Different fish species, such as the coolwater northern pike, have different water temperature ranges in which they survive and thrive.
It is early spring and our waters are cold. I hear anglers ask about water temperatures more at this time of year than any other time. But water temperature may not be as important as some think it is.
I have carried a thermometer of some kind with me on every fishing trip since I was a kid. I have logged water temperatures from thousands of fishing trips.
It doesn’t mean anything.
Fish are keenly aware of the temperature of their environment. Their body temperature is pretty much the same as the water temperature. There are volumes of research on water temperatures and thermal tolerances of fish. It is important, but if you are looking for “magic temperatures” at which bass start biting or walleyes start spawning, keep looking. Those temperatures do not exist.
Different species of fish have different temperature tolerances. That is why we have warmwater fish (largemouth bass, flathead catfish), coldwater fish (trout), and in between, coolwater fish (walleye, muskellunge). Within those tolerances, different species can survive and even thrive over a range of temperatures. There are optimums where metabolism may be most efficient. In addition, there are upper and lower lethal temperatures at which they cannot survive.
The upper and lower lethal temperatures are important boundaries. Those temperatures explain the ranges where different fish species are found. They are the reason certain species do not thrive in certain parts of the country, continent and even within Nebraska.
Temperature can be a cue triggering spawning activity, but it often is one of the least important cues. Photoperiod, the amount of daylight, is a more important cue triggering spawning in many species. It makes sense. Weather is schizophrenic in Nebraska in the spring. It is common to see water temperatures warm to “magic” spawning temperatures only to plunge with a spring snowstorm. If temperature were the spawning cue, spawning would start and fragile eggs or fry would be wiped out with a change in weather. I have seen walleyes spawning in Nebraska waters April 1, the day the ice went out. In other years I have seen walleyes spawning April 1 with water temperatures well into the 50s.
Do not get hung up on water temperatures, especially in the spring. It really makes no difference whether the water temperature is 43.6 degrees or 52.3 degrees. What does make a difference is the water being warmer. It is all relative.
Rather than looking for specific “magical” temperatures in the spring, instead compare temperatures from one area of a water body to another, one water body to another, one trip to the next.
Look for areas where the water can warm. Areas protected from cold north and northwest winds are especially good to target in early spring. Shorelines exposed to the warmth of the afternoon sun are other good spots. The color of the water and especially bottom substrates can make a difference; darker colors tend to absorb more heat. Shallows warm faster than deep water.
In general, fish slower at colder temperatures. Sure, there are always exceptions, but start slow and speed up from there. How slow? Sometimes as slow as you can make yourself fish, and then go even slower. When the water temperature rises a couple of degrees, experiment with faster retrieves and faster presentations.
Get a thermometer and use it. More importantly, know what water temperature does and does not mean. Know how it can help you catch more fish.
April 04, 2021 at 09:30PM
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For fishing, spring water temperature is relative - Lincoln Journal Star
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