Thermocline?

[mojorig]

This has been a good discussion and has got me wondering. So I emailed Dr. Reed Green, who is hydrologist with USGS that specializes in reservoir limnology and hydrodynamics, in an effort to get more information of the specific criteria for a thermocline. 

I will relay the information he provides to me.

[mojorig]

Here is the response I got back from Dr. Green. I asked him: "What is the criteria for a thermocline? For example, I was taught it was a sudden change of temperature (3 to 5 degrees change) over a short distance." I also include the  Temp profile for Stocked Lake that I posted to this post.

[fishinwrench]

That thermocline business is junk science.  When it comes to catching fish, that is.   Theoretically the most active fish can be found there, but that absolutely does not mean that the guy with the biggest sack of fish last weekend, or this coming weekend will have caught their fish there.   

It also doesn't mean that if you find a brush pile on a ledge that is dead center within that column of water that you are unlikely to get skunked fishing it.

So there ya have it. Looks good on paper, and sounds great in magazine articles and seminars, but it is complete bullbutter.   😊

[liphunter]

11 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

there ya have it. Looks good on paper, and sounds great in magazine articles and seminars, but it is complete bullbutter.   😊

Man, that can’t be good on cornbread 😝

[olfishead]

The fish you catch are where you catch them! huh? Like I said, fish will chase forage fish OR feed outside of their comfort zone if needed. But, the thermocline is usually there in summer months and that zone is where they are most comfortable.  Junk science or not, it is an important factor that warrants consideration. Most anglers know that there are a lot of factors involved with being successful.  By the way, I guess climate change is a myth (junk) too. 

[fishinwrench]

45 minutes ago, olfishead said:

The fish you catch are where you catch them! huh? Like I said, fish will chase forage fish OR feed outside of their comfort zone if needed. But, the thermocline is usually there in summer months and that zone is where they are most comfortable.  Junk science or not, it is an important factor that warrants consideration. Most anglers know that there are a lot of factors involved with being successful.  By the way, I guess climate change is a myth (junk) too. 

Fish that are hanging out where they are most comfortable are likely taking a nap and are too lazy to chase down a bait.  😊 

Quote

Junk science or not, it is an important factor that warrants consideration.

It might still warrant some consideration, but whether it is an important factor or not remains to be proven.  And I think the idea has been circulating around long enough by now to have done so....And so far, failed. 🙄 

The key to becoming a great angler in a short amount of time, is to not get hung up for too long on junk theories that don't matter.  

[olfishead]

I like to fish where the fish are. End of story. 

[olfishead]

13 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Fish that are hanging out where they are most comfortable are likely taking a nap and are too lazy to chase down a bait.  😊 

It might still warrant some consideration, but whether it is an important factor or not remains to be proven.  And I think the idea has been circulating around long enough by now to have done so....And so far, failed. 🙄 

The key to becoming a great angler in a short amount of time, is to not get hung up for too long on junk theories that don't matter.  

Try fishing for a few days at 60 ft. deep ( or far below the summer thermocline) in any lake and see what you catch! Not just a theory....................

[fishinwrench]

49 minutes ago, olfishead said:

Try fishing for a few days at 60 ft. deep ( or far below the summer thermocline) in any lake and see what you catch! Not just a theory....................

Do I have to ignore all the bites I get before my bait ever gets to the level of the magical thermocline ?

I'm not denying that there won't be many fish BELOW it.   Who, in their right mind, starts fishing at the very bottom of a reservoir and works their way up?   That's not even possible to do.