Oxygen levels important?

[chuck]

I'm kind of new to ice fishing for Pike.  On a few other posts oxygen levels were mentioned.  Is this important for pike fishing? 

[Water Wolf]

Oxygen levels are important to pike. It along with other factors can determin where the fish may be. They will always be in areas of high oxygen concentrations, be it green healthy weeds, mouths of rivers or stream or springs. Be cautious though all these areas will have very thin ice so make sure to set up a ways from them always check the ice. If a lake has an overall low oxygen level the fish will only worry about finding enough oxygen to breath and will stop feeding, thus they will stop biting.

WW

[Bob_D]

Oxygen levels are only important if they dip below a certain level. Optimum level is about 22% if I remember right. Lower then that can cause pike to slow/stop feeding.

As far as there being more oxygen just below the ice due to temp. Remember that there is only a few degrees difference (Max of 7 deg F) in the water temps from the water near the ice to the bottom of the lake. So the difference in desolved oxygen is not much. Areas of a lake with springs , streams, rivers, etc would have would have more oxygen in the water.

[chuck]

Wow,
I'm a science teacher in NW WI.  I am very impressed with your thoughts on this topic

[Skipper]

Dead weed beds from last summer are usualy poor places to fish. The decomposition of the vegitation uses up all of the O2. Green beds of veg will make O2 and are good places to fish. An aqua-vu will help with this. brown and down, green and lush,