Thermometers??

[chstrcntyfish]

What kind of thermometers do you use to take stream temps? I don't really want to buy an overpriced one. Is there a cheap substitute?

 

[bigjohn58]

I have a cheap $9 one that is fairly accurate. I just put it in the water for a minute and its usually right on. You can spend a lot on those digital thermometers but I can still read the old fashion kind just well.

 

[chstrcntyfish]

Where did you get yours?

 

[tomgamber]

I think the person who got mine (Fishpond) got it for about 14 dollars...

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

i use the same as tom and paid around the same price for it. It is very reliable and durable. Never leave home without it!

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

darn double post ok i edited it so it says something differnt :-D hey look at me im an idiot

 

[chstrcntyfish]

Those fishpond ones look nice. I like that they have the metal case so I don't bust it open on my first trip. I might get one of those

 

[flyfishermanj]

I've used a cheapo for a while until it broke. Been using a small cooking thermo that you can get at a Dollar Store lately.


JH

 

[bigjohn58]

Yeah you don't really need to go high tech with a thermometer unless you really are that impatient to wait a few seconds for an accurate reading. I think I got mine at Uncle Joes if u know what that store is.

 

[Padraic]

Any thermometer should work. Check Ollies or a hardware store. Just don't leave them in your car. I've had'em explode.

 

[Raven456]

I have been putting off buying a thermometer for some time. Most of the ones I see look cheap and I don't want to have to replace it every year. I agree that the Fishpond thermometer looks durable and at a reasonable price so I just pulled the trigger on one from Ebay. There is a seller there who has them for 17.95 plus free shipping. I don't think you can beat that factoring in the price of gas and no sales tax!
Fishpond Swift Current Thermometer

 

[tabasco_joe]

After breaking several mercury thermometers I bought one of the William Joseph infrared ones. One nice thing is it can read the temp at a surprising distance. It's great for winter fishing or when there is a steep bank you don't want to climb down just to measure temps.

 

[Raven456]

I contemplated an infrared model, and aside from the cost, one thing that concerned me was that the temp being read was just the surface and that a more accurate temp would be measured at a greater depth. I'm no stream biologist, but that was my assumption.

 

[tabasco_joe]

Raven456 wrote:
I contemplated an infrared model, and aside from the cost, one thing that concerned me was that the temp being read was just the surface and that a more accurate temp would be measured at a greater depth. I'm no stream biologist, but that was my assumption.

Good point. Most of the waters I fish have enough riffles that I don't think the water gets very stratified. I never noticed much of a difference except in winter with my non-infrared ones. Certainly on slower water and lakes that's an issue. It may be hard to find spring seeps with the infrared.

 

[tbrom]

$12 from orvis. It is the second one that I have owned in the last 25+ years. I lost the first. It has a aluminum case.

 

[pete41]

amazing how accurate the hand in water test can be.

 

[JackM]

pete41 wrote:
amazing how accurate the hand in water test can be.

I usually get a pretty accurate reading from the water rushing over the top of my waders, too.

 

[pete41]

yeah-been there,done that-lol