Watertemp v thermoclines

[Flatdog]

Just a thought guys ,as you are most likely aware from my questions in the past, I'm new to game fishing, but I'm not new to the ocean or fishing. I have spend as much time above the waves on boats as below them on scuba, just a thought here, you seem to watch the surface temp offshore as an indicator, that bills will play ball, I'm not sure but surface temps could only mean the top 1 fathom, is this still good to you as a skipper? What if the thermo is at 36feet 6 fathoms and has a 10 degree temp drop below this, which is a REAL chance of happening, I understand that bait fish will rise to eat krill and plankton, but normally around the world plankton rises on COLD water, bait fish follow, eg sandeels and other gillaminkys etc, who are eating the plankton and krill, the game fish follow them. So the question that jumps to mind is why do we fish warm water not cold?, for those that do not dive" A thermocline" you can physically see underwater, its visual, think of a hot day on a road trip and as you approach a rise on the road it looks like water all shimmery silver on the road, It's the same underwater, or if you cook, mix lemon juice with water in a glass to see the effect, I have often wondered if game fish sit below this and use it as an advantage to attack bait fish above? surely this must trigger an "attack" If the thermocline is shallow your krill etc is close to surface sitting in the colder water your bait fish will be close to the surface! Then the game fish will attack shallow running lures and visa versa if the thermo is deeper, would it not be prudent if the above is true to find out where the thermo is before deploying any lure and setting running depth? Which brings me to the what seems to be the the age old question why certain boats bring fish up and not others!!!!
Could it be that a three blade prop on a throbbing motored sled pulls more WATER from deeper and breaks this up on the surface clearing a "window" just at the back of the boat depending on speed, allowing game fish to see better? in other words breaking up the shallow thermo in a small pocket, just the thoughts of an old man sitting on a porch watching the rain on the other side of the pond.

[Flatdog]

Am I way off base here?

[Dick_Formula233]

Am I way off base here?

It seems like a legimate question to me, and I also would like to hear more about it.

I would also point out that the thermocline is frequently more than a "shimmer". In 30 years of Gulf diving I've often seen crystal clear water on top and a brrrr freezing cold (to me) thermocline that looks like chocolate milk.

[wbfish]

Thermoclines from one layer to the next can have a temp difference as great as 15 degrees. Just did a project on diving.

[Bert Rodgers]

I don't think you can frame it as Surface temp or thermacline. They are 2 different aspects of fishing temperature change. If you look at an SST chart and/or an anlysis of that chart, you will note currents and the relative movement of that current. This is more key to finding the break that the fish are riding than the temperature itself. Finding the perfect temp within that movement is usually the pelagic stew.

On the other hand, if you are looking to fish structure such shoal or a wreck, fishing the thermocline is often key.

Both are tools in the box for you to use, but one is not more or less important than the other.

Bert

[hrdcor32]

Don't know much about this either, but you can see the thermoclines sometimes on your color scope if you crank the gain up. Good question.

[Flatdog]

Perhaps we are looking for an upwelling of warmer water to fish along the side off so to speak were cold and warm water mix, when you guys go out to that 600 fathom mark were do you catch those fish in the middle of the warm water or on the edge, interesting to find out, inside edge or outside, with the current? Or against, my bet is against like all the big eaters of meat they like to smell it coming!! As for your chocolate thermo, normally inshore close to land, run off river mouth etc, yup can happen, cold water denser so any fine material in the water will suspend and not drop out, have seen this myself, but it is just a layer 6" to 18",but close to the bottom can be feet thick. would love some input by the old dogs or is this the thing that turns you into a good charter skipper and you are all hiding!!!!!!!!!!