Does water temperature matter? 2024
Paul Roberts reply :
Does water temperature matter in bass fishing?
Raul reply :
Of course it matters, it 's one of the most important parameters which determines with what, where, when and how you have to fish.
guest reply :
Ill bet thats a lead in question :-?
Grey Wolf reply :
QuoteIll bet thats a lead in question :-?
We'll see.
cart7t reply :
Cold Blooded:
Their body temperature and more importantly, their metabolism is controlled by water temperature. The warmer the water, the higher their metabolism. Bass are most active between about 60 degrees and 75 degrees. Below about 50 degrees, their metabolism slows down, causing them to eat infrequently. Above about 80 degrees, low dissolved oxygen levels in the water place them under stress. Dead perch may be an indication of low oxygen levels.
What's more important than the current water temperature is what's happening to it (i.e. is it going up or down?). Changes in water temperature affect shallow bass much more than those residing in deep water. Keep in mind that water temperature is but one factor to consider when putting together a fishing strategy.
I merely clicked on the Fishing Articles tab, sub section Begining Anglers and found this.
It's a shame the resources already present on this website aren't utilized by some who come here.
Joel W reply :
QuoteDoes water temperature matter in bass fishing?
How long have you been Bass Fishing? Only the newest of newbies wouldn't know or understand the relationship of water temp to a Bass's behavior patterns. Many times a degree or two difference in water temps will led you to where the active Bass are.
EastTexasBassin reply :
Do Bass live in water?
Paul Roberts reply :
Guess I should elaborate:
I almost never hear water temperature (the numbers) as part of people's fishing reports, planning, or discussion of patterns or results. It's like everyone knows it's important, but it's not mentioned, beyond, "Tough day! I nearly froze my bits off!"
I've actually NEVER yet met a bass angler, on the small waters I fish, with a thermometer (in 40 years)! It's regular gear on trout streams (although few seem to really use them). Maybe it's only the big water guys with an in-dash surface temp gauge using temperature?
So, how does water temperature work in to your plan of action on a given day -specifically? How many actually take temperatures? What does that look like?
5bass reply :
In my opinion and based on my experience on my home lake, water temperature below 45 degrees means one thing....the fish are deep, in a winter pattern and relating solely to shad. Once the temps stay steady for a few days above 45, thats when I will change my fishing a little bit because the bass (& shad) should be moving from winter into spring, from deep to less deep and eventually shallow as the temps keep going up. Once the temps stay steady at 50, I believe locating the warmest water you can find becomes more important.
Again, thats just my take on the situation and based on what I have experienced on my lake (26,000 acre highland reservoir) that is loaded with shad.
Joel W reply :
Paul, While I'm fairly new here, I've been fishing the NYC reservoirs for years. Many of us that fish those waters hang out on NYBASS.com. And as part of our fishing reports we mention water temps from start to finish, air temps. water clarity, and weather conditions. None of us really use a thermometer, rather a portable depthfinder that gives us constant water temps, water depth, as well as structure and cover.
Over the years we've learned where the LM & SM should be based on water temps. and that's where we generally start to look for the Bass. As an example, water temps in the mid 30s will have me fishing deep, while 41+ will find me throwing Jerkbaits in the shallow back waters of the NE coves by mid day the latest.
CJ reply :
fivebass, that's how it works around here too.
guest reply :
By the time I hit the water. it's in the low 50's, the water temp that is. I hate being out in the cold, I don't care how they are bitting
We have a part of my favorite lake , that especially during the spring can get as much as 5 degrees warmer than the rest of the lake, near some sandy beach . Nedlesss to say that the first drop off there is ez pickins in the spring. I also like to fish rocky and hard bottoms in the sping , on Natural lakes here because the warmer areas of the lake always seem to have to more agressive fish.
Catt reply :
Does water temperature matter in bass fishing?
Look at Raul & Cart's answers 
But like five.bass.limit referenced I'm only concerned with water temperature during winter, pre-spawn, and spawn after that I'm on deep water structure were temperature becomes less important than other parameters.
