Mark Brown and I went out to Washington and found 50 degree water in the channels but no takers. He caught one small one in 52' depth, with most of the main lake reading 48 degrees. Seen the Hankinsons out their, but do not know how their day went. The sun was nice but that cold wind made it nasty.

Articles I've read over the years say fish like seeing at least 54-58 to start reaaly moving. By 60 degrees, males should be making nests and 64 is the ideal temp for spawning to kick off. Smallies can do the same stuff with cooler temps. Even fishing water along the California-Arizona border, the fish acted the same way. We had 57-58 degree water and the fish were in staging areas. When we finally found 60 water, there were beds. Finding the staging areas in some of these lakes can be tough. In desert reserviors, there were points that fish followed up. Deep road beds leading to spawning bays are good too. Banks come in mind here. Some of these natural lakes are a little tougher to pinpoint. Weedlines are good targets.

The fish will also follow these structures out during post spawn, or they can scatter around feeding on small fry and smaller species starting their spawn. Thats when cranks, topwater and jerkbaits can shine!! Not spinnerbaits though.....dont bother throwing those things....

Me and Tom found Sawyer topped out at 50 at 3:30 on the main lake and I imagine the shallow flats might have gotten to 52-53 by 6...dang wind was irritating though.

I was seeing 48/48.5 degrees on American Lake yesterday, no fish for me either. I want to see 50 degrees when I launch at 0:dark thirty!

Oh I didn't know we were talking about the spawn, or factors that trigger it; since the topic was never mentioned. For that I think we gotta wait a few weeks or a month till the water hits around 60. Until then they'll be staging expect to catch more than one in a given spot. now is the time to go big or go home so they say. Today I went home

Well rain can be warmer than the lake water and raise shallow water temps by 5 degrees. But cold rain doesn't help. I'm not saying you can't catch fish, I'm talking factors of triggering the spawn. There is a difference. That 8 1/2 pounder on my profile was caught in the rain. No sunshine that weekend when 2 bags over 20 lbs were caught and that beauty. But we are talking factors triggering pre-spawn/spawn. And there are some differences between smallmouth and largemouth.

sun shmun i've caught quite a few smallies n largies in the pouring rain so far this year. Also caught em in the sun. you guys just don't wanna go out in the rain

Oh we adapted, it just didn't work.....

Chris, you're right. I think of it like when it's cold out but the sun pops through and it feels 10 degrees warmer. I'm sure the fish feel the warmth of the sun even with cooler water temps.

After the one or two days of sun last week I was seeing 49-50 degree's on a small lake.  Its been anywhere from 46-48 mostly.  I have found almost zero action unless the sun is doing something.

Rob,

Just got to adapt!!!!!

Russ

Daryl you are a hater!  Thats about all I caught last year in the Open. Except is was a respectable sized walleye. That weather change totally screwed our fish up.

You will still probably only catch 1 small walleye.

Columbia River was 44* yesterday.  I caught one small Walleye on a jig just above the Blue Bridge but not a tick from any SMB's.  Waiting for the Potholes Open.

Smitty
AKA Dune Hopper

Hard to say about water clarity. Silver is really dirty and can be great early with the right little stretch of good weather. Fish still have to eat regardless of water clarity. The females need to be eating and getting sunlight and warmth on their bellies for the eggs. Just need a little more stable weather I think.

44 to 46.5 is what I'm seein'.  My theory is to fish slightly stained to clear water. (water with good clarity) Any cold blooded creatures eyesight diminishes greatly when they are cold. However when they are warm they can see way better than you or me. Sight is the bass' primary feeding sense so fishing a lake with low clarity like black lake really means you gotta hit em in the nose.