TOPIC:

Been along time since we had a good summer with the right winds to bring in that cold water we love so much. It wasn't that many years ago that we were sunk by all the northeast winds that flood us with warm water. 

Recently I read an article that was talking about how all that southwest winds had crippled Pentwater and the Frankfort area. Thermocline was pushed deeper then 100ft down. Pentwater fishing very very slow, Frankfort just slightly better then Pentwater.
Normally those ports have good fishing this time of year. Bait was pushed out and their silver fish pushed out also. Were did the fish go?

That was just last summer! We didn’t catch or even have a hit after June. The fall was a bust too! Water temps 72-73 top to bottom from July into September.

I usually fish St. Joe in the summer since that’s my home port, but I fish Portage in the spring. In the summer, however, west and south winds generally bring warm surface water toward St. Joe. North and especially east winds push the warm surface water out and there will be an upwelling of cold water nearshore at St. Joe. 

What wind patterns make the lake flip on the south end? It sounds like it’s the opposite of what it is at St. Joe as long as there is cold water underneath the warm surface water.

For the southend, we need south to southwest winds. Those winds need some force behind them like we recently had. We will be warm on top but cold will pull along the bottom bringing that cold water in close.

Talked with Bodine hatchery this morning. They do all the skamania steelhead collecting. Even though there has been plenty of cold water out in the lake trail creek got really warm, 78 degrees. Possibly to warm right now for the steelies to move up into trail. collection has been slow.

Cold water down about 32 feet right now. Going tomorrow fishing 45-70 fow.dont seen a need to go any deeper. Will report.

Yesterday July 2 off #4 At portage had 75 surface and 55 down 40ft

Thanks for the explanations. I’ve always wondered how wind patterns affect water temps at the very southern end of the lake.

Happy 4th of July to everybody.