water temp- how hot is too hot?

[WRB]

40 minutes ago, FishTax said:

This seemed to be the case for me yesterday. I couldn't catch them, but was still a good day because I learned several things. First time I've clearly identified thermocline, and you are correct they were sitting right above it, clear as day even on my old depth finder. Now I can locate the fish quickly in the summer, I just have to find a presentation they like and I'm in the money. I guess I need to consult the bait monkey and then head back out soon to test my theory! 

Simple paper back book written by Don Iovino years ago is still excellent regarding thermocline bass fishing called Finesse Bass Fishing and the Sonar Connection.

Tom

[FishTax]

@WRB thanks Tom I'll try to find that tonight! 

[Darth-Baiter]

On 7/6/2023 at 3:01 PM, Bankbeater said:

When it gets hot around here the bass move into the vegetation for shade and oxygen.  A breeze helps, but it's still dang hot out there in a boat.

my friend told me this.  he feels fish are super predicable when it is Africa hot.  plant shade.  we punch for them under mats.  

 

my crappy fish finder cant see the thermocline.  

[gim]

4 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

my crappy fish finder cant see the thermocline.

Not every body of water has one.  Shallower lakes do not develop a thermocline.

[TnRiver46]

8 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

my friend told me this.  he feels fish are super predicable when it is Africa hot.  plant shade.  we punch for them under mats.  

 

my crappy fish finder cant see the thermocline.  

The crappiest of them show it clearly 

[FishTax]

13 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

my friend told me this.  he feels fish are super predicable when it is Africa hot.  plant shade.  we punch for them under mats.  

 

my crappy fish finder cant see the thermocline.  

I have a crappy one and can see it. Try going to deepest part of lake, turn sensitivity up, and look for it. I just saw it for the first time this weekend and was more excited about figuring that out than catching a fish haha. 

[Darth-Baiter]

okay.  i will try it.  

[Troy85]

Two weeks ago my fish finder recorded 96.2, in a shallow tidal pond 3-4' deep.  Bite wasn't on fire by any means, but you get some to commit. 

[Bankc]

On 7/9/2023 at 7:53 AM, Pat Brown said:

I have learned something this year fishing with electronics in the dead of summer from my boat.

 

If you are fortunate enough to have a lake where a thermocline sets up AND surface temps are uninhabitable.....all it does is position ALL of the fish on your lake in a painfully predictable manner.

 

Every single fish in your lake should be holding to pieces of cover and hard spots on structure at the depth right above the thermocline.  Catchable?  Maybe at the right time with the right bait etc, but that's where the shad is and that's where they will be also.  Got wind/current rolling past the spots you're targeting?  Even better.

About this time of year, most of our lakes set up like this.  However, it's far from ALL of the fish.  A good number of fish set up around the thermocline.  Some just suspend in the middle, and some relate to structure.  The suspending ones are hard to catch.  However, there's still a significant population that still live in the shallows.  And some will go back and forth between the deep and shallow water.  It's harder to see the fish in the shallow water on sonar, because they'll scatter before you pass over them.  And they like to hold tight to cover, so you usually can't even see them on side scan or FFS.  But you can still catch them, which proves they're there. 

[Pat Brown]

3 minutes ago, Bankc said:

About this time of year, most of our lakes set up like this.  However, it's far from ALL of the fish.  A good number of fish set up around the thermocline.  Some just suspend in the middle, and some relate to structure.  The suspending ones are hard to catch.  However, there's still a significant population that still live in the shallows.  And some will go back and forth between the deep and shallow water.  It's harder to see the fish in the shallow water on sonar, because they'll scatter before you pass over them.  And they like to hold tight to cover, so you usually can't even see them on side scan or FFS.  But you can still catch them, which proves they're there. 

 

 

I think it's all about timing/conditions setting up right for a shallow bite on my lake but I agree it's always there.  If you have shade and cover and structure, somewhere in any current what so ever they'll find it.

 

But off shore, this pattern is purty consistent (at least where I'm fishin this past week or so ?).

[WRB]

A misconception is LMB air bladder doesn’t allow the fish to change depth from deep (over 30’) quickly, it’s over 24 hrs to adjust the gas in the bladder.

This is one reason the bass simple move out over comfortable water to rest by suspending like a astronaut floating in zero gravity.

It’s easier for bass to go deeper as the air bladder compresses, all the fish needs to do is swim. Expanded air bladder pushes the stomach into the throat preventing the fish from eating.

Tom 

[Captain Phil]

Here in Central Florida, it is common to catch bass in 90 degree plus water.  The hottest I have noticed on my electronics has been 93 degrees.   In Florida, I much prefer summer fishing over fishing in the dead of winter as the fish are much more active.  Bass are all different.  They don't all run to deep water when the temperature rises.  Some of my biggest bass have come from 4 feet of water in August hunkered down in thick cover.  Hydrilla mats are bass hotels.   Any shade is also a plus.  One hot weather structure that is commonly ignored are bridge pilings.  Bass will lay under the bridge alongside the pilings.  I once caught two seven pounders back to back flipping around the Howey Bridge on Big Lake Harris.   This double digit bass was caught flipping shallow water in August.

 

 

[geo g]

Fish early and leave early, or late and into the night.  After 85 things get slow!

[Koz]

Find the shade pockets and the weeds and you'll find the bass.

[uglyasheck]

Two weeks ago I fished a couple of times during the week with 97 degree water. They don't bite as good went its that hot. Its ok early morning , late in the afternoon, or at night but not as good. Saturday I fished and it was 93.5 and we was having showers moving in and out and I caught 22 but no big ones just 2lbs down to a 1lb.

Two weeks ago I fished a couple of times during the week with 97 degree water. They don't bite as good went its that hot. Its ok early morning , late in the afternoon, or at night but not as good. Saturday I fished and it was 93.5 and we was having showers moving in and out and I caught 22 but no big ones just 2lbs down to a 1lb.

[Captain Phil]

The first Federation tournament I ever fished was on lake Okeechobee back in the early 70s.   It was in July, the air temperature was near 100 degrees with no breeze and the lake was slick as glass.   I couldn't buy a fish if my life depended upon it.  When I got to the weigh-in, two guys had 20 plus pounds each and won easily.  I had passed them all day as I rode around trying to find a fish.  They were fishing a weed bed in 4 feet of water and had stayed there all day.   How could this be?   I didn't know about "flipping" in those days.  We didn't even know the word.   They didn't either, but they knew what to do.