The Importance of Water Temperature to Bass Fisherman

The favorite water temperature of bass is in the lower 70s. Bass instinctively look for water at this temperature. Water temperature is not the only factor they consider. The pH of the water has to be within the levels they function best at, there has to be enough oxygen in the water, enough food in the area and lastly enough cover for them to hide in.

If all of these things are present you have a happy bass.

Water temperature is very important to the bass fisherman because knowing the water temperature will tell them how the bass will be acting. This is because the body temperature of bass is the same as the temperature of the water they are in. Their metabolism is controlled by the temperature of the water. In cold water the metabolism slows way down along with the brain and the bass moves slower. Knowing this can make them easier to catch. Of course you still have to find them.

In the spring when the temperature of the water is rising fisherman need to find those areas of the lake where the temperature is warmer and in the hot summer months when the water can get up to 85 degrees they should find the coolest water to fish in to increase their chances of catching bass.

However, this doesn’t mean that the fisherman has to move all over the lake depending on the temperature of the water. Water temperature in one small area varies quite a bit based on depth. Water two feet down could be 10 degrees warmer than water just ten feet below. Bass are not known to be travelers moving from one area of the lake to another. They stay in the same general area they spawn in but their behavior changes from season to season based on the temperature of the water. In the spring when the water is warming up they may be closer to the surface where the water is warmer. In the heat of the summer they may be hanging out in deeper water because it is closer to the 70 degree level they like.

Keep in mind that water temperature is one factor in the fishing equation. Bass tolerate temperature fluctuations pretty well and move around up and down. Temperature is a more critical factor when it gets down to 55 degrees and below and this is when fisherman should be more focused on finding the warmer water. Fish attractors like sunken trees in shallow, sunny areas are good bets when the water is colder in the early spring and late fall.