Water Temps and Spring Fishing

In both freshwater and saltwater fishing on Cape Cod, water temps play a crucial role in early spring. Over the next few weeks (after we get through this miserable deep freeze weekend), air temps will begin settling in the mid to upper 40's, with an occasional foray into the low 50's.

It's at this time in March that both freshwater and saltwater fish begin to shift out of their wintertime lethargy and begin staging in areas where they will begin their spring time routines.

Remember, it takes a series of warmer days ( and nights) to really move the needle on water temps. The first 50 degree day won't automatically jump that needle on prevailing water temps in an afternoon. We will need a couple of weeks of steadier, higher air temps to begin warming the water enough to alter fish behaviors.

Some fish, like trout, actually prefer cooler water temps on a year round basis and will be the first to exhibit active feeding behaviors in March. Others, like freshwater bass and Salt water stripers require much warmer temps to really begin changing their patterns.

Bright , Sunny Days and Shallow dark bottoms

This combo has a magnifying effect on warming up water temps. If you are going to venture out early season, you are going to want to seek out this combo- fresh or salt.

Because dark colors more rapidly absorb the suns rays, shallow dark coves , sun exposed shorelines and shallow sections of our saltwater rivers will produce temperatures a degree or two above surrounding water temps. In the early spring, this couple of degree difference is all it takes to make fish metabolisms jump and thus spur them into more active behaviors.

At What Temps Do Fish Become More Active?

Trout- the ideal water temps for trout are 44 to 67 degrees. When the water temperature hits 68 degrees, trout will begin to get stressed. At 44 degrees, you can have a reasonable expectation of normal feeding behaviors.

Small Mouth Bass- smallmouth are more trout like in their preferred water temps- mid 40's will activate them, 50's will spur them on to spawning behaviors and more active feeding.

Largemouth Bass- Largemouth will become a bit more active in water in the mid to high 40's, but 50-55 degrees seems to be the magic number.

Striped Bass-42 degrees can activate them, but 48-50 is when reliable fishing type activity starts. Of course, in open saltwater it will be May before enough warm days get stacked together to get water temps that high. Your only chance of finding saltwater temps that high are the upper reaches of salt water rivers and shallow, dark bottomed back bays.

The take away?

The smart money will begin with the trout in the first part of March (particularly after they stock mid month), then, begin scouting freshwater bass and schoolie holdover spots with your trusty water thermometer looking for the temp ranges listed above.

What to Use- Since fish metabolisms are directly tied to water temps, you are going to want to fish slow early season.

For the trout, Berkley power bait or trusty old nightcrawlers/ trout worms/ meal worms are best bets.

For freshwater bass, shiners can be killer early season. Just make sure to watch your rod carefully for pick ups- we don't want to be deep hooking and killing good females that will be spawning in a month. For lures, swimming jerk baits and unweighted rubber baits.

Early season stripers- unweighted or light jig head weighted rubber baits like Ron Z or Bill Hurley. If you are going to use swimming or top water pre rigged with trebles, please consider removing a treble and replacing with a flag or a single. These early season stripers don't need the stress of being caught and released after a long winded multiple hook extraction process.