I Thought 50 Degrees Was The Magic Number 2024

Lord Castlereagh reply :

So, I'm a new fisherman (since July) and I've been looking forward to the great Spring fishing for months. I've always been told that 50 degrees was the magic number when the fish go nuts and start biting like mad.

Well, my pond hit 50 degrees last week, and I've hit it twice since then with no discernible difference between 50 degree water and mid-January water. Two guys at the pond told me that the REAL magic number is 55 degrees.

What say y'all.

Thanks

DINK WHISPERER reply :

???? There is no such thing as a "magic number"! So many more things factor into the equation then just water temp.

A-Jay reply :

Water temp is only part of the deal ~

"Probably the biggest mistake anglers make is they get hung up on water temperature. Sure, warming water is important in the early spring, but it’s also highly overrated. I’ve seen big groups of bass move into the shallows when the water temperature was in the low 50s.

Influences that trump the spring transition and are more important are length of daylight and moon phase.

The longer the days the more anxious the fish are to transition toward spawning areas. Now, if we have an extended winter followed by a major warm up that coincides with the right time of year and a full moon, magic can happen."

KVD offers the rest of his thoughts on the subject here . . .

https://www.bassmaster.com/kevin-vandam/don-t-jump-gun-spawning-season

A-Jay

roadwarrior reply :

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/prespawn_fishing.html

iabass8 reply :

Water temperature is relative to where you live. 45 degrees seems to be the number were bass start get active and move around here. Our water temps get below 30 and freeze so a 15-20 degree swing is quite the "warming" trend while some waters might not dip below 45 all year and a 5 degree difference won't make the same impact on the fish as it does in my area.

Catt reply :

Everytime we think we understand bass they prove to us we don't!

Pre-spawn was in full swing on Toledo Bend when it was hit with a deluge raising the lake level 2' in about 30 hrs. Raising water dropped temperatures & muddy the lake. Everything pointed to a slow down in bass activity but the opposite happened, the bite got better. To make us scratch our heads even more the muddy cold off colored water was the better bite!

Paul Roberts reply :

"Magic" is in one's own head. OR... magic is as magic does lol. Stop looking for magic; It'll hurt you!

When I get a moment I'll pipe in with my 2cents. In the meantime, be thinking about the myriad factors that can affect a living critter, like a bass, and all the critters involved in the chain that leads to bass. And then think about just how good fishing is as a consistent sampling method.

NorthwestBasser reply :

52.4°F to be exact... Google it, haha

Team9nine reply :

The magic number for me is 33 degrees, because when the water reaches that point, my casts are no longer landing on the ice

geo g reply :

There are so many factors that go into the equation. Fill out your profile so we know what state, type of fish, and other things that start to narrow the variables. Can;t tell much from the information you gave us. In Florida 50 degree water will often give our fish lock jaw. Florida bass are very sensitive to cold water.

MassYak85 reply :

Here in Mass I've always felt that if we get a nice sunny day and the water is above 45 you will usually see active fish in the spring. But it usually takes breaking 50 to get fish close to spawning grounds, and I usually don't see fish on beds until 55. But these aren't hard numbers, weather plays a huge role and can put them on beds early or knock them right off no matter what temperature the water is. It was either last year or the year before but we had some crazy spring weather and I honestly couldn't tell you when the spawn started or ended, there were crazy weather fluctuations that I think shut it down and started it back up again like 3 or 4 times.

J.Vincent reply :

In most bodies of water, 50 degrees should be warm enough to move some of the fish with higher metabolism into the shallows....but the general rule of thumb is 50-60 degrees with the spawn occurring after that. However, there are plenty of other variables which factor into this equation

BassWhole! reply :

50º IS the magic number, but you have to sprinkle it with pixy dust and crushed unicorn horn powder while chanting "celcius shucks!" to activate it.

BigAngus752 reply :

On 4/8/2018 at 12:28 AM, Team9nine said:

The magic number for me is 33 degrees, because when the water reaches that point, my casts are no longer landing on the ice

You couldn't have told me this in December?

Gundog reply :

My "magic" number has always been 60 for largemouths and 50 for smallmouths.

Lord Castlereagh reply :

On 4/8/2018 at 2:00 AM, Gundog said:

My "magic" number has always been 60 for largemouths and 50 for smallmouths.

