Thermocline And What It Means For Fish

[fishinwrench]

Y'all think the crawdads in those fishes belly came from 30+fow?

[Bill Babler]

If you have quality electronics and are running anything on auto, you have more than wasted your money. Take some time and get your unit set correctly.

Fish should never be confused with the thermocline. They are for the most part singular objects that move, not stationary bottom or dark fixed lines, or vertical interference at depth.

A great way to learn is to go with a friend that is really tuned in. If you just aiin't got one, hire one of the guides here. and it will for sure open a new book for you. R. Lapoint and now Mike Webb are as good as they get with Birds. Capt. Don House is right with them. Most of the other guys are running the HDS units and they all know them in and out, including Phil Stone that has posted on this topic. Bird or Lowrance HDS units, Table Rock has you covered with some of the best deep fisherman this country has to offer, and it is there for you to take advantage of.

Good Luck

[Bill Babler]

Y'all think the crawdads in those fishes belly came from 30+fow?

Absolutely on Table Rock. My diver buddies said they are just thick in the 24 to 40 ft. range right now. The end of our dock is in 38 ft. 4 chicken necks in a trap will put a dozen big dads in it most every night

[sholder02]

This has made for a good read. I was under the impression that there was significantly less oxygen below the thermocline, yet still marking fish and what appear to be balls of shad significantly deeper than the thermocline. Thoughts?

[fishinwrench]

Absolutely on Table Rock. My diver buddies said they are just thick in the 24 to 40 ft. range right now. The end of our dock is in 38 ft. 4 chicken necks in a trap will put a dozen big dads in it most every night

Absolutely on Table Rock. My diver buddies said they are just thick in the 24 to 40 ft. range right now. The end of our dock is in 38 ft. 4 chicken necks in a trap will put a dozen big dads in it most every night

That's Interesting.....and good knowledge to have. I had always figured (and I don't really know why) that crawdads we're shoreline/shallow water critters, for the most part.

I know that on this lake during the heat of Summer they are thick at the bases of the seawalls (3-4'). Snorkelers can fill a bucket in an afternoon, no problem.

[Guest Brian B.]

Every depth finder I have ever had addressed marking the thermocline (even had pictures to illustrate it) in the users manual.

I do have. To disagree on one point- I run an old Eagle Fishmark 480, I have found the factory default and leaving everything basically on auto works great. I. Just turn the ping speed up a bit, and the sceen scroll speed down one setting.

Remember too- trying to gets pretty fish arches in a dead still boat is a waste of time, the arches you see at Bass Pro- for one its a demo, two the arches require movement of the boat crate the arch.

(I have played quite a bit with settings on these Eagles- but my particular little cheaper (by todays standards) Eagle is set up pretty well out of the box.

Makes me wonder what model Lowrance is just this old Eagle with a different frame and badge on it.

[fishinwrench]

Makes me wonder what model Lowrance is just this old Eagle with a different frame and badge on it.

Bingo! They all ping and receive the same signals (even the old dial flashers) , some units just PROCESS and DISPLAY those return signals differently.

[Guest Brian B.]

This Eagle 480 is the last Eagle I have, I let the 320 go with my Grizzly I just sold.

These are the finest depth finders I have ever used. They are all you need- you may want more, but they are (were) more than sufficient.

[fishinwrench]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that the hi-def ultra processor LCR's only accomplish one thing that a standard run of the mill LCR's do.....they create an image that causes the user to fish a spot more thoroughly and with some added confidence because those units draw such "fishy looking" pictures (seemingly showing groups of fish holding along every limb of a brushpile, for example).

But for the most part my observation is that anglers who have equipped their rigs with these sweet complex toys fail to catch any more fish than they did before they had them.

They do, however, find themselves spending way more time idling around in circles with a cold beverage in their hand instead of a fishing rod.

[Guest Brian B.]

Funny you say that- I used to "fiddle" with my depth finder, I insist on calling it a depth finder.. I fiddled waaay too much, and all the stuff on the guide posts and all- YES... It works, but that is all time with hands on a "gadget" rather than a rod.

I will really pay VERY close to my finder the first three or so times I go to new water- beyond that I know the water, IF I even bring it from there out it primarily is a glorified temp sensor.

-that said, I'm not fishing a miles long impoundment, the largest lakes I fish may be 2/3 mile long, crick's/ rivers, forget it, I see the water I'm fishing, I don't take it at all.

A depth finder is very very reliable and accurate at marking depth, and bottom composition, anything in between is hopefully a fish vs the odd, slow moving air pocket held down by slime or gosh knows what.

Just my two cents, but my equipment is a depth finder 100% time, and ehh- a pretty good "fish finder"..

(But e never had the rediculous $1500 rigs either)

-just so we are clear- I fish a darn plastic chinese inflatable and a MinnKota 30lb trolley... Not exactly a bass boat. LOL, man! I love my rig though.

We have an 18 ft Skeeter that just sits, such a darned shame. Used to fish LOO, and Tablerock- just too darn 'spensive anymore. Can't do it.