Bait and temp at depth

[mojo]

Ok, so I finally got the boat at the reservoir and am ready to start some serious fishing. A 14 footer gets pretty heavy when you have to lug it thru the woods by yourself, *puff, puff...wheeeze!*
A few things run through my head...

How slowly should a sawbelly (or shiner for that matter) be lowered into deep water and still expect it to be alive when it gets to 60-90 feet?

Is there available some sort of electronic remote thermometer to more easily find temperature at depth?

Thanks much

[VinnyH]

mojo,
Tom and I sent shiners and sawbellies down to 115 feet and they where alive when we brought them back up. I'm no expert but I think they are pretty tough. They may do worse if you hook them through both lips cutting off some of their capacity to take in oxygen. We hooked them either in the top fin area or the upper lip.
My depthfinder only really gives readings near the surface of the water the way I mount it. I've thought of lowering the transducer down manually in a given spot to read the temps at different depths. Depending on the length of the transducer's cord, that should work.

Best Always,
Vinny

[Tom]

Shiners are very hardy and will last much longer than sawbellies.  Vinny and I had success wuith shiners although other fisherman swear by sawbellies.  I once tried suckers (bought them at Wades) and they are very durable, perhaps more so than even shiners. You should be able to tell where the temperature varies on Kensico by the line of bait fish and lakers stack up at about 60 to 80 feet. The temperatures on the bottom of Kensico, in the summer should be in the 50s. 
Good luck.  Is your boat on Rye Lake? You are lucky if you placed it on Kensico because the reservoir is very popular with limited boat storage areas.  It was closed earlier in the year.
Tom

[mojo]

My boat's on Cross River not too far from the dam. On my chart I see it goes down to 120 feet just a short row from my boat area. I'll probably concentrate on that big hole til the weather cools down.

When I had a boat on Candlewood Lake and Long Island Sound I used a fish finder. I saw lots of targets but I have to admit I can't say I ever caught a fish because I spotted  one on the screen.

I do remember though, as a kid, I would voraciuosly read anything about fishing. They seemed to make a big deal of finding the thermocline.  My inclination is to try to first put the bait where the thermocline meets structure then alter depth til I hook up. I could use the old fashioned thermometer on a string but that seems laborious and possibly inaccurate. I imagine that if I had some sort of remote, realtime sensor I might even be able to find a spring of cooler water. Never know. But til I find or make such a device I'll just have fish kinda blind.

Cross River doesn't have Lakers, but a fat brown or rainbow would be just fine in my frying pan.

Its curious that a shiner or sawbelly could withstand  the rapid increase in pressure going down to great depth, but you guys'  experience is certainly appreciated. Thanks.

Looks like rain this weekend so the maiden voyage may be put on hold *hrumph*     

[Tom]

I also have a boat on Cross River and have caught both Browns and Rainbows there.  You probably don't have to go as deep to get these types of trout on Cross River vs going for Lakers at 60 to 100 feet in Kensico.  OnCross River, you may want to consider trolling with light line, on the surface and then about 20 feet (by using a heavy split shot). I would recommend going at dawn ... it is cooler, allot less windy, and usually no thunderstorms with lightning. You can troll with a rapala jointed shad or a staight shad ... silver or blue/silver colored.  The jointed shad has great action at a slow troll. You can also troll with live bait.  Good luck.
Tom

[KenH]

Way late too respond to this thread but the question was raised as to how
shiners and sawbellies are able to withstand going down 100 ft or more and
be fine coming back up.
That is because the air in the air bladder of the baitfish was created in shallow water where the water pressure is low. So when the baitfish is lowered, the air
compresses and simply returns to normal when brought back up.
Fish that live down there are a different story because the air in their bladders
were created and exist daily under high pressure. So when they are brought up where the pressure is less, their bladders expand. In mild cases this causes a
fish not "not fight very hard". In the worst cases the eyeballs pop out and part of theh air bladder will be sticking out of it's throat.
Anyone who has gone winter fishing for ling (squirrel hake) can attest to this.
Ken H (former scuba diver)
 

[mojo]

 In the worst cases the eyeballs pop out and part of theh air bladder will be sticking out of it's throat.
Anyone who has gone winter fishing for ling (squirrel hake) can attest to this.
Ken H (former scuba diver)
 
Yeah, I've seen that...looked like bubblegum.  Thanks for the insight.