Hmmm. Sounds like maybe I should hit the Potomac for some smallmouths.

Thanks for the tip, and to everybody else, thanks much for the replies.

Bankbeater reply :

As long as the water isn't frozen I don't worry about the water temp. I worry about the air temp and how many layers I am going to be wearing.

Bluebasser86 reply :

Couple of my best days so far this year were on days the water temp was barely breaking 40. I haven't seen 50 degree water anywhere but the powerplant lakes, and the warmest of those shut down last week so it's below 50 now too.

I'm going to go way out on a limb here and guess that there's fish to be caught where you're at, but you haven't figured out how to catch them yet.

scaleface reply :

On 4/7/2018 at 10:52 PM, Lord Castlereagh said:

when the fish go nuts and start biting like mad.

Although this is a real occurrence , most of the time the fish just are not biting like mad and there are long lull's . You have to enjoy fishing and not catching or will quickly get bored to death with it . But if you stick with it and use not catching as a learning experience you will have plenty of days where the bass bite like mad . But this is the bass's decision not the anglers .

senile1 reply :

Regardless, of the "magical" water temperature, at 50 degrees I would expect a bite now and then. Considering that you are fishing a pond, unless it is extremely large, you should be able to fish the whole thing in a day. And you would be fishing the location of the bass at some point during the day if you fish the entire pond. If your presentation is correct for the conditions you should eventually get some bites when the bass become active. It has to be one of three things: Your presentation is off, you are fishing when the bass are inactive, or you aren't fishing the whole thing and finding the fish.

For me, the chances of having a magical day in the spring are better if I find where the fish are in winter. Then as the temperature warms, I can determine their paths to the spawning and feeding areas and I am more likely to to find their location. This is especially true for larger lakes.

Paul Roberts reply :

Ok... Let's just say, sometimes they bite and sometimes they don't. And leave it at that.

Edited April 9, 2018 by Paul Roberts
Not what the OPer wanted.

Lord Castlereagh reply :

Thanks, Hawg: I'm a professional writer, so let me congratulate you on VERY well laid out thoughts.

Senile1: maybe I made it sound worse than it is: I WAS getting fish, but really no more fish than I was getting in January.

Thanks, all...

senile1 reply :

On 4/9/2018 at 2:12 AM, Lord Castlereagh said:

Senile1: maybe I made it sound worse than it is: I WAS getting fish, but really no more fish than I was getting in January.

Nah. I just read too much into it.

WRB reply :

Are your trout or bass fishing?

Tom

Lord Castlereagh reply :

Hi, WRB: largemouth bass

WRB reply :

On 4/9/2018 at 4:09 AM, Lord Castlereagh said:

Hi, WRB: largemouth bass

The reason I ask was based on the tackle you use is light from the line twist thread.

Most bass anglers who fish for LMB use nothing lighter then medium light, even the finesse anglers.

Your tackle nearly eliminates most options leaving finesse presentations like caned rigs, split shot or slip shots rigs for bottom contact lures.

Bass being cold blooded animals slowly acclimate to water temperature changes as the water warms from the cold water period to pre spawn. To me water under 55 degrees is cold water period transitioning to pre spawn when bass begin to feed more often. Spawn starts about 62 degrees for LMB at the depth the bass spawn in, not surface temps that are warmer, the reason bass get shallow in wind protected areas.

If you are going to use your tackle consider a drop shot rig and a slip shot or split shot rig using finesse soft plastics like 3" Iovino reapers, 4 1/2" Roboworm curl tail worms or 5" straight tail. Cold water the bass usually don't chase lures, they like them in their face .

Tom

Lord Castlereagh reply :

Thanks, WRB. So much good information. My next rod will be a medium action. Taking it to Bald Head Creek in NC in June. I guess I'll be gunning for red drum, flounder, and trout if I'm not mistaken.

On 4/9/2018 at 4:58 AM, WRB said:

The reason I ask was based on the tackle you use is light from the line twist thread.

Just reread your first sentence... Not sure what you are saying here. The light rod might have something to do with the problem?

