Coal Strip Mine Pits

[Frankie C]

Greetings. I found your forum researching what impact toxins from coal mining strip pits (SW Indiana) has on the fish and are they safe to eat. I was also very happy to find out how to fish 30'-40' deep lakes, and to hear the ideas about adding brush to lake bottom. My plan was to collect the discarded Christmas trees and sink them.

I did not get involved with this crystal clear lake because I was warned about toxins present in the water with out even discussing eating the fish which collect these toxins. Bottom line I was told to stay clear of coal strip mine waters. Has anyone ever wonder why these waters are clear crystal blue? Appricatie your input. Thanks. 

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, Frankie C said:

I was also very happy to find out how to fish 30'-40' deep lakes, and to hear the ideas about adding brush to lake bottom. My plan was to collect the discarded Christmas trees and sink them.

Just make sure the state allows that...it might be illegal to 'dump' trees into a lake/pond/reservoir/etc.

[Fishes in trees]

These are questions that your state conservation department would answer.  Find out who the guy is who is responsible for reservoir health in the neighborhood you want to fish in.  (I ask this because in Missouri, there are 5 or 6 different districts and different guys in each district are asked with overseeing various different conservation lakes and strip pits in their region.   I know that if you can catch these guys at  their desk, on a day when they aren't out in the field, they will talk your arm off about lake health, and you'll never go to a lake again without noticing different things.   Water clarity, depth and vegetation are just a part of it, there is quite a bit more.

 

Me, I don't fish strip pits that often, primarily because they seldom have decent ramps, but I feel if you've fished one, you've fished most of them.  It makes a difference if they are fed by streams, from ground water percolating from beneath, or just watersheds, filled from collecting rain water.   Really deep strip pits have virtually no life beyond a certain depth, mostly due to dissolved oxygen levels in the water.   Most strip pits have a thermocline and fishing beneath the thermocline seldom is productive.

When strip pits were built, they had to have a way to get the machines in and out.   That is the key - find that ledge that was previously a ramp and that is your path way from shallow water to deep water.

The way it was explained to me in the late 70's - early 80's at the old Bass Fishing Institute seminars was to think of strip pits a miniature canyon reservoirs - actual fish holding structure will be limited - moreso in watersheds that aren't refreshed by a stream in-flow.  There is a whole lot more to figuring out if a strip pit is worth your time fishing, the easiest way is to call the Conservation department and ask.

[WRB]

Adding cover like real Chrismas trees into public water requires a permit and or permission from the land owner or caretaker agency. The trees shouldn't be sunk any deeper then the depth of light or any thermoclines

Water clarity doesn't indicates dissolved hazardous chemical content unfortunitly.

I have fished a lot quarry pit lakes but not coal strip mine lakes. These lakes are usually rectangular in shape with 3 very steep walls and one end more gradule slopping bank area where the entry access road bed is located. Most have a spring water source, some may have stream source.

If the lake has a balanced source of prey for bass to survive they are usually healthy but may not be edible, so C & R is recommended.

Be careful around pit lakes, if you fall in it's can be difficult to get out.

Regarding structure elements the shoreline walls provide good structure and cover, the basin bottom may have rock piles, boulders, sand and gravel areas and old eqiupment, hard to to predict what's on the bottom.

Keep in mind any organic matter will decay and the decaying process uses up dissolved oxygen the fish need to survive. Wood takes longer to decay then leaves or pin needles providing shelter for smaller prey critters for a few years.

Tom