Lake

When fishing freshwater lakes, a boat is almost a necessity if you expect to catch a lot of large fish.  This is because schools of forage fish swim freely throughout the lake and predatory fish will follow.   The challenge is to find the pods of bait fish and offer something that will entice a bite.

Trolling is the most popular way to fish large lakes.  While trolling you cover a lot of water in search of fish while you can offer a spread of lures at controlled depths using downriggers and lead core line.  Using planer board and jigging boxes, you can specialize your lure presentation.

The ecosystem in a lake is quite diverse with pockets of life based upon water temperature, depth, current, bottom texture, and shoreline.  In a lake the temperature of the water is the primary indicator for finding specific species of fish.  Lake trout and salmon prefer much colder water than do bass.  The lake water will mix vertically throughout the year as water density changes with temperature and during this process a thermocline can develop.  The thermocline holds high levels of oxygen and nutrients and is a zone sought after for good results.

Water depth is a great indicator of productive areas in a lake.  Where there are sharp depth transitions, one will find good fishing.  Shelfs, humps, and holes will often hold bait fish.  A sonar fish finder is a very critical tool needed to be successful at lake fishing. These irregularities in depth will be effected with water temperature and the season in what species of fish they hold.

Of course moving water will move nutrients and provide a feeding zone that opportunistic hungry fish will take advantage of.  We call water that naturally moves, a current.  In a lake, a current can result  from inlet and outlet rivers and streams, the wind moving the top layer of water, and cold water springs.  River and stream mouths flowing in and out of the lake are excellent places to fish throughout the year.  These areas are few of the very productive places that you can fish a lake from shore.  Depending on the time of the season will determine the species you will catch.

If you watch successful lake fisherman, you will soon pick up how they use the wind to their advantage.   This is the most critical variable in big water lake fishing that will directly affect your catch rate. 

Springs delivering cold water into the lake can also be excellent areas to fish.  The problem is finding them.  Look again for sharp depth transitions as often a spring might be nearby.   Measuring water temperature through the depth is a way to confirm the presence of a spring. 

The texture of the bottom will determine the type of food that is supported.  Crayfish like rocks, chironomids larvae like silt, while dragonfly larvae and leeches like weeds.  These food sources will attract smaller fish and in turn larger fish.   A good sonar will actually detect the hardness of the bottom which will in turn may make a difference in your fishing techniques and presentation.

The shoreline of the lake, especially with docks will offer productive fishing, especially for bass and pan fish.   Look for irregularities and the should produce well.  A lake can be a very diverse fishery which gives the angler the opportunity to catch many different species from a single area.   Pay attention to your environment and you will soon learn trends and tendencies that will improve your catch rates.

Lakes are often managed for salmon and rainbow trout by measuring the supporting smelt population.  Lake trout, bass, and all other species are not managed in this way.  This is what makes lake fishing special is that you can have great catch days independent of other fisherman as a lake really never can be a put and take fishery.

There are a lot of smaller lakes that are managed for warm water species, namely bass and pan fish.  However, some of these fisheries will also be stocked with brown and rainbow trout as they are more hardy than brook trout.  These fisheries are a great treasure since you can fish for bass and trout.  Some of these lakes only get bass fishing pressure and very little trout pressure.

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