Oh by the way all my reports list water temperature
Paul Roberts reply :
How do you use water temperature specifically? Say it's pre-spawn, on a given day. How do USE water temperature?
Grey Wolf reply :
QuoteCold Blooded:Their body temperature and more importantly, their metabolism is controlled by water temperature. The warmer the water, the higher their metabolism. Bass are most active between about 60 degrees and 75 degrees. Below about 50 degrees, their metabolism slows down, causing them to eat infrequently. Above about 80 degrees, low dissolved oxygen levels in the water place them under stress. Dead perch may be an indication of low oxygen levels.
What's more important than the current water temperature is what's happening to it (i.e. is it going up or down?). Changes in water temperature affect shallow bass much more than those residing in deep water. Keep in mind that water temperature is but one factor to consider when putting together a fishing strategy.
I merely clicked on the Fishing Articles tab, sub section Begining Anglers and found this.
It's a shame the resources already present on this website aren't utilized by some who come here.
Read the above statement and follow the instructions.
Rayraff reply :
This article gives you a idea of how a lake is changing as far as temperatures.
http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/ponds_maintenance_schedule.html
RobbyZ5001 reply :
QuotePosted by: five.bass.limit Posted on: Yesterday at 7:07pmIn my opinion and based on my experience on my home lake, water temperature below 45 degrees means one thing....the fish are deep, in a winter pattern and relating solely to shad. Once the temps stay steady for a few days above 45, thats when I will change my fishing a little bit because the bass (& shad) should be moving from winter into spring, from deep to less deep and eventually shallow as the temps keep going up. Once the temps stay steady at 50, I believe locating the warmest water you can find becomes more important.
Again, thats just my take on the situation and based on what I have experienced on my lake (26,000 acre highland reservoir) that is loaded with shad.
I was down there a couple weeks ago... and ain't that the truth!
fishizzle reply :
In small waters up north, my friends in the club and others don't rely on water temp too much.
More based on weather and seasonal patterns and that old reliable spot.
Lots of folks just try shallow and deep till you find em
most of the time, the bass are both.
I've tried using the water temp and its not reliable---even if I find a spot thats 2 degrees warmer, those fish are not easier to catch.
To see if bass are spawning, we look for beds.
its that easy unless you make it complicated.
Catt reply :
During the pre-spawn I don't look at just the water temperature but rather the entire weather pattern. Most anglers believe you must have bright clear sunny days to warm the water which is true but usually with these conditions comes clear cold night which off set any benefit ganged during the day light. Give me 3 or 4 days of stable weather with temperatures in the mid-50s cloud cover both day and night to hold the temperatures in. During pre-spawn stable weather is far more important than water temperature even if the water temperature is only in the low 50s.
Bass_Akwards reply :
Paul,
I find this question very interesting, especially the way you worded it.
Water temperature actually DOESN'T matter in a way also. Meaning, if you're a great fisherman, no matter what the water temperature, you're going to catch a fish.
In other words, if KVD goes tournament fishing on a lake that has 78 degree water temps, or if he goes on a lake where the water temps are 57 degrees, IT DOESNT MATTER! He's most likely going to catch fish.
If your question was "Does water temperature effect the behavior of fish, thats a very simple question, and I'm surprised an angler with your knowlege actually asked the question in the first place.
I'm not sure if any of the guys who replied to this post have read any of your past posts, but I found them to be very informative and well written. This post has me kinda confused.
P.S. I fish the front range as you do, and carry a thermometer with me at all times. I've really only been seriously bass fishing for about a year now. I came to this forum the day I started, and one of the first things I learned when I came to this site, is how important water temperature is to the behavior of cold blooded bass. Hope to see you out there soon!
Todd
Catt reply :
To me water temperature is much like lure colors, they both matter and yet there are times they don't.
It has often been said that bass are very lethargic during cold water periods and while this is a true statement it doesn't mean bass will not feed or that bass will not chase bait. Have y'all ever caught bass on Rat-L-Traps or Spinner Baits in cold water? I know I have thousands of times even during the dead of winter.
