DEFINITIONS

Breaks - Objects found on the lake bottom.
Breakline - An imaginary line on the lake bottom created from a sudden increase or decrease in depth; An abrupt contrast in the underwater conditions ( i.e.: weedline, thermocline, shadeline, water color change, etc.)
Channel - The submerged riverbed; A type of structure used by fish during migration.
Contact Point - The point at which the fish make first contact with the structure when they start their migration.
Deep Water - 30 ft. deep or deeper; the deepest water in the immediate area, usually the channel; the home of the fish.
Drop Off - A breakline or structure where there is a sudden drop into the deepest water.
Feeder Creek - A submerged gulch, creek, or wash that feeds into the main channel; Structure that fish use during their migration from deep water to shallow water.
Flat - An area of the lake bottom that contains no structure.
Food Source - An area of the lake that contains food for the fish; Usually an area having either an inlet with running water, a weed flat, rock reef, or a rip-rap, manmade structure.
Hump - An underwater island; A structure in which the lake bottom rises up from the surrounding area.
Migration - A movement of the fish from deep water to shallow water along certain underwater paths.
Migration Route - The actual structure or breakline the fish use during their migration from deep water to the shallows.
Point Bar - A type of underwater structure in which the shallow water protrudes out into the lake more than the surrounding area.
Ridge - A type of structure where a long narrow hump exists along the sides of a channel or feeder creek; A levee.
Rip-Rap - Large rocks placed by man along the sides of dams and roadways to prevent erosion.
Rock Reef - A type of structure in which the bottom is covered by rock and rubble; A potential food source if found shallow.
Saddle - A type of structure which is formed from two inside bends facing opposite directions.
Sanctuary - An area in deep water where the fish are in a neutral or inactive state; The home of the fish.
Shallow Water - Water with a depth of 10 feet or less.
Shallows - An area containing shallow water.
Steep Deep - An area void of structure, which contains very little shallow water due to steep shoreline, drop off conditions.
Structure - A lake bottom feature that is distinctly different from the surrounding area.
Thermocline - a horizontal plane of rapidly changing water temperature.
Weedline (upper) - A line created from the contrast of weed growing to the waters' surface and weed which isn't growing to the surface.
Weedline (lower) - A line created on the lake bottom where the weed stops growing due to depths too great for the weed to grow.

Fishing Strategies

For consistent fishing success, we must find these two conditions in or lake and present our lures or bait in these areas. Our fishing strategy consists of the following three key steps;

1. Find the Food Sources
2. Find the Deeper Water (Safety) & other safety features for the fish
3. Find the structure connecting the food with the deeper water

1. Running water inlet
2. Weeds Beds
3. Rock Reef
4. Large areas of shallow water where light can penetrate to the bottom of the lake.
5. Areas of submerged Timber & Brush in shallow water (less than 15' deep)

1. Provides safety from surface predators.
2. Provides water temperature stability - no rapidly fluctuating temperatures.
3. Provides stable light conditions for the fish.

1. Weed Beds - Provide cover for the fish in shallow water.
2. Submerged Brush & Trees - Provide cover fot the fish in shallow water.
3. Rock Reefs - Provide cover for the fish in shallow water if spaces between rockes are large enough.

1. Point Bar
2. Channels, Feeder Creeks, & Washes.
3. Underwater Hump (Submerged Island)
4. Rock Reef
5. Man-Made Structure (Submerged Roadbeds; Dams, etc.)

Migration Theory of Fish

The home of the fish is deep water, where the fish are dormant and very difficult to catch. Periodically the fish become active and move toward the shallows (food source) using underwater structure as a guide. These bottom features, which go all the way from the deep water to the shallow water, act as submerged highways for the fish during their movement.

Example of fish migration: Point Bar Structure
Top View - Fish: All Trout

     

Breaks & Breaklines

Why Breaks and Breaklines are important:
Since the breaklines and structure are the actual migration routes of the fish, and Breaks offer "cover" and location identification for the fish, we must present the lure or bait directly over the Breaks and Breaklines on structure. If the Breakline is located 20ft. deep, we present the lure at 18 to 20ft. deep. When the fish are neutral or dormant, we present the lure or bait over their sanctuary in deep water. Trolling at the proper depth and speed is the fastest way to find the productive Breaks and Breaklines.

     

Point Bar

1. Point Bar goes all the way from the deep water to the shallow water.
2. Top of the Bar has large shallow water area with good food source
3. Fish have immediate access to deep water
4. Breakline into deep water (Drop Off) occurs at 15-30ft. deep
5. Drop off plunges into submerged channel, which has Breaks
6. Bar is Large with structural "fingers"
7. Drop off faces North (shaded)

1. Fish use Point Bars as a guide to go from deep water to shallow water
2. Point Bars increase the area of shallow water
3. Good Point Bars make the shallow food accessable to deep water

     
     

Channel

1. Inlet has high water flow. (good food source)
2. Food Source adjacent to channel
3. Channel has strong Breakline
4. Feeder creeks enter channel
5. Channel pulls in close to Point Bar, Hump, or Rock Reef
6. There are breaks on the channel breakline

1. The channel is a natural highway for the fish
2. Channel goes all the way from the deep water to the shallows
3. The channel is the deepest water in the area and is often the home fo the fish
4. The inlet is a food source, assuming water flow

Hump

1. The Hump has immediate access to deep water
2. Top of Hump is flat & shallow (food)
3. Hump is adjacent to channel or creek
4. Hump has strong 15-30ft. breakline into deep water
5. Top of the Hump is large & has breaks
6. Point Bars run all the way from the top of the Hump to deep water

1. Humps can provide shallow food source
2. Fish use Humps in defining their migration route
3. Point Bars are often found with the Hump

Man Made

1. Submerged Roadbed (R.R or auto)
2. Roadways crossing the lake
3. Dam
4. Bulldozed areas

1. Goes all the way from deep water to the shallows, which has a food source
2. Strong Breakline on the sides of the submerged roadbed
3. Crosses the main channel
4. Rip Rap covers the Man-Made structure

Rock Reef

1. Solid Rock - Little Rubble
2. Small rock of the same size-cobbler type. No spaces between rock
3. Rock with undercuts & some rubble
4. Rock Rubble - softball to Auto size. Excellent spaces between rocks

1. Rock rubble is found in large spaces between the rocks - Plenty of room for fish & small organisms to hide
2. Rock Reef covers a large area of shallow water (less than 15' deep.)
3. Rock Reef is adjacent to deep water

1. Rock Reefs, if found in shallow water, are potential food sources
2. Fish use Rock Reefs for safety to hide from other predators
3. Rock Reefs can provide a natural migration route from deep water to the shallow food sources

Analysis of a Lake

We will analyze a theoretical lake which is typical of the lakes in California. “Lake Typical” is numbered in various areas, correlating with descriptions below. Each area will be analyzed according to the principals of structure fishing. Conclusions will then be made for the boat and shore fishermen.