Littoral Zone #14 - How Lakes Work with Brian Chan and Phil Rowley
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
Release Date: 01/20/2025
920 | Fly Fishing Baja and Chasing Roosterfish with John Hunt from Moccasin Fly Club
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
#920b Show Notes: Presented by: In this episode, I sat down with John Hunt from Moccasin Fly Club to dig into what these trips actually look like. We got into fly fishing Baja liveaboards, chasing trophy roosterfish, and the stuff most people don’t think about until it’s too late. If Baja has been on your radar, this one gives you a clear picture of what to expect and how to do it right. Show Notes:
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920 | Loop Tackle's Wild Fish, Wild Places: Fly Fishing Travel and Conservation with Emilie Björkman and Ted Logart
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
#920 Show Notes: Presented By: , , , Sponsors: What happens when you take fly fishing beyond your home water and start chasing it across the world? In this episode, we sit down with Emilie Björkman and Ted Logart from Loop to talk about Wild Fish, Wild Places, a global series focused on travel, culture, and conservation. They share how the project came together, how they choose destinations, and what they’ve learned filming in places like Montana, Sweden, Iceland, and New Zealand. We also dig into the real challenges behind the scenes, why conservation issues are often global, and how...
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919 | Inside the Minds of World Champion Fly Casters with Whitney Gould, Rick Hartman & Kalyn Hoggard
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
919 Show Notes: Presented by: , , In this episode, we go inside the minds of world champion fly casters Whitney Gould, Rick Hartman, and Kalyn Hoggard to break down what really separates good from elite. We talk about the World Fly Casting Championships, what it takes to carry 80+ feet of line in the air, and the biggest mistakes most anglers make when trying to cast farther. Show Notes:
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In the Bucket #21 | Steelhead Fishing and the Illusion of Control with Adrienne Comeau and Eric Leininger
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
#918 Show Notes: Presented By: , , Sponsors: In today’s episode of In the Bucket podcast, Brian Niska is joined by Adrienne Comeau and Eric Leininger for a candid conversation on what really drives success in steelhead fishing. What starts with fly choice and presentation quickly shifts into a bigger discussion around uncertainty, experience, and how much control anglers actually have on the water. Eric shares a perspective shaped by years of guiding—that in certain conditions, especially when water temperatures are right, many of the details anglers focus on may not be as critical as...
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Steelhead and Chinook Spey Lessons with Floyd Carter: How to Stop Losing Fish
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
917B Show Notes: Presented by: Losing fish after a solid grab happens more than people talk about. You feel the eat, the rod loads up, maybe even a head shake, and then it’s just gone. Floyd Carter is back to break down what he’s been seeing all season, from the Olympic Peninsula to Togiak. They get into what an actual take feels like, when to stay patient, and when it’s time to hit it. They also dig into the loop vs drag debate, how small changes might keep fish pinned, and why even experienced anglers are still figuring this out in real time. If you’ve been losing fish and...
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917 | Big Updates: New Podcast Launch, Summer Bootcamp, and Trips Ahead
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
#917 - In this short solo episode, Dave shares a spring check-in and gives you a look at everything happening behind the scenes at Wet Fly Swing right now. You’ll hear about the launch of a new show, Hunting with a Fly with Rick Kustich, plus updates on the growing podcast network including In the Bucket, The Great Lakes Dude, and The Littoral Zone. Dave also breaks down what’s coming next with the Fly Fishing Bootcamp this summer and how you can get access to live sessions and replays. He also talks about upcoming hosted trips across North America (with some new saltwater...
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Hunting with a Fly #2 | Rick Kustich’s Musky Fly Fishing Playbook
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
Show Notes: Musky fishing has a way of forcing you to evolve. You can put in the hours, make good casts, fish the right water—and still feel like you’re just missing something. In this episode, we break down a true musky fly fishing playbook with Rick Kustich, built from years of refining what actually works. This isn’t theory. It’s a look at the exact adjustments Rick has made since writing his book—and how those changes have led to more consistency and more big fish. If you want to tighten up your approach and fish more efficiently, this one hits the key areas.
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How to Fish Big Bugs with Ken Burkholder (Traveled #43)
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
#916 Show Notes: Presented by: Fishing big bugs isn’t just about throwing something large at the bank and hoping for an explosion. What really matters is precision, realism, and getting that fly exactly where it needs to be. In this episode, I sat down with Ken Burkholder to dig into the details that separate a decent drift from one that actually gets eaten. We get into fly design, fishing tight banks, and why small tweaks can make a big difference when fish are locked in. Ken brings decades of experience from the South Fork of the Snake, plus a deep background in fly design...
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915 | How a Music Producer Built a Fly Fishing Podcast from Scratch with Pablo Signori
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
Show Notes: Presented by: , , A music producer doesn’t usually end up building a fly fishing podcast—but that’s exactly how Pablo Signori got started. What began as a side project during the pandemic turned into The Newb and the Knower, a show built around learning fly fishing from the ground up. Instead of positioning himself as an expert, Pablo leaned into being a beginner and documented the process in real time. That approach not only shaped the podcast but also opened the door to travel, deeper learning, and a completely new path in fly fishing.
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Driftless Fly Fishing Guide: Small Stream Secrets for Big Trout with John Van Vliet
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
Show Notes: Presented by: There’s a stretch of the Midwest that a lot of anglers pass right by without ever realizing what’s tucked into it. Beneath the farmland and rolling roads of the region sits one of the most underrated trout fisheries in the country. In this episode, John Van Vliet breaks down why the Driftless has become such a special place for anglers who love small streams, spring creeks, and big wild trout. We get into the unique geology of the Driftless, why the region fishes so differently from freestone rivers, and how a creek that looks too small to hold fish...
info_outline#708 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/708
Presented By: TroutRoutes, On DeMark Lodge, Stonefly Nets, Grand Teton Fly Fishing
If you want to have more success fly fishing lakes, you need a good understanding of how lakes work—knowing how lakes work helps you get to the right spot at the right time, no matter the season.
