lake clarity

[mainline]

There seem to be several lakes in the interior that have a stained or tea like color. Does the color and clarity affect the size of the fish and their ability to see a size 16 or smaller bloodworm or chironomid for example? The water clarity and PH levels must affect the lake structure. Any input or experiences would be welcome.

[johnk]

There seem to be several lakes in the interior that have a stained or tea like color. Does the color and clarity affect the size of the fish and their ability to see a size 16 or smaller bloodworm or chironomid for example? The water clarity and PH levels must affect the lake structure. Any input or experiences would be welcome.

Water clarity has no bearing on what the size of fish a certain body of water will hold. Percentage of a lakes shoal/littoral zones, substrate, food base, fish per m3 rating and susceptibility to winterkill will all have an effect on fish size and what a certain lake has the ability to produce.

Tunkwa is about as darkly stained as any Interior lake and because of the substrate the bottom foot is virtually unfishable because of heavily silted water. I don't think fish will feed any less in tea-stained water caused by visibility nor do they have trouble finding feed as most of our tea-stained waters in the Interior are more productive and fertile than clear lakes.

As flyfishermen we do have to pay attention to the clarity in the colour of flies we fish. Dark water/dark flies applies.

[btree]

Yep, darker water (both green and tea stained) are higher in nutrients than clear lakes, so will tend to produce big fish faster than clear or blue water lakes.

That isnt to say that clear lakes have small fish, but it's just a different ecosystem and nutrient regime.

With the tea stained lakes, I've found that certain colours produce better than others, especially those toward the bottom of the rainbow (green, blue, purple), and or darker shades of your favourite pattern.

Reds, Oranges and Yellows dont seem to show up as well at depth, but can still be very effective if tied in a darker shade or if fished in shallow water.

That being said, I've had great success with an #10 orange carrie in a couple of my favourite southern interior lakes that are darkly brown stained.

[knotnot]

Hi

Johnk is wise beyond his years.
Here is a link to some basic info from U. of Maine.

http://www.umaine.edu/waterresearch/...uide/color.htm


k

ps. btree too

[b_man360]

There seem to be several lakes in the interior that have a stained or tea like color. Does the color and clarity affect the size of the fish and their ability to see a size 16 or smaller bloodworm or chironomid for example? The water clarity and PH levels must affect the lake structure. Any input or experiences would be welcome.

im guessing that you fish the aberdeen/doreen lake area since your from coldstream and all the lakes up there are tea coloured. i know most people say to use the darker flys, but my goto fly in the lakes in that area (mostly fly fish #2) is a bright red 52 buik, but i do fish it pretty close to the surface.