What's "cold water"?

[Alex from GA]

To me anything under 60 is cold, what do others think?

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, Alex from GA said:

To me anything under 60 is cold, what do others think?

Well I'm at least 1,000 miles north of you and up here

once there's open water, anything below 38-ish is cold.

40-42 is cool.

And 44-54 is Hammer time.

In the fall the entire process goes in reverse. 

Polar Fleece is my friend.

#dressinlayers

A-Jay

 

[Pat Brown]

Here in NC - pretty much - when it gets below 50° on the surface - it's winter time.

[Siebert Outdoors]

I'd say anything under 40 for here.  We do freeze over for a short period of time almost every year.

[gim]

7 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

Here in NC - pretty much - when it gets below 50° on the surface - it's winter time.

 

This is the key temperature I look for too.  I'm in MN.

 

Below it, can still be done but odds fall off significantly.  In the spring, once it hits 50, things come to life again.

[softwateronly]

Cold water means 2 different things to me, 45-60 means active, big bass and is by far my most successful times of year and I tend to fish the fastest, most erratic baits of the year.  Once it's below 45, my expectations change on activity level, so I slow down more often than not, but I still feel like a big bass day is on the table.

 

scott

[GRiver]

I go to the springs on a hot day to cool off, the water is year round 72 and it’s cold to me when I jump in.  I don’t know what fish consider cold. 
 

[dytmook]

I was told 52F was when the fish tend to shut off. If I get out when it's cold, I try to fish slower. They're fish. Sometimes they'll eat, sometimes they don't. Can't catch them from the couch is one thing I do know. 

[thediscochef]

when i touch it and it's cold, then it's cold

(moving baits slow down for me at 58 degrees and the jerkbaits come out at 52)
wherever you our, they're your

[Team9nine]

I tend to go with the more historical figure of 55 degrees and under as defining the cold water period.

[DogBone_384]

Cold water to me is low 40's to high 30's.  I had one cold water rescue in my FD career and went in after a setup that fell off my kayak in February.  I had proper gear for my rescue, and a change of clothes in my truck when I saved my rig.

[GRiver]

I used to fish in the winter when I lived in Nc, snow on the ground and ice on the water, I don’t know what the water temp was. I think I had put the bait in thier mouth but, I would get a bite occasionally. Couldn’t do it very long, # my hip boots weren’t insulated but they were dry. 

[Munkin]

40 and below for me. 

 

Allen 

[WRB]

55- 50 degrees is cold water.

Tom

[r83srock]

Generally speaking, I consider water temps under 40 degrees cold, in the sense that the bite dramatically changes for me. The smallies will still bite however. Mid 40s- mid 50s consistently produces the biggest bass of the year for me, both largemouth and smallmouth, spring and fall. I also find a window for both species during the hottest parts of the summer, mid day where giants will go shallow. 
 

80 degrees water is cold to me if I’m swimming in it long enough.

[casts_by_fly]

For me, 50 is the number.  Below that I temper expectations a lot.  Once it hits 50 (in the spring) I know things are moving in the right direction and any trip could be the one where the fishing takes off.

 

That said, I don't hate that late march 48 degree water type of trip.  The weather is usually gross and keeping other guys off the water.  And my PB smallie was in 43 degree water.  Plus a couple months of pent up non-fishing combined with a bunch of new tackle/rods/upgrades that you're itching to try...

[Catt]

It's a non-issue for me

 

Cold water temperatures down here doesn't last much more than a month before it starts warming. Bout midway through the bass start moving into early pre-spawn. 

[TnRiver46]

Ive swam in 65 degree water and it felt chilly. I’ve fallen into 47 degree water and it felt even more chilly. Cold is up to the eye of the beholder , seals probably think any liquid is warm 

[Motoboss]

Water and air temps in the low 40’s is enough for me

[king fisher]

[Smirak]

Growing up in the south, anything below 78 probably 😂😂

[T-Billy]

On 12/2/2024 at 2:42 PM, A-Jay said:

Well I'm at least 1,000 miles north of you and up here

once there's open water, anything below 38-ish is cold.

40-42 is cool.

And 44-54 is Hammer time.

In the fall the entire process goes in reverse. 

Polar Fleece is my friend.

#dressinlayers

A-Jay

 

Heck Yeah!!! Preach it brother!!! 😂 I've been loving my Striker Ice, Trekker coat and bibs these past few days. Mostly in the 20's and I've been comfy cozy except for my fingers. Now, if only I could get a few of those infuriating muskie to bite......

[Tennessee Boy]

Below 50 is winter.   Below 45 is cold.  I've never seen water below 40 around here.  I used to pay a lot of attention to the surface temperature.   Now I pay attention to how deep the shad are.

[GreenPig]

50 degrees. That's when I put me in low gear. Coldest water I've ever marked here is 44 from my boat.

[Smokinal]

On 12/2/2024 at 2:42 PM, A-Jay said:

Well I'm at least 1,000 miles north of you and up here

once there's open water, anything below 38-ish is cold.

40-42 is cool.

And 44-54 is Hammer time.

In the fall the entire process goes in reverse. 

Polar Fleece is my friend.

#dressinlayers

A-Jay

 

Funny...these numbers are exactly what I would say as well for me in Maine