from my understanding it is the surface temp and the deeper you the cooler or warmer it is. Winter warmed, summer/ cooler
When people talk about measuring water temp , at what depth are they usually talking about ?It seems like there would be a difference between surface temp and what it measures on say a transom of a boat .
Thanks Jon
from my understanding it is the surface temp and the deeper you the cooler or warmer it is. Winter warmed, summer/ cooler
Love, what more can I say
My temperature readings come from my transom mounted transducer, which is about 8-inches below the surface when not on-plane.
When I was fishing out of a little 12 foot jon boat I had a thermometer that was made to sink and check the temps at different levels of water. I have always wondered why it makes any difference at all what the surface water temp when the fish are 20 foot deep. You go to Ouachita in the summer and the surface temp is 90 and it will be below 60 just below the thermocline where the fish are.
Hey Gooch:Originally Posted by gooch
I keep an eye on surface temperature because there seens to be a direct correlation between surface temperature or changes in surface temperature and the depth you are likely to find fish on any given day on any given part of the lake. There's no magic numbers but if you watch the surface temps year around on the lakes you fish you'll have a good idea where to start looking for the hungry ones each time you go out. Of course they will occasionally stray from the norm just to keep thinks interesting.
Now quit playing around on the computer and GET BACK TO WORK!
Preach on Brother Jerry! Dang government employees...:DOriginally Posted by Jerry Blake
There are some correlations between surface temps and what is going on around, especially as the seasons start to change. When spring time gets here, surface temp can help guide you to the fish. If the temp is still too low, you can exclude a lot of shallow water spawning fish. If it's late in the spawn, a higher temp can tell you that they've probably moved back off into deeper water. These same patterns can also be applied to fall fishing.
I'm not much of a caster, but I've heard that the crappie will usually start chasin' a bait pretty good when the surface temp gets above 50 degrees.
My temp gauge is on my trolling motor mounted transducer. I only worry about surface temps in the spring when Crappie are wanting to go shallow.:D
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Takeum Jigs
Being on the water nearly every day (well not in the weather we've been having lately) I've notice that changes in water temperature have a big impact on how crappie move. I've caught them in the shallows in early spring way before the water is warm enough to spawn but right after a few degrees rise in surface temperature from as low as the mid to upper 40s.Originally Posted by ceb
I figure they are trying to get the spawn started as early as possible and the males especially are trying to get a jump start on staking out their territory. But I've also found females in shallow water right after a sudden warm up, especially if it's from a warm rain that also raises the water level. They don't stick around very long though if the temps don't continue to rise. If the temps fall at all they are gone for sure.
This past summer on a lake I fish in southeastern Virginia I took temp reading at the surface, 10' deep and 20' deep. All readings were the same. I was surprised. The lakes deepest holes are 35'.
2010 NWR Bash Crappie Division Champion
In the spring, The spawn is the main driver to run them up but after the spawn the rest of the year until the next spawn, then it all revolves around comfort and oxygen levels. What would their prefered water temp be? CF
The Original Woodsgoat Hater
2011 NWR Bash Yellow Perch Champion