Breaklines

[Buffdaddy54]

I just read an article on fishing breaklines in ponds for more success. Problem is they never explained how and where to find them. How do I find a breakline?

thanx 

[J Francho]

From our Fishing Glossary:

 

Quote

Break - Distinct variation in otherwise constant stretches of cover, structure, or bottom type. Basically anything that "breaks up" the underwater terrain.

Breakline - A line of abrupt change in depth, bottom type, or water clarity in the feature of otherwise uniform structure. A place where there is a sudden or drastic change in the depth of the water, or weed type. This may be the edge of a creek, a submerged cliff, or even a stand of submerged weeds.

 

[Team9nine]

...and this is the point in the road (nomenclature) where all of us structure guys end up taking slightly divergent paths 

[WRB]

You need to apply whatever the author intended a break line to be relative to where he fishes, in this case a pond. Ponds are very small bodies of water and rarely have seqnificant  or abrupt structure breaks associated to reserviors created by dam impounded river valley. 

My guess would be aquatic vegetation break or weed lines and possibly soil changes. Water coloration changes or water temperature changes other than thermal layers are not typical to ponds.

Tom

[Catt]

Breakline: A breakline can have more than one meaning. It can be another word for a drop-off/ledge, or a point of any quick change in depth. It can also be used to describe the edge of a vegetation line. For example, a "weed break" is the area of the weed bed where the weeds meet up with open water; or, where one type of weed meets up with another. The last example happens when bottom composition changes, as different weeds prefer different types of bottom composition. In rocky impoundments, a breakline can also describe a line where rock meets mud, pea gravel, etc. In other words, the most correct definition for a breakline is "Any distinct line that is made by cover or structure which leads to an abrupt change in bottom depth, composition, or cover transition".

 

Ya confused yet?

[J Francho]

2 minutes ago, Catt said:

or, where one type of weed meets up with another

 

This is one of those "ah-ha!" moments I had during a tournament.  Something I forever look for now.

[Scarborough817]

4 minutes ago, J Francho said:

 

This is one of those "ah-ha!" moments I had during a tournament.  Something I forever look for now.

i think i just had this moment. would lily pads, meeting with pencil reed constitute this 

[J Francho]

It's one of those hidden things.  It probably points to a slight bottom composition change.  So subtle, like a small depression in a flat, that's barely detectable with your graph and not on maps.

[Catt]

21 minutes ago, J Francho said:

 

This is one of those "ah-ha!" moments I had during a tournament.  Something I forever look for now.

 

 

[J Francho]

Thanks, lol.

[Team9nine]

50 minutes ago, Catt said:

Breakline: A breakline can have more than one meaning.

 

Ya confused yet?

 

I'm not, but you guys are doing a great job making my point, and confusing everyone else in the process 

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

 

I'm not, but you guys are doing a great job making my point, and confusing everyone else in the process 

 

You can offer your definition

 

There by giving each individual a choice!

[deep]

Uhh, everything from a mudline to a shadow edge to a thermocline to a sand-to-gravel transition is a break (breakline)... whether it's a depth break (breakline) or not. Maybe edge is a more intuitive term.

 

@Catt, what about breaklines that are not on or part of the bottom?

[Team9nine]

1 hour ago, Catt said:

 

You can offer your definition

 

There by giving each individual a choice!

 

Anyone who wants "my" definitions can just read any of Buck Perry's writings. The man coined most of the terms in question that we still use today. I try to adhere to those original terms and definitions as close as I possibly can. Just call me "old school," "outdated," "behind the times," or whatever. Doesn't affect my fishing (or catching) any 

 

I will add @Catt that I think you and I might be the closest in our line of thinking, but we still have a few differences here and there. We're much closer together than we are apart 

[WRB]

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

 

Anyone who wants "my" definitions can just read any of Buck Perry's writings. The man coined most of the terms in question that we still use today. I try to adhere to those original terms and definitions as close as I possibly can. Just call me "old school," "outdated," "behind the times," or whatever. Doesn't affect my fishing (or catching) any 

 

I will add @Catt that I think you and I might be the closest in our line of thinking, but we still have a few differences here and there. We're much closer together than we are apart 

Just put your vast knowledge into answering the OP's 1st sentence related to ponds.

Tom

[Team9nine]

1 minute ago, WRB said:

Just put your vast knowledge into answering the OP's 1st sentence related to ponds.

Tom

 

Since the OP gave no specific reference to the article, I have no context to base an answer upon, and would only be guessing at what the author was alluding to. I don't even know if what he (the author) was referring to, I would even agree to being a "breakline" (hence my point). That might lead to even more confusion for the OP.

 

Plenty of examples in the replies above as to various types of breaklines that might be applicable to the OP's situation regardless of exact definition though. 'Catt' and 'deep' covered  a good many of them.

