THE WATER TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ALL AQUATIC ORGANISMS

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The water temperature is a major factor in determining the laying, hatching, feeding, growth, and survival of all fish.

You have your cold water species which include Trout, Steelhead, and Salmon. The warm water species include Bluegill, Crappy, and my favorite Bass.

Waterways vary biologically in structure and function as well as static versus dynamic variables, such as biomass, population, and growth.

About two centuries ago its was decovered that inland waters ways was large enough to be a study of it's own Limnology covers lakes, ponds, reservoirs, streams, rivers, wetlands, and estuaries, while oceanography covers the open sea. Understanding limnology will help you become a better fisherman.

For Bass that temperature is 65 to 70 degrees that is when the bass will move up to spawn and will hatch in 4 to 5 days. but according to where you are, in the northern lakes Bass will spawn at 60 degrees but it will take 10 to 12 days for them to hatch.

The Bass there are generally smaller, than places like Texas, California, and florida where the water stays just right for a longer period of time.

Spawning happens in the springtime during which the sun heats up the upper waters, warmer water is less dense so it floats on top of the cooler more dense water below.

That layer is called the (epilimnion) and it reaches all the way to the shoreline.

During this time the temperatures and density differences tend to create distinct layers of water that do not mix easily. This is called stratification and occurs in all lakes that are not real shallow.

Sun light is only one factor that warms the water, rain is another one, by falling directly on the lake or by watershed.

You will find that the fish will gather in the smaller drainage areas because the water in these areas gets warmer slower than in the large watersheds which changes to quickly and causes more of a shock to their system in the first part of spring.

After the bass eggs hatch and begins to grow the water temperature will have a profound effect on it's feeding habits for the duration of it's life.

The average life span of a bass that makes it to be an adult is 16 years. The longer the water stays in the 65 to 80 range the better chance the Bass have.

They feed more and grow faster. You will not find any bass once it reaches the maximum (epilimnion) temperature which is 86 to 97degrees.

You see the hotter the water temperature is the less dissolved oxygen it holds. Most of the oxygen comes from the atmosphere through the mixing of wind and waves and because the warmer water is so light there is not much mixing with the (hypolimnion).

So it doesn't get re-supplied with new oxygen and the organic matters consumes much of the oxygen at the bottom instead making oxygen because of no sun light.

This causes a real problem for the fish, that why you see more fish kills in the summer especially if the plant growth has got out of hand due to over fertilization from watershed pouring in lawn and garden fertilizers, eroded soil, road runoff, pet and animal waste and lots of other things due to human activities.

It is a regular practice to drain lakes in the winter to kill excess plant life and fill in spring to replace oxygen and nutrienants.

That's why in the summertime when the top layers get above 85, the bigger fish are always suspended in channels in the (metalimnion) or deep grass beds that are at least 15 feet or more.

You will also see large groups of fish around damns and large watersheds there will be more oxygen in the water in theses areas.

Because of the depleted oxygen you just about have to hit them in the head to get them to bite it.

The fish are not going to chase your lure, because when the temperature increases the bass consume more oxygen, but the oxygen in the water is decreasing, which causes stress to the bass.

And just like any other animal or human for that matter when your hot, miserable, and having a hard time breathing you don't won't to eat, and you have know energy.

Then comes fall as the upper waters begin to cool the water temperature and density differences in the layers decrease, and the wind and wave action able to overcome the forces separating the layers mixes the whole lake.

This is called the fall turnover the fish move up become more active cause the whole lake is just right and they want to get fat for the winter You have to keep in mind that it will only take a change of 4 to 5 degrees for the fish to move to a different part of the lake.

The weather plays a big part in that, so you always need more than one plan of action when it comes to fishing a tournament. "What was here today may not be here tomorrow."

There metabolismum slows way down when it gets below 50 degrees and there is less need for them to eat.

Bass are at their most sluggish in the winter; the key is to find deeper water where the temperature is a few degrees higher than the other areas of the lake.

We have learned that summer water temperatures as high as 90°F absolutely turn the fish off and winter temperatures below 50°F does the same thing.

This oxygen heat relationship is important to consider, when you're trying to keep your oxygen level up in your live-well, so your bass have enough oxygen.

If you keep your live-well water at 75-80 degrees the bass will use less oxygen and your live-well will produce more oxygen. The bass will have a much better chance of survival.

To control your oxygen level, aerate often. To control water temperature, add water when the temperature falls below 75 degrees and add ice when the temperature rises above 75 degrees.

I hope this helps all of you in one way or another please fill free to leave your comments or add more your input is always important. To add more information or make a comment click here.

Written by P.L.Summerville

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