Water Temperature

[Guest dabnis]

What is the desired temperature of water to catch those big bass? What different techniques are used for the different temps. When it's cold, like here in Michigan somewhat, I've been told that they stay at the bottom, but when it's hot they stay down there too, right? I've been told that with the way the weather is right now they hang at the bottom. Try to find that drop off and so forth. And how does water temp relate to air temp? and vice-versa....

[KenDammit28]

65 to 75 degree water is purt-durn near perfect, if you ask me.

When water is extremely cold..from freezing to around 60, the bass range from being almost statuesque to pretty sluggish, then the water warms up and the whole spawn thing starts happening for all its reasons, and then the fish hit post spawn all in and around the water temps I listed up above.  

WHen its cold, bass don't necessarily stay on the bottom....but they will move deeper.  You can find them moving up into shallows sometimes to catch the sun and find the warmer water..same kinda pattern you may find in the fall..feeding up after the long winter.  As the water gets warm and summertime weather hits..a thermocline is formed and below that line, theres not enough oxygen to sustain the fish so they will always stay above it.  Its relative to how deep the water is and I dunno at about what depth it forms, but I know that fish stay above it.  

Fishing right now, I'd search out cover and stuff thats close to drop offs, or I'd find ledges,  things that would be transistioning from deep to shallow, in general terms.  Fish will be moving up in most parts soon(don't know about Michigan, may have to wait a little while longer, there) and so thats MY feeling on where they are hanging right now.

[KenDammit28]

There is no water temp to air temp relationship...its too variable.  Theres no formula to figure it out and the only way to know the temp of water is have a thermometer in it.  

You can guess that "hey, its been pretty warm here for 2 weeks straight, I'd say the water is warmer than it was earlier in the year" but you'll never know for sure.

[Rebbasser]

Ken addressed it well.  This time of year especially water temp is critical.  A cheap and easy way to tell is to get an aquarium thermometer.  Tie a line to it and toss it into the water when you get there.  That will give you a good idea of where/how to start.  The colder the water the slower you want to fish.  In real cold water-50 degrees or less(Hey, that's cold for Texas )-I use 3 baits for the most part:  A suspending jerkbait like a Smithwick Rogue, a jig-n-pig, and a shakey head rig.  When it gets a little warmer-50-60-I use those same baits but add a spinnerbait and a lipless crankbait fished in deeper water adjacent to flats.  The big girls will move into those areas in anticipation of the spawn and will be feeding actively.

[Marty]

Water warms or cools slowly and air can change very fast, so sometimes there are large differences, such as during a quick warmup in early spring while the water is still cold. Shallow water warms and cools much faster than deep.

Here is western NY, bass can be caught shallow from spring through fall, including the mid-summer period. I would think things would be similar in Michigan. Which is not to say there aren't fish deep, just that there are shallow fish too.