Refer back to what cart7t posted Cold Blooded: Their body temperature and more importantly, their metabolism is controlled by water temperature. The warmer the water; the higher their metabolism. What this means is it takes bass longer to digest what they ate therefore they don't have to feed as often to survive; but bass are predators and as predators if you place prey in front of them they will bite.
Paul Roberts reply :
Sorry to be so cryptic on this one. I guess the question, Does temperature matter was way too simplistic, to the point of being mis-leading (not in any manipulative way).
I was after the behavioral aspects of the bass. Catch-ability adds another bunch of variables which happens to be between you and the fish. As Todd mentions, KVD can catch fish almost anytime, but the point is moot since we are all at our own level. And there are conditions Kevin, and we, would rather be fishing in than others. So, it's the behavioral aspect I'm interested in.
Specifically, I'm looking for something much more intensive -like on a daily or hourly basis, rather than seasonal.
I am wondering if and how other anglers use temperature in their day's fishing. I'm interested in other angler's perspectives and especially, observations.
Has anyone measured temperature changes and related it to bass activity? Seen anything... unanticipated?
Anyone measured temperatures at depth of caught bass? And coupled with this, what was the prey in the particular instance?
Just curious if anyone's out there taking measurements and attempting to use them.
Again, sorry for the cryptic post.
Joel W reply :
I measure temp as a function of my deptfinder. The Transducer is approx. 2 ft down from the water surface. So I'm never really reading the temps that I catch fish at. Rather I use that temp as a gauge to where and what the fish should be doing on the same reservoirs that I've fished for years.
RoLo reply :
Water temperature only matters if you plan on swimming 
llPa1nll reply :
Whats a Bass?
guest reply :
Sometimes when the water is around 50 degress when I jump in I PEE!!!!
WRB reply :
QuoteGuess I should elaborate:I almost never hear water temperature (the numbers) as part of people's fishing reports, planning, or discussion of patterns or results. It's like everyone knows it's important, but it's not mentioned, beyond, "Tough day! I nearly froze my bits off!"
I've actually NEVER yet met a bass angler, on the small waters I fish, with a thermometer (in 40 years)! It's regular gear on trout streams (although few seem to really use them). Maybe it's only the big water guys with an in-dash surface temp gauge using temperature?
So, how does water temperature work in to your plan of action on a given day -specifically? How many actually take temperatures? What does that look like?
I haven't taken the time to read the entire thread, just some of the early stuff.
Back in 70's, when I was doing seminars, water temperature was a big factor in bass fishing for a few anglers in the know. Dark Industries made a good thermometer with 50 foot cord probe on a reel for fisherman to use.
I kept logs for several years on the bass caught year around, measuring water temperature and the basses body temperatues by inserting the probe down the throat. Based on this information I was able to publish a bass calendar* based on water temperature. In-Fisherman used some of this information in their early publications and the terms pre-spawn, post spawn came from that original calendar have become standard jargon in bass fsihing today.
We may debate the seasonal period temperatures by a few degrees, however it's generally accepted that water temperature controls the basses annual life cycle.
Today bass fisherman should always be asking the most important question of all; what is the water temperature at the depth you are catching bass? Most bass fisherman don't know, they have surface temperature gauges only and rely on sonar to determine where the bait, bass and thermocline are located. Good sonar units can easily determine the thermocline depth and that is suffiecent for most bass fishing presentations.
Winter; 40** to 54 degrees. FLMB lower limit is 45 degrees.
Pre-spawn; 55 to 60 degrees
Spawn; 62 to 67 degrees
Post spawn; 67 to 69 degrees
Summer; 70 to 80 degrees
Fall; 70 to 60 degrees
*1974 "The Cosmic Clock and Bass Calendar".
** water colder than 39.4 degrees floats then freezes.
Where seasonal periods have gaps, the bass are in transition. The above is the basic bass calendar and seasonal periods.
WRB
guest reply :
THANK YOU WRB< THATS GOING IN MY NOTEBOOK 8-)
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