Fishing - Water Temperatures are Important
By: Mark Goeder-Tarant

Fishing is a lot of fun if you are catching fish, but if you are just sitting with your line in the water and getting no bites it can be frustrating and boring.

If you are interested in spring fishing and want your best shot of catching a lot of fish then you need to learn a little bit about water temperature. Basically, fish like crappie and bass like to be in warmer water and when they are about to spawn this is especially so. When you know how the fish react and what they are looking for in regards to water temperature then you will have a good idea of how to find them!

The weather also affects water temperature so you need to keep this in mind, too. If you are interested in catching crappie then you should know that they spawn when the temperature is between 60 and 65 degrees.

The male crappies will be in the 60 degree water first and will prepare the beds for the female crappies to spawn. The female crappies won't start coming into the shallower water until it is around 64 degrees. So if you are fishing during the spring in a water temperature of about 60 and you catch a crappie it is most definitely a male! It is also important to keep in mind that crappies spawn over a period of time, not all at once. The spawning period may last up to six weeks.

Bass like it a little warmer when they spawn and wait for water temperatures of 65 to 70 degrees. The premise is the same as with crappies. Bass come into the shallow waters around 65 – 67 degrees and prepare the beds for the females. Then, when the water temperature hits 69 to 70 degrees the females will start making their way to the warmer, shallower water in order to spawn. The spring months of April and May are the perfect times for bass to spawn and you will have plenty of luck fishing in shallow waters.

Keep in mind, too, where the water temperature varies within a lake or pond. If the area has lots of trees, limbs, and the like under the water then the water will be warmer and more fish will congregate there. Open water is cooler and not as many fish will be out there, making your fishing attempts really difficult. Shallow water is always warmer than deep water and where you will have a better chance of catching a fish. Also, after a rain watch where the water drains into the lake or pond. If it was warm rain water then you can count on the fish finding that area and camping out.

As long as you know how to find the area in the lake or pond that is the warmest then you will have the best chances of catching plenty of fish. The above tips should help you tremendously in this effort.