You’ve probably heard the saying that 90% of the fish live in 10% of the water, and it’s true for lakes just like rivers and streams!
In this two-part series on how lakes work, Phil Rowley and Brian Chan break down everything you need to know about fishing lakes effectively.
About our Guest
Brian has spent over 30 years as a fisheries biologist for the provincial government, specializing in managing trout lakes in the interior regions of British Columbia. Over the years, he worked on hundreds of lakes, managing them, stocking them, setting regulations, and carrying out habitat protection and enhancement work.
Brian is also an ambassador for several fly fishing and boating companies, including Scientific Anglers, Sage Fly Rods, Islander Reels, Marlin Boats, Semperfli Fly Tying Materials, and Daiichi Hooks.
He is a passionate fly fisher and fly designer, and together with Phil, they’ve put their expertise to good use through their online fly shop.
Check out Brian and Phil's Stillwater Fly Fishing Store.
Episode Chapters with Brian Chan on How Lakes Work
Lakes aren’t all the same, and knowing how they work is key to becoming a better stillwater angler. Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:
Lake Productivity and pH
Three Lake Classifications
Different Zones in a Lake
Lake Productivity and pH
pH is a scale that measures how acidic or alkaline a lake is, with 1 being super acidic and 14 being super alkaline. The pH level affects the water chemistry, impacting how well the lake supports aquatic life, from insects to fish.
What’s the Ideal pH for Trout Lakes?
The best pH for trout lakes is between 8 and 9.2. This is the sweet spot for plant growth and lots of invertebrates, which are food for trout. If the pH exceeds 9.2, the water becomes too salty for trout, and it would not be easy for them to survive.
For example, lakes like Pyramid Lake have a pH above 9, which is perfect for Lahontan cutthroat trout but challenging for rainbow trout. The pH scale is logarithmic, meaning small changes in pH can make a big difference in fish survival.
Brian explains that pH levels in lakes aren’t always the same and can change over time due to several factors:
Spring snowmelt helps keep lakes balanced by flushing in nutrients, but the lake can get too salty without it.
Human activities like logging can change water flow and impact the lake’s chemistry.
Climate change is also a significant factor, as some areas aren’t getting the same snowmelt they used to, causing pH to rise.
Marl and Chara Shoal
How Lakes Work: Three Lake Classifications
Lakes can be divided into three categories: oligotrophic, mesotrophic, and eutrophic. These classifications help us understand which lakes are better for fishing and support healthy fish populations.
Knowing the type of lake helps anglers figure out why one lake might be an excellent spot for big trout, and another might not be as productive.
Oligotrophic Lakes
Oligotrophic lakes are big, deep, and well-oxygenated, with lots of water flowing in and out. The flushing rate in these lakes is high, meaning the water changes quickly, so there isn’t much shallow water for plants to grow.
Because of this, these lakes have limited food sources for trout. Fish here mostly survive by eating other fish, not just insects.
Mesotrophic Lakes
Mesotrophic lakes are a step up from oligotrophic lakes in terms of productivity. They’re still large but a bit shallower, and they often have small rivers or creeks flowing in and out. The lake has a bit more shoal areas or littoral zones, so some plant life grows in those shallow water areas.
Eutrophic Lakes
Eutrophic lakes are the gold standard when it comes to trout fishing. They’re shallow, nutrient-rich, and full of life. These lakes are often less than 50-60 feet deep and have lots of shallow areas for plants to grow.
These lakes' flushing rate is slow, so they stay nutrient-rich for longer. Chironomid fishing is also incredible here due to the muddy bottoms.
Different Zones in a Lake
Lakes have different zones, and understanding them helps anglers know where to fish at various times of the year.
Littoral Zone
The littoral zone, or shoal area, is the shallow water at the lake's edge. This is where sunlight can penetrate to the bottom to create photosynthesis. It’s usually 7 to 8 meters deep.
The littoral zone is where all the vegetation grows and where trout and other fish species feed, particularly in the spring to early summer and again in the fall, right until freeze-up.
This is the zone where we spend the bulk of our fishing time—whether it's 5 feet of water or 22, 23 feet of water—this is the prime area.
Limnetic Zone
The limnetic zone is the open water area in the middle of the lake, just beyond the littoral zone. Here, sunlight still penetrates, but it doesn’t reach the bottom. This means there’s no vegetation growing like in the shallows, but it’s still a prime habitat for zooplankton, which trout love to eat.
Although this zone has less food diversity, the zooplankton and deep-water hatches make it an essential spot for fish. In the warmer months, fish move out of the shallow water and into the limnetic zone, where the oxygen levels are better and the water is cooler. This is when fishing techniques like using blob patterns can be incredibly effective.
Thermocline
The thermocline is a transition layer between the warm upper water and cooler deeper water. It’s usually a narrow band, about a meter in depth, where there's a sudden drop in temperature.
The thermocline keeps the colder water from mixing with the warmer water, which is why the deeper parts of the lake stay cool and oxygenated. Fish often move from the shallow waters to sit just above the thermocline, where they find cooler water and better oxygen levels, especially during hot summer months.
Profundal Zone
Beneath the thermocline in deeper lakes, there’s another zone called the hypolimnion, the cold, deep water layer. It's the bottom part of the lake that remains cool and doesn’t mix with the warmer upper waters
Remember, all lakes are different, but understanding lake structure makes your fishing day more successful and enjoyable!
Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/708