Fishing lakes with aerators

Do aerators affect fish location – will fish congragate near the aerator? How much space should you leave to stay on safe ice around aerators?

Very good questions. Ones which I sometimes ponder as well…

I have had luck fishing by them in the past, usually around fifty yards away or so, right by the thin ice signs. These were stocked lakes with a max depth of 6 feet.

If you can find any bullhead traps, they are even better.

Bullhead traps?

I’ve fished lakes and reservoirs with aerators. Caught fish near the aerator and far away from it, doesn’t seem to matter. I do notice the fish are suspended way off the bottom later in the season on the reservoir. I’m thinking oxygen levels are higher in the upper water column. Any biologists on the site that might explain this?

I have ice rescue trained at Moore lake in Fridley and at Minnetonka. We pretty much went all the way to the open water and stepped onto the “new” ice before it gave way. Respect the thin ice signs and you should good.

john23 wrote:

Bullhead traps?

Commercial fisherman trap them in the winter, they usually have a pole/flag by them.