Water Temp.

[rrw4258]

Would tying a small thermometer to your line and throwing it out be an accurate way of telling water temp for shore fisherman? Anybody know?
I am not looking for exact temp just an average. Thanks

Ryan

[zooker]

yep might want to tye it to a top water bait -use rubberbands- it may take 3-6 mintues to get a good reading..

zooker

[Marty]

Originally Posted by rrw4258

Would tying a small thermometer to your line and throwing it out be an accurate way of telling water temp for shore fisherman?

Yes. But I don't throw it out, I just extend it out a rod length and dangle it just beneath the surface, because most temp readings we read about are surface temps.

I use the type known as a "Stream thermometer" and use it frequently. This type of instrument will get you a reading within 30 seconds. They are usually found in stores and catalogs in with fly fishing stuff. This image is from Cabela's.

[rrw4258]

zook or marty,
would putting it like 6 incehs under a bobber work? Thanks

Ryan

[zooker]

yes that would work..

zooker

[Marty]

Originally Posted by rrw4258

zook or marty,
would putting it like 6 incehs under a bobber work? Thanks

Ryan

I agree with Zook, yes, it absolutely would work. I just don't know if it would give a significantly different reading from what you'd get by holding it out a rod's length and taking your reading at a six-inch depth.

[skeeter944]

i'm gonna have to get me one of them!

[1FASTLASER]

Excellant idea. Knowing the temp is a big plus in locating fish even if you are shore bound.

[NCYankee]

At what water/air temperature do bass significantly stop feeding? It's been about high 50 and low 25 for the last week or so here. I imagine the region has something to do with it. Zook, what do you think about the piedmont area?

[JB]

The bass will feed even in the dead of winter, but their movements are slow, and not near as aggresive. That makes many an angler think they quit feeding.
But in reality, even when you ice fish, the surface is iced over at 32 degrees, and when we send a thermometer down to the bottom we often get a 34 degree temp, yet if you put the bait in front of the fish, they usually will bite if they can see it. Course most of the time I am using wax worm tipped on a small jig, but its not unusual to get almost any type of fish to bite it. And they do give a fight to some degree...you can see your line going off to one direction or another...the fish are usually more lighter in color when staying in deep cold water, you can see them turn darker a tad once you throw them on the ice for later....mostly gills, we turn the bass back.

[1FASTLASER]

They never stop feeding as one would think. They are a cold blooded creature therefore there surrounding temp. dictates how and when they feed. During the colder seasons they feed on larger meals so as not to expend much energy. Therefore since they arnt moving around much they dont need to feed as much.

[KenDammit]

my idea is tying a pool thermometer to a rope, then tossing it in my pond. I figure that'll give me a pretty good reading and help me on my quest of managing it.

[Marty]

JB,

Do you always ice fish in a t-shirt?

What kind of fish is that? Trout/salmon?

[Fishie]

Neat looking pic JB. At least that one is not tooo disturbing.

[zooker]

ncyankee
60-75 degrees is there prefured feeding temps the bite slows down on either side of this temp.. water temp was 48 here today. any thing under 40 and the bite gets REAL slow. and you need at least 3 days of bright sunny days to turn on the fish..


zooker

[1FASTLASER]

You got that right zook. Problem is down here gettin 3 days of steady weather in a row is kinda like lookin for the needle in the haystack. One of my favoite lakes that getts consumed in duckweed is just now getting back to where you can put a boat in without 1 burning up the motor cause of a plugged up water pump or 2 using up the batteries before you get to your spot. Last time I went there last year out of a 2 mile long lake there was a spot the size of your living room that a 1oz jig would make it to the bottom.

[basstech]

The bass in generall theory feed year round. I'm in agreement with JB, that they are always feeding. How and Where is the hard part in figuring out how to catch them. It's said that the bass want fewer but bigger meals in winter. I don't think that is neccessarily true though. Other wise we'd be reading in all the magazines about guys dropshotting 10" worms and not 4" inch finesse worms. I think the fish will eat anything they see as food as long as they don't have to chase it down, or at least move quickly to get to it. I catch most of my winter bass in brush piles or along underwater rock bluffs. Deeper rocky area's near shallow weedy area's seem to produce the highest numbers, but I tend to catch bigger fish in deep brushpiles. I do think the fish will move to get a bait, but if you move it to fast that is going to instinctively clue them that something is not right. Slow is the key.

[1FASTLASER]

BassTech

Being you are located in independence I assume you fish OZ quite abit. How has the fishin been lately?? Just assuming here but those rogues rr is talking bout may be the deep running rogues. I am able to get mine to about 13ft with some very careful weighting and fishin on 10lb test and LOOOONNNNNGGGG casts. LOL Do all my testing in a pool. Weight and reweight till I get them to hit the bottom of a 10ft. pool which I can cast across. That way I know they gettin down on the lake. Anyway just a assumption on my part. Back to OZ. Havent been there in years and was wondering how the fishin been. I as well used to do my best down deep with the smaller meals as you stated but on the same hand have had excellant results with a larger meal as well. Going to a favorite lake of mine today that is really NOT normal. Get this .....water temp gonna be high 40's maybe low 50's and these fish want a crankbait that runs 5 maybe 6ft deep...and here's this clencher....wide,wild wobble. Just goes to show ya all fish aren't created equal huh.