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For trout, the ideal water temperature is between 56 and 64 degrees. Trout are very sensitive to temperature and can sense a change of as little as 1 degree. Earlier this week, at the south end of South Fork Reservoir, the water on the west side was stained and the surface water temperature was pushing 66 to 70 degrees.

When moving toward the east side of the lake, the water cleared up a bit and the temperature dropped to 64 degrees. Guess where you should be fishing? That’s right, the east side, where the water is in the trout’s prime temperature range. As the day warms up, so do the surface water temperatures.



And as the temperature moves into the high 60s, the bite will probably turn off. Or will it? Start fishing deeper, where the water temperatures aren’t affected as much by the sunlight and hot air temperatures. A thermometer should be part of every angler’s tool bag.

Early in the spring and late in the fall, when the water is below the trout’s ideal temperature range, look for warmer water in the shallows. In the summer, as the surface water temperatures exceed the ideal range for trout, fish deeper, where water temperatures are closer to the temperatures trout prefer. Obviously, this will work for any species of game fish.

Find out the preferred temperatures for fish, such as bass, catfish or perch, and use your thermometer to find the place in the lake that is closest to that temperature. Surface water temperatures are starting to move into the high 60s and.

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