By Rick Stahl
Around the Kamloops area, winter has shed its hold on the interior plateau. Lakes have begun their ritualistic ice off and the dormant cabin fevered fly anglers are dusting off boxes of flies and rods waiting for the timely openings. This is a time of feast or famine, as many of the lakes have not yet “turned over”
Turn over is an expression used to describe the way a lake changes in temperature after the long hold of winter has loosened its grip. Basically what happens is that the water nearest the surface is colder during winter than the water below. As the surface warms it eventually becomes the same temperature of the deeper water. When this happens the water of the lake mixes together and creates turn over.
This creates turmoil for the trout, in that oxygen that was once concentrated in the “thermo cline” is now dispensed through out the entire lake. The thermo cline is the zone of water where warm and cold meet. This is where most of the oxygen is concentrated in the lake.
Over the winter oxygen cannot be replaced. This is due to the fact that most lakes are covered in ice and therefore have no wave action to create oxygen. Also aquatic vegetation is either dead or in a dormant state. Therefore most trout need seek out the thermo clines particular towards the end of winter. If the winter is a particularly hard and long, the oxygen can be completely used up. This causes “winter kill.”
Spring kill is caused when the turn over takes longer than normal. No wind and/or a sudden cold snap can be deadly to the fish. Since there is no concentration of oxygen the fish cannot all find enough to survive, a partial spring kill is imminent.
Turn over usually happens in the first two weeks after ice off. The period pre turn over will find most of the oxygen in shallow water. Therefore most of the fish will be in the shallows searching for food. Concentrate your efforts in the shallows at this time using chironomids, shrimp and water boatmen. This can be some of the fastest fishing of the year and should relished by the fly tosser.
One can recognize a turn over usually by the amount of bottom material floating on the surface. Since there is no thermo cline most of the water tension will dissipate causing neutral buoyancy products to come to the surface. At this time it would be recommended to go to a different lake. Try changing elevation, as most lakes in the same elevation will turn at the same time. Also larger lakes usually turn first.
Post turn over will find the fish concentrated in deeper water. This can be a frustrating time to fish, as the trout are harder to reach and find. This is when a depth finder can be crucial to success. Once the fish have been found, a deep-water chironomid technique can be deadly.
To achieve this, full sinking lines of a fast variety along with larger chironomid patterns are necessary. If the fish are holding at thirty feet, double anchor right above them. Strip approximately thirty to forty feet out and cast out. Allow the line to sink straight up and down. Start a slow hand twist retrieve and be prepared for the strike, as it is usually a good yank.
If the fish are not concentrated, try trolling a large leech or dragon fly nymph deep. This is basically a trial and error method and usually isn’t too consistent, but it may just save the day.
As the season progresses oxygen will spread out through the entire lake. The fish will fall into normal feeding patterns as will the fly fisher. At this point variety is the spice and you’re on your own to catch fish. Scream’n Reels.
Теги: Fishing Hobby
|