Brad,

Speaking of your fishing from the bottom of the lake rather than the top, we
used to go swimming at an old gravel pit that had been made into a public
swimming pool sort of thing.  A little dangerous, now that I think of it
since the thing was likely more than a hundred feet to the bottom.  However,
they had a few fish in the thing, too, and the water was very clear for a
good ten feet deep.  I would swim around and try and sneak up on the fish in
order to catch one by hand.  Sure.  In a pig's eye.  Finally one day I
almost caught one but it was a blue gil and his comb running down his spine
stuck me but good.  I gave up that kind of fishing after that.

Phil.