This process is called stratification or turn over. This brings on the algae bloom and the muck we saw on the surface these past few weeks.
The oxycline is the highest oxygen level in the lake at one givin time. This too is an imaginary line in the water column. There are times when you'll be driving across the lake and tend to see a specific depth the fish and or bait will be suspending in. While most will think this is due to sunlight or wind, while these are factors, its not the reason. The oxycline will hold the most optimal living space in the lake. Sometimes its on the surface; sometimes its 50' deep. The oxycline will draw the phytoplankton. Phytoplankton will draw the bait. The bait will draw the fish. Its a cycle of things. When the thermocline and oxycline meet or simpler, temperature break and best oxygen level, you can have a banner day of fishing and you're in the perfect strike zone.
The bait is starting to move down in the water column. While a lot of you will most likely dispute this, its happening. Busting fish are becoming harder to catch as bait pods are becoming smaller and smaller on the surface. Smaller in terms of how they were 3 months ago. When then you'd see wolfpacks of fish balling up bait the size of a basketball court, you're no seeing the fish ball up bait the size of a small car or go kart. There is still an amazing amount of bait in the lake its just starting its downward move. Fish will still push it up in turn showing amazing boils, but the bulk of it is down now. With a fishfinder, its easy to observe this, but without it could become difficult.
Think about the lake as a whole. Divide the water column up into 3 equal horizontal sections. A top, middle and bottom. It could be 10', 20', 30', or 20', 40' or 60'. It doesnt matter. If you think back to what i was talking about, as the surface temps begin to sink, the oxygen level begins to sink. If the fish were in the upper half of the water column before, wouldnt it make sense that the fish should be beginning their move deeper? Maybe they're slowly headed towards the middle part of the water column? Or maybe they have already hit the bottom half? If fisherman hold onto the idea of how awesome the fishing was 3 months ago on the surface, they might miss the move in turn missing the hottest bite of the year!
Start working deeper in the water column. A variety of baits will work in this situation, a darter head, a spoon, a senko, a nailweighted fluke. This time of year think shad. Think movement! Movement can be horizontal or vertical. Fish are beginning to pack on the pounds for winter. They want to chase right now. Think baits that will either cover a portion of the water column or baits that will pattern a specific depth of the water column.
There are no secret baits, there are no secret spots. Everyone on the water has fished every spot. What it comes down to is getting out there and going fishing! A lot of people want the inside scoop to a hot area when that area is only "hot" when key conditions meet a specific type of structure or cover. Other times throughout the year that area might be dry of fish. You just have to train yourself to be observant and move.
There is no doubt in my mind that you guys can go out there and wreck it! You just have to think like a fish!
If you guys need any help whatsoever, call me up or stop into last chance and i'll help you break down the lake anyway i can!
-matt magnone