Remember that water is warmer a the bottom of the lake when there is ice on the surface of the lake or the water temp at the surface are below 4 deg Centegrade. That is because water at 4 deg C is the most dense that water can be. Water at 3 deg C is lighter than water at 4 deg c and floats above the heavier water. But water at 5 deg C is lighter than water at 4 deg C. So it's a fine line. If not for this fact the lakes would start to freeze from the very bottom on the lake and upwards and kill all the fish.
I suspect that this lake Picwick has pretty clear water when you were fishing it since the fish were that deep. But then again Patoka Lake is only 50ft deep in the deeper spots and it's not crystal clear. It's clear but not crystal clear. The last time out my friend was catching the crappie in 30ft of water too. That was the last of Nov or the first of Dec. Isn't Pickwick down around the very southern part of TN and into MS?
Originally Posted by catchum