Southern water temps

[Rampow7155]

Is there a definitive surface water temp that will let you know the bass should be more active?

[jonathanparkwil]

I fish Hartwell in SC and I haven't noticed anything like your'e describing. Cooler waters usually hold more fish when the waters get into the high 80's like they are now.

[Rampow7155]

An example would be 85 degrees vs 95 degrees and level of activity, or maybe it doesn't matter?

[Catt]

Depends on body of water

[Rampow7155]

15 acre pond ranging from 3 to 14ft deep

[Paul Roberts]

It's not simple. But all fish have temperatures they run "best" at. Bass are particularly "labile" -meaning adjustable. But they do have a range they are "best" in however and that number maxes out somewhere shy of 85F, north to south including FL. That said, there are a lot of intervening factors, and food availability plays a big role. So it is possible to find bass feeding well in 90F water. It is also possible -and MUCH more the norm in my waters- to find them laying low and feeding at opportune times (that may or may not have to do directly with temperature changes).

[WRB]

During the summer period or warm water period the surface temps are always the highest temperature. Keep in mind bass don't live on the surface, the go down and suspend at a depth they are comfortable in with good levels of dissolved oxygen. The depth could be a foot deep under heavy weed mats or 30' deep around a 30 foot thermocline. Active bass are feeding bass so there will always be prey close by that they are hunting. Locating active bass changes hourly everyday.

Florida strain LMB have a higher warm water temperature limit than northern strain and FLMB higher cold water temperature limit around 45 degrees. Smallmouth have the lowest cold water temperature tolerance, NLMB and Spotted about the same at 40 degrees. Water temperature is a main factor in distribution range or where the various bass species can survive.

Tom

[Catt]

23 hours ago, Rampow7155 said:

15 acre pond ranging from 3 to 14ft deep

Bass in small bodies of water do not behave like bass in larger bodies of water.

[Paul Roberts]

23 hours ago, WRB said:

Florida strain LMB have a higher warm water temperature limit than northern strain

I was surprised to find that, according to the lab studies on the subject, that this isn't the case. Oddly enough, N and FL have the same physiological operating temps, at the high end at least.

22 hours ago, Catt said:

Bass in small bodies of water do not behave like bass in larger bodies of water.

Bass in large and small waters are the same animals. But the environments differ, and available options for the bass differ. So... yeah, fishing can be quite different based on water size.

[WRB]

When the FLMB program was taking off in CA after the big bass started showing up in San Diego lakes nearly every lake wanted them. Big Bear lake stocked the FLMB and 2 years later none servived, the problem cold water. Big Bear freezes over and the water doesn't warm into the 60's until May. Big Bears Smallmouth and NLMB have been established since the early 1900's, too cold for the FLMB. This happened throughout the state where the core water temperatures dropped below 45 degrees.  Fishery  biologist Larry Bottroff told me Florida's have a higher water temperature threshold of about 5 degrees compared to NLMB.

Tom

 

[geo g]

In south Florida the summer water temps will often be in the high 80's to low 90's.  Bass will be less active but will feed in limited amounts. Because of our shallow weedy bodies of water, bass often sit right under the thick green weeds where the O2 levels are a little higher, and plenty of shade from the intense summer sun.  They will feed at anything that crosses the pad field or at the base of the stems.  Anywhere you can find current in the hot weather, it produce a better bite with bass sitting in a ambush mode.  O2 levels are usually better if you can find water moving especially after recent rains.  A Thermocline break is also a productive level, especially if bait fish are in the area.  Early morning and late afternoon with low light conditions, are usually the best time for summer bass fishing for active bass.  Summer is our most difficult time of the year for bass fishing, but we do have one alternative method of fishing.  Peacock fishing is at its most productive time of the year.  They love hot water, love bright sun, and will chase baits at Noon in open water.  A peacock will chase a prop bait from 20 yards away in summer.  We are so lucky to have this resource in our local waters, and they are a bass on steroids.  Vicious hits on a bait, long runs, and super airborne jumps!  You've got to love the peacock bite all summer.

[soflabasser]

Bass are cold blooded animals,so their metabolism increases as the water temperature increases.They have to eat to stay alive,so they will bite a well presented lure, either in the daytime or during periods of low light (sunset,nighttime,sunrise,cloudy/rainy days).

[WRB]

1 hour ago, soflabasser said:

Bass are cold blooded animals,so their metabolism increases as the water temperature increases.They have to eat to stay alive,so they will bite a well presented lure, either in the daytime or during periods of low light (sunset,nighttime,sunrise,cloudy/rainy days).

True, however if the DO is low the bass become lethargic, green aquatic plants add oxygen during day light via photothynsis, another reason bass tend to go under weed mats during the summer.

Tom

[hawgenvy]

The amount of oxygen that can dissolve in freshwater varies with water temperature. Water that is 90⁰  F can hold only about half the oxygen that 40⁰  water can. To make matters worse, the warm water increases metabolism with the result that oxygen requirements in the bass's tissues and organs (oxygen demand) goes up.  So bass in 90⁰ or hotter water are stressed and weakened and lethargic and they will seek cooler water that is deeper or at least under shade of heavy cover, or both.

I also suspect that larger bass may be less heat tolerant than the small ones, as the smaller ones are relatively more abundant in shallow waters in the summer.

[everythingthatswims]

http://www.bassmaster.com/tips/kennedys-favorite-late-summer-pattern

 

This is worth a read.....They don't always go deep when it's hot 

[WRB]

Bream beds in late summer 90 degree water?

Tom

[soflabasser]

16 hours ago, WRB said:

True, however if the DO is low the bass become lethargic, green aquatic plants add oxygen during day light via photothynsis, another reason bass tend to go under weed mats during the summer.

Tom

Yes,bass seek aquatic vegetation because of oxygen content, it shields their eyes from the sunlight,and it's where baitfish are often located.

32 minutes ago, WRB said:

Bream beds in late summer 90 degree water?

Tom

We got buegill and exotic fish spawning right now in many parts of South Florida. 

[WRB]

Bass are sunfish it's a myth they need to shield their eye in bright sunlight. Bass use shade to camouflage themselves and blend into the background. 

So you have bedding bream in Florida from March to September...interesting.

Tom

[soflabasser]

Bass don't have eyelids so I would assume they wouldn't enjoy being in direct sunlight in shallow water,even less in the summertime.Yes bluegill and other exotic fish spawn often in South Florida, that's one of the many reasons why our native Florida strain largemouth bass are so abundant in our freshwater bodies of water.