Lake Dominikowo – Clear Water and Massive Fish Schools

Lake Dominikowo – Clear Water and Massive Fish Schools

Lake Dominikowo is a peaceful body of water that particularly well demonstrates how interesting diving focused on nature observation can be. Crystal clear water, rich vegetation and a huge number of fish mean that during a dive something is practically happening under the surface all the time.

ENORMOUS QUANTITIES OF PIKE

One of the biggest attractions of Dominikowo is the enormous quantities of pike found here in almost every size. You can encounter both small specimens and really large fish.

Many of them hide among underwater bushes and vegetation, where they can almost completely disappear from view. Others move around the lake in groups, sometimes looking almost like schools. It's a truly unusual sight, because pike are usually associated with solitary predators.

A large, irritated pike. Pike often open their mouths and gnash their teeth when they are displeased.

TENCH, ROACH AND PERCH

Pike are not the only fish you can encounter here. The lake is also home to plenty of tench, roach and perch.

Rich vegetation provides fish with excellent shelter, so during calm diving you can observe many species practically without needing to travel large distances.

TAME PERCH AT THE BEACH

The most unusual encounter with fish awaits at the main pier on the beach. A group of exceptionally friendly perch live there, which are accustomed to the presence of humans.

The fish swim very close to divers and can be calmly observed from a small distance. They are so tame that you can even feed them by hand.

It's a truly unique experience and a great opportunity for underwater photography. Perch can swim almost right up to the lens, making it possible to photograph them from very close up.

Perch are very curious fish. They can swim next to a diver and watch them for a very long time.

UNDERWATER VEGETATION

Vegetation is one of the important elements of Dominikowo's underwater landscape. It is among it that pike hide, and between the plants you can also observe tench, roach and perch.

It's worth slowing down during a dive and carefully looking between the underwater bushes. Sometimes only after a moment can you notice a pike that blends perfectly with its surroundings.

LAKE UNDER CONSTANT CARE

Lake Dominikowo is one of the bodies of water that remains under my constant care. I dive here regularly, observe changes happening underwater and take the opportunity to clean the bottom.

So far I have conducted two cleanup operationshere. During dives I have also encountered many modern treasures – items lost or left behind by people. Dominikowo can surprise you not only with the enormous number of fish, but also with what you can find on the bottom.

Thanks to regular dives I know this body of water well and I know that each time it can show something new. Sometimes it will be a huge pike hidden in underwater bushes, another time a school of perch or an object that has been lying on the bottom for a long time.

Garbage recovered from Lake Dominikowo. I cleaned this place twice.

GARBAGE AND CRUMBLING PIERS

Unfortunately there is also a huge amount of garbage underwater. I have cleaned the lake twice already, pulling from the bottom hundreds of bottles, cans, jars and other waste.

The problem, however, is much larger than just litter by the main beach. Around the lake there are very many old, dilapidated and illegal pontoons. In their vicinity, trash accumulates heavily – waste gets directly into the water, and as time passes, deteriorating structures also become part of the underwater problem.

These are precisely the places that require special attention. Cleaning the bottom alone won't solve the problem if new waste continues to end up in the water near successive illegal pontoons.

A PARADISE FOR THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER

Dominikowo offers excellent opportunities for observing and photographing fish. The enormous number of pike, tench, roach and perch mean that practically every dive can look different here.

The greatest attraction of this place is the possibility of very close contact with fish. Tame perch don't flee from divers and readily swim up to people, creating excellent conditions for observing and photographing them from really small distances.

When a perch feels threatened, it raises the spines on its back.

PEACEFUL EXPLORATION

Dominikowo is not a body of water whose greatest attraction is wrecks or submerged structures. Its strength is life underwater.

Clear water, rich vegetation, enormous quantities of pike and numerous tench, roach and perch make this a very interesting place for anyone who during diving wants above all to observe nature.

And if you happen upon a group of tame perch by the beach, you can count on a truly exceptional encounter.

Lake Dominikowo remains under my constant care and I will return here more than once – both to discover its further secrets and to look after what lies beneath the surface.