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My thoughts on the thermocline #12352740 07/22/17 06:00 AM
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cephusjoe Offline OP
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As an open water diver on broken bow lake, I wanted to share what I've seen down there. I can't help you on the catching fish part. I'm not the best summertime fisherman, but I'm sure someone on the forum can.

Some People think the that the thermocline only exist in summer. This is not true its always there.

The thermocline is a line that the sun stops penetrating the water. This happens all year long. When sun can no longer penetrate any water and warm the water this creates a line. This is why lower mountain fork river water temp stays relatively the same no matter the time of year and we can stock trout. Because the water is coming from the bottom of the lake year around.(the temp almost never changes. No sun

This line is line of light and dark(hot and cold)... you can be above the cline and slowly push your hand into the darkness and feel the colder water. You can see your hand disappear within inches. Even in early spring you can feel and see the thermocline. Remember it's totally dark below the line even during daylight hours. It's the weirdest feeling to neutralize your buoyancy in the line and your face is warm and your toes are cold.

The summer does create a more defined thermocline but it is always there.

Depending on the lake and water clarity and it does change. On a dirty lake it could be only 4 or 5 feet. But the overall depth of the lake will play a major factor in the water temperatures. Example: lake Fort phantom will hit 80's in may, dirty water with more particles to warm the water. But it's so dirty the sun can't penetrate below 3 or 4 feet. But since it's so shallow the lake will warm up quickly. The thermocline is still there.

Ive seen bass above and below the thermocline.

I suck at fishing in the summer but I thought I'd give a perspective for those who didn't know what the thermocline was and maybe a perspective of what it looke like below. It's actually pretty cool to see and feel.


Last edited by cephusjoe; 07/22/17 11:17 PM.

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Re: My thoughts on the thermocline [Re: cephusjoe] #12352743 07/22/17 06:06 AM
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scruboak Offline
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It just becomes more pronounced on electronics in the dog days of summer .

Re: My thoughts on the thermocline [Re: cephusjoe] #12352856 07/22/17 12:27 PM
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Mudman63 Offline
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I won't debate your personal observations, but thermoclines are a bit more complicated than the description given.

Thermo refers to temperature, cline refers to change. Heat from the sun warms water and three fundamental physical actions transfer that heat vertically and horizontally through the water column. Wave action mixes shallow waters, convection and advection of warm water masses are responsible for transferring heat to deeper waters.

If anyone wants to know more, google thermoclines.

Re: My thoughts on the thermocline [Re: cephusjoe] #12353419 07/22/17 09:12 PM
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mossyback75 Offline
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I think it's obvious that the thermocline is a change in water temperature defined by a layer. OK. Great. That part is understood. The question is how fish react to it and why. Oxygen levels are what's important.

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