depleted oxygen strategy?

[popriveter]

With the current winter threatening some lakes, there are liberalized fishing options available. Seems like fish in oxygen-depleted lakes will be extra-tough to catch. Are there any techniques/tricks for catching fish under these conditions? I can't find any articles that say much more than basically, "Use finesse, be patient, catch fewer fish, etc."

Is this a dead end, or is there a way to target these fish?

[My_Key]

Fish just below the ice. The oxygen content is higher than near the bottom.

[popriveter]

Thanks! I had not heard that yet. Thinking along those lines, any drainage where surface/runoff water come in could be a spot to target.

[My_Key]

If there are sources like that, it would be good areas to check, but be wary of the ice conditions there. Especially after the recent thaw. On a couple lakes I fish, a couple weeks ago during the thaw, the lake opened up around inlets with all the fresh warm water running in.

[candiru]

Get out there right away.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Out here in the prairie we deal with this all the time. Most of our lakes are 6-10 feet deep. Heavy snow, over the winter, keeping the sunlight down knocks the O2 down pretty badly.

Couple things you can do. As stated, fish farther up the water column. Water with higher levels of O2 will be closer to the ice where water with less O2 will be near the bottom.

Look for moving water. If there is a creek, river, drainage ditch that feeds the lake it will also feed O2. In an O2 depleted lake the fish will migrate to these areas.

If there is a spot on the lake with less snow cover, fish it.

[Archerysniper]

Cut a spear hole and net or spear them when they come up in the hole for oxygen.

[SFC]

+1 with that + check the dates the DNR has posted for the close of liberalized fishing on any given lake.