Thanks

WRB reply :

On 4/9/2018 at 5:20 AM, Lord Castlereagh said:

Thanks, WRB. So much good information. My next rod will be a medium action. Taking it to Bald Head Creek in NC in June. I guess I'll be gunning for red drum, flounder, and trout if I'm not mistaken.

Just reread your first sentence... Not sure what you are saying here. The light rod might have something to do with the problem?

Thanks

The light rod has nothing to do with line twist, it's the small size spinning reel that causes that problem. When I referenced trout I met fresh water trout based on line rating 4 lb to 8 lb. Salt water rod differ from fresh water and usually called inshore rods regarding power and action, getting off topic. Why not reference rod and reel model numbers in your line twist thread to better address that topic.

Tom

am1590 reply :

Temperature is one part, albeit a large part, weather conditions are another major factor. If you are lucky enough to get 2 or 3 nice, warmer, stable days in a row, bass will put on the feed bags even in water that is in the lower 40's. Some of my best outings have come in February, after ice out, following a couple of warmer than average days. The trick is knowing where to find them. Look for shallow mud or rock flats close to deeper water and or channel cut banks on the north side of the lake at the end of a warmer day. The angle of the sun will warm these areas faster. Fish the flat right next to the drop off, bass don't like to stray too far from deeper water. Often times you will find bass stacked up in a very small area just because it is a degree or two warmer than the rest of the lake. Start out with search bats like a square bill, chatter bait or super spot. SLOW roll/bounce them off of the bottom, pausing when you hit structure. If you get a steady south wind pushing warmer water on top of them, hold onto your rod:) If they are not actively chasing, try using a tx rigged craw, tube, or a jig. Try shaking and dragging, the key is slow. My last resort is a weigtless 6" slug go (twitch 2-4 times, let sink/die and pause for several seconds, repeat). If I can't catch one on that then I go home.

I guess the point I'm trying to make in all of this is that the magic number can be as low as 42 degrees if the conditions are right. Bass feed throughout the year, even under the ice, they just don't need to feed as often in colder water and will become more selective on what times they do choose to feed. Therefore we need to be more selective on what days we fish early in the year in order to maximize our success.

Bassguytom reply :

The pre-spawn bite is in full swing here. Water temp. 44 today. Are you trying jerkbaits? It’s only going the get better as the water warms.

Joshua Vandamm reply :

On 4/7/2018 at 11:00 PM, DINK WHISPERER said:

???? There is no such thing as a "magic number"! So many more things factor into the equation then just water temp.

There are many magic numbers in biochemistry and physiology...The only thing special about 50 that I’m aware of is the it’s 1deg over 49, honestly. Bass will bite below 45. Some of the biggest fish are caught in the dead of winter.

At 55-56 a lot of enyzmyes key up significantly and with them metabolic rate. Around 48-52, some agae blooms which oxygenates the water some and stimulates the bottom-up food chain. For bass, it’s the seasonal trend that’s most important. It needs to be warming, 45-50-55 etc and rising steadily to get the cycle really going.

DINK WHISPERER reply :

On 4/9/2018 at 11:42 AM, Joshua Vandamm said:

There are many magic numbers in biochemistry and physiology...The only thing special about 50 that I’m aware of is the it’s 1deg over 49, honestly. Bass will bite below 45. Some of the biggest fish are caught in the dead of winter.

At 55-56 a lot of enyzmyes key up significantly and with them metabolic rate. Around 48-52, some agae blooms which oxygenates the water some and stimulates the bottom-up food chain. For bass, it’s the seasonal trend that’s most important. It needs to be warming, 45-50-55 etc and rising steadily to get the cycle really going.

Worry less about biochemistry and Physiology and go fishing!

Troy85 reply :

I've found that in the shallow marshes, 60 seems to be the temp when I start doing better. In the rivers, they don't seem to be as picky, if I can find water that isn't really muddy.

Joshua Vandamm reply :

Water in order of spring activity timing (earliest to latest):

Rivers

Small Lowland Res

natural lakes

Ponds

large lowland Res

Highland Res

Cak920 reply :

Temperature does matter but there’s no magic temp that makes fish bite like mad. Generally Bass don’t feed aggressively in water colder than 50 but that doesn’t mean they automatically do when it’s warmer

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I Thought 50 Degrees Was The Magic Number 2024

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