How do you determine water clarity?

[MGL]

This feels like a stupid question...just look at the water, right? Honestly, I don't see much, if any, difference between any of the Connecticut lakes I fish. So either they are all generally the same clarity (which leaves me no good reference to judge clear vs. stained), or I'm not looking at the water correctly. How are you judging water clarity?

[MN Fisher]

I drop something bright over the side and measure how far down it gets before it's 'hidden'.

 

One of these days, I may make myself a Secchi Disk - that's what we used in my limnology class lo those many years ago.

[EWREX]

most all lakes here in CT have pretty good visibility. fish with your natural green pumpkins and watermelons, and black and blue for low light days or if the water has a little bit of stain to it due to rain

[MGL]

8 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I drop something bright over the side and measure how far down it gets before it's 'hidden'.

 

One of these days, I may make myself a Secchi Disk - that's what we used in my limnology class lo those many years ago.

I've never heard of a Secchi Disk, but it seems simple enough to take a measurement at each lake and compare between lakes and between trips. I can't imagine our lakes are very clear, but again, I don't have a strong reference point. At the end of last season I starting wondering if I've been choosing colors and tactics incorrectly because of this.

[TnRiver46]

It’s pretty much either brown or green for me, It changes by the day and I can check it by driving over a bridge when I leave the house every morning

[MGL]

7 minutes ago, EWREX said:

most all lakes here in CT have pretty good visibility. fish with your natural green pumpkins and watermelons, and black and blue for low light days or if the water has a little bit of stain to it due to rain

Can you give an example of a CT lake you would consider stained versus a lake you consider clear?

[cyclops2]

I look at it.

[EWREX]

6 minutes ago, MGL said:

Can you give an example of a CT lake you would consider stained versus a lake you consider clear?

lake zoar and lillinonah get more stained due to them both being river systems especially if it rains or if their is a storm. east twin, bantam, highland, candlewood, mashapaug are typically much clearer. what lakes do you fish?

[GreenPig]

I'll lower at light colored bait down into the water until I can't see it and compare it to my rods length for an idea of the clarity. Some of our lakes water clarity won't make it to the first eye and one is well past an 8' rod at times.

[MGL]

9 minutes ago, EWREX said:

lake zoar and lillinonah get more stained due to them both being river systems especially if it rains or if their is a storm. east twin, bantam, highland, candlewood, mashapaug are typically much clearer. what lakes do you fish?

I've been to each of those except mashapaug. I'm in Central CT, so for those shorter and more frequent trips I usually end up at Silver Lake, Beseck, Batterson, Crecent, or in that general area unless I have the time to head out to the ones you mentioned.

[gim]

The MN DNR conducts lake surveys here and posts that information online, along with the most recent fish surveys.  They use a Secchi Disk to measure it.

 

Water clarity can be a moving target based on local conditions though.  The presence of invasive species like zebra mussels can greatly affect water clarity.  Rivers can especially change rapidly.

[Bankc]

I just dip something highly visible, like a white jig or something, and see how far it goes down before it disappears.  I'm not generally looking for an exact number, just a relative frame of reference.  Small differences don't effect the way I fish.  A Secchi disk is more useful if you maintain rigorous records, which I do not.  

 

It's very possible that all of the lakes you visit have a very similar level of water clarity.  They may be around the same depth, exposed to the same weather, and have a similar bottom composition.  So it wouldn't be strange at all for you to see very little variation.  

[casts_by_fly]

I will normally have something white tied on for most of my trips.  I'll drop it over until I can't see it.  Reel up until I do.  Check depth and repeat once.  I'm looking for a general idea of how clear it is and also the water color.  A lot of natural lakes here in north jersey are clear, but colored.  There is a lot of dark water here that you think isn't clear, but then you can see a bait down 5'.  Few of the lakes I fish have a significant stream coming in, so they stay pretty clear.

[MickD]

1 hour ago, MGL said:

I've never heard of a Secchi Disk,

https://www.nalms.org/secchidipin/monitoring-methods/the-secchi-disk/what-is-a-secchi-disk/

I just go fishing, try different lures and colors, and if I don't catch any I say "Water wasn't clear enough today."  

 

?  

 

Seriously, like everyone says, just drop something over and watch it go down.  I've had some pretty good days when I thought the water wasn't clear enough.  (smallies)   If it gets too clear it can be tough.

[WRB]

Just look in the water with over head sunlight until you can see the bottom.

can't see the bottom in 1’ it’s dirty or muddy.

3’ it’s off color it’s greenish or brownish

5’ it’s it good or normal, you can see underwater aquatic plants.

10+’ it’s clear.

Bass can prey where they live.

Tom

 

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

If I can see easily see the head of my trolling motor in the water, it's clear. If I can see it but it's hard to make out, it's stained. If I can't see it at all, it's muddy. 

[cyclops2]

The St. Lawrence is so clear it is just like a solid piece of glass to 60 feet down.  I can troll with 200' of line & a Rapala floater & bring up  fish.  

 

The river is invasive central of the lakes.

[Bankbeater]

When the water gets clear around here it's usually because of the coontail growing in it.  The more coontail the more water clarity there is.  You still can't see anything because of the coontail, but the water is clear.

[NoShoes]

I generally put my rod tip in the water and free spool my lure until I can’t see it. Pull it up and that’s my visibility. 
 

I fish a lot of back water and black water. A foot is a good day. 

[MassYak85]

I've actually never really measured it even though i keep a log. I take a ment note of how it is conpared to normal at a specific lake. Maybe ill start to accurately log it though.

[Dwight Hottle]

I look to see how deep I can go and still see bottom. I just use the depth finder reading to determine how deep that is. 

[Bird]

With polarized sunglasses on, I usually see fish hit my bait.

We have clear water.

[Troy85]

In SE Louisiana, If I can clearly see the head of my trolling motor the water the clear. If I can just make out the the outline of the trolling motor head its stained.  Anything less than that I consider dirty.

[Boomstick]

If I can't see the bottom at 1', that water is absolutely filthy dirty.

 

If I can see the bottom or anything at the bottom at 10+'  then the water is clear, especially if I can see it.

[Johnbt]

The places we fish are stained and sometimes muddy. Last Friday the water was so clear in the lake near my buddy's house that we could see a chartreuse spinnerbait stuck on a log one foot down. Never seen it that clear.     Clear water makes it a lot easier to fish the numerous laydowns.