Water Temp

[Waterdog]

OK guys, I know that water temp can be very important, but there's something I can't get straight in my mind. Everyone talks about the surface temp being at a given level. What I don't understand is how the surface temp has anything to do with the temp of the water at the depth that the fish are at, especially when you may be fishing at depth (15-45ft.). Can someone PLEASE help me out on this one?

Thanks (Waterdog)

Jim

[bassindon69]

As the water temp (surface) warms the eggs ripen. You will see at the right times fish suspend around anything that floats or at the top of submerged cover. When the surface temp reaches 60 and warming or at least stable some what, then the time has come to spawn. When it is right for them they will do so. It cannot be a time clock because every year is sooner or later. This year being for the most part later. Last year at this time we had been fishing for bed fish a lot already but we also only had shorts and T shirts on LOL!. This year it is not the case. The surface temp cannot hold due to cold fronts one after another. Most lakes are still in mid 50's or cooler. I mostly only worry about temp on the surface in spring and in the hot of summer. If you have 60+ surface temp you can bet that there are beds around. You will see cruisers when it makes it to upper 50's. Some areas will warm sooner and spawn before other parts. If the lake is 70+ and fish are on beds still you will get pre, post and even spawning fish. The surface temp is just a clue to what may be taking place with the spawn and or fish migration. Also when the water is in the 70's Shad will also be spawning. Shad spawn on the surface.
This time of year warming surface temps get it all going.
As far as 20 to 40' deep, I am all about what the graff is showing me not temp.

Don.

[Waterdog]

bassindon69,

I understand about the water temp for the spawn...thank you. What I still don't get is what/why the surface temp has anything to do with the fish that you may be catching at depth, below that depth the sun can warm the water. I know that 'dirty' water will warm faster and stay warmer longer than clear water due to the turbidity of the water; that white rock and sand will reflect the sunshine into the water; that dark rock and sand will hold the heat longer...but what about the temp at depth? What does the surface temp have to do with those fish? Or does it matter at all?

I don't mean to be thick headed on this...I just don't understand why surface temp appears to be so important so much of the time.

Thanks again for your help.

Jim

[mac (Doyle McEwen)]

Surface temperature probably really isn't all that important, other than to give you a relative indication of overall water temperature..In that I mean the warmer the surface temperature, then the warmer the water will be at depth, if that surface temperature has been steady ond you have had some mixing due to wind and current..With this mixing the water temp will gradually be the same at the surface as it is at several feet deep..If you have extremely deep water, the temperature at extreme depths will almost always be considerably cooler..Now what this has to do with if the fish will or will not bite is something that I just don't know..

mac