Fishing thermocline

[StuMan]

I fished north of long point this past Saturday and picked up the thermocline around 60-70ft on my lowrance elite 5 FF.

I jig for lakers and am wondering if I just run threw these depths while in deeper fow or if I need to go to the depth of the thermocline and make sure the bottom is relatively close for the best outcome. Any input is greatly appreciated.

[Sk8man]

Although you can often catch fish on the way up (or down) while jigging it is primarily a bottom oriented  technique...(and especially so  in salt water). Lakers are primarily bottom oriented fish  and browns often hug the bottom near drop offs. If you indeed have found the thermocline try to find places where it INTERSECTS the bottom regardless of depth and your chances of catching either of those species are increased. Very often suspended lakers in VERY deep water are inactive fish (e.g. out near the barge on Seneca in 500 ft down 250ft) but suspended fish near bait may be active fish. If you mark a cluster or a lot of fish near bait suspended it may be worth drifting and jigging for them if you have calm conditions but this is independent of where the thermocline is located. The essential thing is to properly identify the thermocline (not just clustered algae formations etc.)  and to locate specific areas where it intersects the bottom. The thermocline varies with currents and structures throughout the lake and just because you find it at 60-70 ft in one place you shouldn't assume that it will be the same throughout the lake. Just my take on it....hope this helps

Edited June 18, 2013 by Sk8man

[StuMan]

Thanks it sure did. I wasn't sure on Saturday but after looking at John Gaulkes report for Sunday I'm pretty sure it was the thermocline. I was basically where he reported. Thanks again!

[Sk8man]

Good luck and have a great season.

[hermit]

+1 on Les' post with a little caveat, while jigging for lakers is generally bottom oriented you will catch most of your fish when reeling in.  Targeting suspended fish over deeper water is definitely doable but having a solid bottom around just helps you know where everything is.  My FF sucks and I rarely see the thermocline so I'm mostly looking for fish and bait as a primary method of targeting.

 

Knowing where it is can help you exclude shallower water but often fish will be feeding at several depths below it, there will be the group just under the thermocline and then some in deeper water.  On Sunday we fished from what I thought was the thermocline down another 30 feet or so without finding active fish, we had some bait and fish but they weren't hitting. For several reasons didn't try fishing deeper though we should have- the lakers were apparently feeding well below it. So if you know where it is, it's a good place to start and going shallower won't help but deeper might.

 

Also don't spend much time actually jigging... or at least vary it up if you aren't catching much.  A lot of it boils down to drop and reel.  Drop it down, bang it around a few seconds, and reel it in.  Play with the retrieve speed as sometimes they want it as fast as you can go.  If it's very slow and the fish aren't chasing then it's time to work the bottom five feet pretty hard but you'll get most fish when reeling in.  (This can be a bit of personal preference as some guys do really well snap jigging near the bottom but I don't do much of that myself.  A lot of it just depends on conditions.)

Edited June 18, 2013 by hermit

[lavarock64]

I was fishing opposite longpoint on the west shore sunday morning.  We had no luck in the hour + we jigged for lakers (50-90 fow).  My little one got board, so we went perch fishing in the same area.  In 19 FOW,  my 5 year old landed a 26 inch laker on a fathead minnow with his 4 lb. ultralight.  Talk about a proud kid - Dad as well for that matter.  The water temp was 58, and even the perch we caught were stuffed with sawbellies. 

[StuMan]

Nice! That must've been a sight to see! Thanks for sharing! Excites me for when my 3yr old daughter will be ready!!

[rustyrat]

Thermocline? I had 58 on top and 55 down 30! Not much of a thermocline. Down 45 it was 49 to 50. Considering that trout and salmon prefer 50 to 60 degrees, the fish are all over the place. I'm catching lakers in 42 degree water. This is not.the time of year to be looking for.the break. Fish your marks! We need another week or 2 of good sun before it sets up. Fish the marks!

RR

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[Dick]

Monday I marked fish all over. 56 on the surface, LL and Browns 12-20 ft  in close to shore. big marks over the 98 ft drop at 120 ft

west side out of watkins. bait pods few and far apart. no thermocline I could detect as it seems a little early. trash-scum lines tho.