08-15-2007, 02:09 PM
[cool][#0000ff]It CAN be very good. Or, it can also be neutral. Much depends upon water depth, ambient lake water temperatures and whatever the current outflow might be from the spring. See the attached pics for an example of what the spring looks like in low water and high water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In previous low water years, the water inside the enclosed spring basin would be warmed by the warmer spring outflow. That would attract all species in the lake, to the water that was several degrees warmer than the chilled lake waters. The deep hole around the spring would often be filled with white bass, walleyes, catfish and largemouths. And, it would usually be ringed with happy harvesters...filling the beds of pickup trucks with white bass...and dragging off over limits of oversize (slot) walleyes...several times each day.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When the water level came back up, when the drought ended at the end of 2004, the rocks at the end of that arm in the first picture were covered by several feet of water. And, the water over the spring was also several feet deeper. The small amount of slightly warmer water coming out of the springs now does not have much of an affect on water temps in the immediate area. I have tubed right over the spring, in the winter, and sent down a thermometer for readings. There is no noticeable difference, even in the coldest weather. So, the spring does not have the fish magnetism it has in lower water conditions.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]However...that whole point at the north end of Lincoln Beach is one of the few spots on the lake that has rocky structure. That provides a lot of attraction for multiple species year round. These days there are "hot spots" during prime periods of spring and summer where walleyes seem to congregate, and are more easily found and caught. Those are the places you will see large groups of wading anglers and small boaters anchored up, casting into the same places all day long. And, when the fish are in, most folks catch a few. I prefer to search out my own little spots and enjoy catching fish in more solitude. Call me antisocial.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In previous low water years, the water inside the enclosed spring basin would be warmed by the warmer spring outflow. That would attract all species in the lake, to the water that was several degrees warmer than the chilled lake waters. The deep hole around the spring would often be filled with white bass, walleyes, catfish and largemouths. And, it would usually be ringed with happy harvesters...filling the beds of pickup trucks with white bass...and dragging off over limits of oversize (slot) walleyes...several times each day.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When the water level came back up, when the drought ended at the end of 2004, the rocks at the end of that arm in the first picture were covered by several feet of water. And, the water over the spring was also several feet deeper. The small amount of slightly warmer water coming out of the springs now does not have much of an affect on water temps in the immediate area. I have tubed right over the spring, in the winter, and sent down a thermometer for readings. There is no noticeable difference, even in the coldest weather. So, the spring does not have the fish magnetism it has in lower water conditions.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]However...that whole point at the north end of Lincoln Beach is one of the few spots on the lake that has rocky structure. That provides a lot of attraction for multiple species year round. These days there are "hot spots" during prime periods of spring and summer where walleyes seem to congregate, and are more easily found and caught. Those are the places you will see large groups of wading anglers and small boaters anchored up, casting into the same places all day long. And, when the fish are in, most folks catch a few. I prefer to search out my own little spots and enjoy catching fish in more solitude. Call me antisocial.[/#0000ff]
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