Thermocline thermometer

[Gone]

Does anyone use a depth thermometer anymore? I know that most graphs have a surface thermometer built in but it's not the same thing. In the 70's Heathkit had a depth thermometer but I only see one or two being offered out there today. Are they meaningful anymore??

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Thermocline thermometer

Most times if you have a sensitive enough depthfinder, you can "see" the thermocline in lakes. I don't know of anyone who uses the thermometer method anymore, due to the advent of the fishfinder...

 

[ztim]

Re: Thermocline thermometer

How can you read temperature off of a fish finder? I didn't see that in the directions.

 

[koolerb]

Re: Thermocline thermometer

I just bought one, I think my depth finder only reads surface.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Thermocline thermometer

Right, fishfinders can give you surface temp if they have that functionality built in, provided your transducer is in the water (not shoot-thru-hull) or you have a separate temp sensor plugged in.<br /><br />Plankton accumulates at the thermocline, and other microscopic particles suspended in the water will tend to be more concentrated there, something to do with the relationship of bouyancy to water temperature and density. When there is a thermocline and the temp difference is great enough and your sensitivity is set high enough, the thermocline shows up on the screen. But obviously it can't tell you the temp at that depth.

 

[ztim]

Re: Thermocline thermometer

Ok jTexas. Sort of like an underwater weedbed. You can see the debth of the weedbed, yet still see the bottom and how deep it is. Is that about right?

 

[imported_bjs]

Re: Thermocline thermometer

cabelas sales a kline finder try that.

 

[jasoncan]

Re: Thermocline thermometer

What about using a thermocline attached to your downrigger ball? It makes sense to me that it would give you a pretty accurate temperature reading for every depth. So, if you cant see the thermocline on your fish finder,using this method should give you a better idea of where it is.

 

[heycods]

Re: Thermocline thermometer

Go to eagle lowrance site, they have a simulator for diff modles of fish finders I think it will explain the thermocline to you.

 

[2bhuntn]

Re: Thermocline thermometer

I got me a book several years ago on catfish. Read about the thermocline. With 22 years of electronic experience, decided to take a regular indoor/outdoor thermometer cut the wires of the outdoor sensor, each wire at a different spot. Make sure keep polarity the same. Added about 50 feet of speaker wire by using shrinkwrap & soldering the wires. Used a tape measure with a permanent marker, marked off every foot. Used 2 marks at 20 ft., 3 at 30 ft., etc. put large weight close to sensor. My wife & I had found an underwater island. Adjusted my anchor to thermocline level, about 10 ft., boated over till hit the island with anchor. We anchored there & started fishing, immediately she caught about a 1 pound bass. Hey, it works.

 

[Ripfence]

Re: Thermocline thermometer

If the water temperature is different enough my fish finder will show the depth of the thermocline but not the temperature.

On a related note, I've read that catfish are able to reside in the lower oxygen area of the cool portion of the thermocline but are bass able to do that?

 

[Bob1958]

Re: Thermocline thermometer

I still have my old one, but with the fishfinder I'll see where the fish are, and they're usually at the thermocline area, so there's really no need to use it.

 

[rolmops]

Re: Thermocline thermometer

Times have changed.Nowadays I use a wireless probe at the downrigger ball which reads speed and temperature at the ball.This is sent up to a transducer which is connected to a screen on my dash.The one I have is called a "fish Hawk".
If you want to know more about it go to:
www.fishhawkelectronics.com

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Thermocline thermometer

I am going to try the indoor/outdoor modification trick mentioned. Although finding the thrermocline is what started this thread, I think that actually knowing the temp at different depths with- or without- the stratification of a thermocline would be useful. I can get the surface temp on Lake Seymour (64 degrees the other day), but what I needed to know right then was what depth would I find 56 degree water.

rolmops- I would love that Fishhawk but at $600 I gotta pass right now. But thanks for the link- it inspired me to go buy a thermometer and modify it.