Smallmouth Bass, Cover & Water Temperature
Most fishermen and biologists agree that the optimal temperature for smallmouth bass is around 22°C (70°F). But, as Stephen Headrick points out, don’t think that means they can’t adapt to other temperature ranges. Obviously, other factors will influence where bass choose to locate. So, for example, smallmouth will sometimes move into warmer water to feed. The question, then, is how important is temperature to smallmouth bass? And from a fisherman's perspective: when trying to find fish, is it more important to find cover and structure or the right temperature?
As any angler or scientist will tell you, "cover is a major factor influencing habitat choice" (2). Some believe that smallmouth will seek cover to protect themselves from bigger predators. Others will tell you that large smallmouth have few natural predators and seek cover in order to find a place to ambush their prey. Regardless, the availability of cover certainly plays a role in determining where bass live. But the question remains: is cover a more important factor than temperature?
All biologists agree that smallmouth will occasionally move into warmer water. For example, when food is readily available in warmer water, bass will move there if they're hungry. Such findings have led some scientists to believe that habitat choice has more to do with "presence of cover and food" rather than water temperature (2). According to this line of thinking, when fishing, you should mainly focus on using your electronics to find structure and bait fish.
But not all scientists agree. Biologists tested this hypothesis by building an artificial reef in Lake Michigan, to see whether or not smallmouth hold to structure regardless of temperature. They found that smallmouth inhabited the reef "only when water temperature was higher than 22°C...these fish left the reef when water temperature dropped below 22°C despite the year round availability of the structure provided by the reef" (1). This suggests that water temperature may be more important in habitat selection than previously thought.
So even though it's important to look for structure and bait fish while trying to find smallmouth, you can't forget to keep an eye on the water temperature. Pay particular attention in the spring and fall, since this is when water temperatures will fluctuate more. You don't want to be fishing in 30 feet of water when the fish are in 6 feet, or vice versa. Take it from someone who fished without any electronics last year- I've spent enough time fishing dead water.
(1) Mark W. Carter, Michael J. Weber, John M. Dettmers & David H. Wahl, "Movement patterns of smallmouth and largemouth bass in and around a Lake Michigan harbor: The importance of water temperature" (2012) 38 Journal of Great Lakes Research 396-401.
(2) Mark S. Bevelhimer, "Relative Importance of Temperature, Food, and Physical Structure to Habitat Choice by Smallmouth Bass in Laboratory Experiments" (1996) Transactions of the American Fisheries Society.
Click on the 'smallmouth' label below for related posts.
Greg Cholkan is a lawyer, fisherman, and Hemingway impersonator. He works in Huntsville and Haliburton with Barriston LLP and his practice focuses on real estate, wills and estates, and corporate matters.
As any angler or scientist will tell you, "cover is a major factor influencing habitat choice" (2). Some believe that smallmouth will seek cover to protect themselves from bigger predators. Others will tell you that large smallmouth have few natural predators and seek cover in order to find a place to ambush their prey. Regardless, the availability of cover certainly plays a role in determining where bass live. But the question remains: is cover a more important factor than temperature?
All biologists agree that smallmouth will occasionally move into warmer water. For example, when food is readily available in warmer water, bass will move there if they're hungry. Such findings have led some scientists to believe that habitat choice has more to do with "presence of cover and food" rather than water temperature (2). According to this line of thinking, when fishing, you should mainly focus on using your electronics to find structure and bait fish.
So even though it's important to look for structure and bait fish while trying to find smallmouth, you can't forget to keep an eye on the water temperature. Pay particular attention in the spring and fall, since this is when water temperatures will fluctuate more. You don't want to be fishing in 30 feet of water when the fish are in 6 feet, or vice versa. Take it from someone who fished without any electronics last year- I've spent enough time fishing dead water.
(1) Mark W. Carter, Michael J. Weber, John M. Dettmers & David H. Wahl, "Movement patterns of smallmouth and largemouth bass in and around a Lake Michigan harbor: The importance of water temperature" (2012) 38 Journal of Great Lakes Research 396-401.
(2) Mark S. Bevelhimer, "Relative Importance of Temperature, Food, and Physical Structure to Habitat Choice by Smallmouth Bass in Laboratory Experiments" (1996) Transactions of the American Fisheries Society.
Click on the 'smallmouth' label below for related posts.
Greg Cholkan is a lawyer, fisherman, and Hemingway impersonator. He works in Huntsville and Haliburton with Barriston LLP and his practice focuses on real estate, wills and estates, and corporate matters.
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