[Catt]

3 hours ago, Team9nine said:

I will add @Catt that I think you and I might be the closest in our line of thinking, but we still have a few differences here and there. We're much closer together than we are apart 

 

In total & complete agreement

[WRB]

4 hours ago, Team9nine said:

 

Since the OP gave no specific reference to the article, I have no context to base an answer upon, and would only be guessing at what the author was alluding to. I don't even know if what he (the author) was referring to, I would even agree to being a "breakline" (hence my point). That might lead to even more confusion for the OP.

 

Plenty of examples in the replies above as to various types of breaklines that might be applicable to the OP's situation regardless of exact definition though. 'Catt' and 'deep' covered  a good many of them.

You apparently didn't read my repl, no reason for further commit.

Tom

4 hours ago, Team9nine said:

 

Since the OP gave no specific reference to the article, I have no context to base an answer upon, and would only be guessing at what the author was alluding to. I don't even know if what he (the author) was referring to, I would even agree to being a "breakline" (hence my point). That might lead to even more confusion for the OP.

 

Plenty of examples in the replies above as to various types of breaklines that might be applicable to the OP's situation regardless of exact definition though. 'Catt' and 'deep' covered  a good many of them.

You apparently didn't read my reply.

Tom

[Team9nine]

6 hours ago, WRB said:

You apparently didn't read my repl, no reason for further commit.

Tom

You apparently didn't read my reply.

Tom

 

I read your reply, and it was very appropriate to what the OP asked for. Probably about the best answer one could give in this situation. Personally, I prefer not to let the author slide with "whatever [he] intended a break line to be," and since I didn't know what that was, chose not to directly answer the question, instead pointing out the potential differences of opinion/answers based on the term and the definition one gives. You appear to be fine with the vagueness, and that's your choice. Neither of us is wrong here.

[IndianaFinesse]

"Breakline- A line on structure where there is a definite increase in depth, either sudden !or gradual, weadline, brushline, edge of channels or holes, where two bodies of water meet which differ in temperature and/or water color." Breaklines as defined by Buck Perry.

[deep]

Matt and Tim has a new video out. I thought it was fairly basic, but it does answer OP's questions.

 

Look for *Where Do Bass Go In Fall And Summer?*

 

Matt seems to prefer the terms "transition" and/ or "edge", I did hear him say "break" once or twice though. I don't think he ever used "breakline". Anyway, it's the same deal. Watch it @Buffdaddy54

[Buffdaddy54]

Thank you to all. The original article that I read was very vague as to what break line they were talking about. With that said I assumed he was talking about changes in depth and now I go back to my original question; if in fact we are talking about changes in water depth, how do I know where to look? The pond I occasionally fish has no discernible cover what so ever. The bottom near the edges seem to be rocky but out deeper I have pulled in a lot of vegetation. There are no stumps, laydowns that I can see. No overhanging branches for shade. 

The author of the article stated that with these things in mind fish will cruise break lines seeing as there is no other structure. So again if we are talking about water depth changes,  how do I find those break lines. I'm sorry if this is convoluted or confusing but this is all I have? I I tried to post a picture of the pond but file size was not compatible.

thanks again

 

[deep]

7 minutes ago, Buffdaddy54 said:

 

The author of the article stated that with these things in mind fish will cruise break lines seeing as there is no other structure.

 

Breaklines (on the bottom) are edges of structures. Structure = distinct part of the bottom. A piece of structure has to start and end somewhere.

 

 

7 minutes ago, Buffdaddy54 said:

So again if we are talking about water depth changes,  how do I find those break lines

 

Topo maps, depthfinder, dragging a jig.

 

 

7 minutes ago, Buffdaddy54 said:

The bottom near the edges seem to be rocky but out deeper I have pulled in a lot of vegetation.

 

Sounds like a bottom composition breakline to me (at the very least)...

 

 

[Choporoz]

34 minutes ago, IndianaFinesse said:

"Breakline- A line on structure where there is a definite increase in depth, either sudden or gradual, weadline, brushline, edge of channels or holes, where two bodies of water meet which differ in temperature and/or water color." Breaklines as defined by Buck Perry.

Even Mr. Perry leaves it some of it to interpretation; "definite" tried to rein it in...but "either sudden or gradual" sent it back over the edge.

 

@Buffdaddy54, if you aren't worried about disclosing a honey hole, perhaps give us the coordinates from google map....just so we can all talk about the same body of water and try to apply our thoughts to it

[geo g]

I fish many man made lakes from the bank during the week.  These lakes all have steep drop-offs.  For me it is easy to determine where the break line is by looking at the vegetation pattern.  Where the thick vegetation ends is where there is a sudden change in structure depth.  No need for any fancy equipment, just observe!