How deep is too deep?

[bogwalker]

Northern Minnesota lakes can run pretty deep. If a spring fed lake goes as deep as 50 feet, will any fish inhabit that depth?

[thatoneguy]

yes

[Spearing Machine]

Obviously much of what will utilize the deep water depends on what is in the lake. As the summer temps heat up the water ciscos/whitefish and lake trout will use those deep basins. Also crappies will suspend out over those deep holes at varying depths. Walleyes also could lurk out there deep as well on certain bright sunny days especially if it is a real clear body of water.

[kfk]

It's rare, but I've jigged up walleyes in 100 feet of water in some of the Missouri River reservoirs when I've been targeting big saugers. They can definitely be deeper than 50 feet.

[20lbSloughShark]

I am curious too on how deep fish will go. I always hear about lakes over 1000 feet deep and wonder if fish come anywhere near that depth.

[itchmesir]

I imagine if there are fish in the body of water.. they will be found at any depth the lake has to offer at the right times

[pikerliker]

I believe at least 2 out of the last 4 years the winning big walleye at the Brainerd Ice Fishing contest has come out of 60+ ft of water...

[paceman]

A couple falls ago we limited out on walleyes on Otter Tail lake by jigging the deep drop-offs. The magic depth was 85-90 feet.

[IamZombie]

You can find those really deep lakes up in Cuyuna. Portsmouth mine is around 450ft, and East Rabbit is 330ft or so.

There is a hole on Minnetonka over 100ft.

[bogwalker]

Is there food at these depths?

[SkunkedAgain]

Lakers go deep

[kg2]

There are a lot of variables, but if the lake has a thermocline in summer I wouldn't waste time fishing deeper than the 'cline.

[flyfisher03]

+1 because below the thermo-cline there is very little to no oxygen present. There is also "food" (quite a few invertebrates) available at all depth including below the thermocline.

[waterwolff]

Yes dependent upon the thermocline and water temp.I as a rule never fish in much more than 35 feet of water because it seems much deeper than that you tend to blow the bladders out of the fish. For me it is a bit unethical but to each their own.

[Down Deep]

We regularly fish lakes in Canada for lakers. Most of the time we are over 60 to 90 FOW and generally have our baits about 5 feet off the bottom. Most of the lakes we fish also have healthy populations of walleye and pike that generally inhabit other areas of the lake. However, we catch walleyes and northerns at same depths that the lake trout are in. They are probably seeking the same food source that the lakers are and have no problem going after big ciscos and jig baits.

On the US side of Rainy we fish the major reef complexes usually in August and Sept. If conditions warrant we will fish cranks rigged on drop shots off the sides of the reefs in 50 FOW and do very well.

[john.wells]

when you get right to it, 50 feet is not that much. I was drifting on White Bear Lake a number of years ago, and it was one of those lazy days where the fish weren't biting, it was midday, and the weather was gorgeous. I was going over the deep hole on the Mahtomedi side and something HUGE hit. I never got to see it, but it hit right on the bottom in 80 some feet of water.