Lake Aerators good for fish?

[Phunnyfarm]

Has anyone read/experienced/heard anything about lake aerators (the kind that bubble up and keep the water open to prevent shore erosion) being good for fishing?

Seems to me, the aerator would keep the water nice and oxygenated and would be attractive for the bait fish...which would be attractive to the predators.

Thoughts?

[Eric Wettschreck]

Down here most of the lakes are airated. They are shallow (5-9 feet) potholes. If they were not airated they would freeze out. So yes, airaters here are great for fishing.

[Ray Esboldt]

I am kind of against aerators. First, they keep the roughfish alive. That's not necessarily a good thing for a lake, especially if the lake might be used by waterfowl minus the rough fish. Two, I think they drive down the overall size of the fish. Of course, there would no fish if the lake froze out every year. But, lakes that don't get hit every year seem to produce some nice size a fish in a short amount of time.

But, as Bolier said, there might not be many fishing options in SW MN without them. So, they have their place on some lakes.

[sparcebag]

Where I live aerators arn't used for shore management!They used as a means to prevent freeze out (winter kill)I do agree they also keep the rough fish where they should'nt be!

[Phunnyfarm]

Thanks guys!

I was picturing a northern lake though with an aerator. I am thinking of a lake in particular that has an aerator that is set up a few yards from a shore line to keep the water open in order to prevent damage in the spring.

Would that sort of set up be a "fish magnet" because of the oxygen? Or is that just my active imagination?!

[EBass]

Some marina's use aerators around permanent docks to stop the ice from making a mess of said docks. Wayzata bay beach comes to mind with the thin ice signs.

But the primary use is to keep the oxygen level higher. Glen Lake and Moore Lake come to mind. They are popular down south with the high consistent summer temps they have.

[lookincalifornia]

i used to fish a lake in iowa with four aerators. i read that you want to get as close to the open water as the ice would allow, and fish. i tried it and there was always fish there. you would be surprised how close to open water you can get. give it a shot, but of course BE SAFE!

[Phunnyfarm]

That is what I was hoping to hear! What kind of fish were you targeting/seeing by the aerators?

Anyone else seen any luck by one of these?!