Still Water Characteristics

Shallows 144

Weed Beds 145

Shoreline Vegetation 145

Drop-offs 145

Channels 146

Shoals 146

Cliffs 147

Outlets 147

Inlets 148

Springs 148

Wind Direction and Drift Lines 149

Ice Cover 149

Plant Cover 150

Reservoirs 150

Natural Lakes 153

Fishing Strategies 155

Beaver Ponds 156

Selecting Alpine Lakes 158

Still Water Exposure 163

Each lake is unique. Most of a lake’s water is barren because its fish seek specific areas to reside. Perhaps only ten percent of a lake has fish, leaving the remainder uninhabited. The following are likely physical structures which attract fish: shallows, weed beds, drop-offs, channels, shoals, cliffs, and inlet/outlet areas. Each will be discussed.