Your Local Stream Temps

[troutbert]

acristickid wrote:
What is the proper way to take a temperature? Wade to middle of stream and hold under for 1 min? What is the consensus on this.

I don't think there's any need to wade to the middle, particularly if you don't have your boots on.

I just find a place along the bank where there is some flow, not in slack water. And where you aren't just downstream from a trib or spring or anything else that might throw things off.

Drop the thermometer in shallow water near the bank. Wait a "little while," then check the temp. Then put in back in a little longer. Then check again. And repeat until the temp is no longer changing.

It doesn't take long for the thermometer to adjust to the water temp, but I've never timed how long it takes. And that would vary. It would take longer for the thermometer to change 30 degrees than to change 5 degrees.

So just check it a few times. If each time you check the water temp is a little lower, then it is still adjusting. When you get two readings in a row that are the same, then the thermometer has reached the stream temp.

 

[troutbert]

BrookieChaser wrote:
Since it's been burnt already.

You're not the only one to catch wild trout out of there, TB. Both BT and ST reside there.

This section of Wallace Run is stocked with hatchery trout, so it's listed in the regs booklet and on the PFBC website as such. And it's stocking is announced every year in the local newspaper.

So yah, it's already "burnt."

 

[wildtrout2]

I fished the same wild freestone as last week, which was at 58F then, and today it was 60F at 8:00AM (air temp 70F) , then 62 at 3:00PM (air temp 80F). It was nice to catch the rhodys in bloom.

 

[k-bob]

wt2's water temps seem fine. and with the whitewater, the oxygen levels may be higher than the temps alone suggest; could probably support many trout

I have never tried it, but a simple dissolved oxygen test kit might be $60 for 30 tests... the scale of one tops at a high level great for trout (10 or so) and has a midpoint (5-6) below which progressive stress sets in. however, it might be tough to use this color-based kit in tainted water (tannin, etc)... still I sometimes fish clearish streams that tumble a bit and wonder what the implications of water temps approaching 64 or 65 are... kit may be less accurate than a gauge, but probably better than using temp alone as a proxy for oxygen..

https://www.amazon.com/CHEMetrics-K-7512-Dissolved-Oxygen-Range/dp/B00N5IHZOI/ref=pd_cp_328_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00N5IHZOI&pd_rd_r=798KDKRMZ91WAN3S4ZXN&pd_rd_w=sYicZ&pd_rd_wg=oUluV&psc=1&refRID=798KDKRMZ91WAN3S4ZXN

http://www2.clarku.edu/departments/biology/biol201/2008/ermiller/images/ppmdo.gif

"The ideal dissolved oxygen concentration for many fish is between 7 and 9 mg/l; the optimal DO for adult brown trout is 9-12 mg/l. Most fish cannot survive at concentrations below 3 mg/l of dissolved oxygen." (note mg/l = ppm, the scale metric of kit)

"Brook trout normally require high oxygen concentrations with optimum conditions at dissolved oxygen concentrations near saturation and temperatures above 15° C. Local or temporal variations should not decrease to less than 5 mg/l (Mills 1971)."

 

[troutbert]

fayettenamese wrote:
Dunbar Creek FFO was 62.3 yesterday at 11am when I finished up.

What type of thermometer do you use that gives readings in tenths?

I'm looking to upgrade thermometers from the typical kind sold in fly shops, which I think are hard to read.

A digital display would be good.

 

[jifigz]

Troutbert, why not try a cheap digital cooking thermometer from Wal-Mart. I used to use one. Now I use an Orvis thermometer and it is nice but noted quick or accurate as the old kitchen thermometer.

Wildtrout2, that is a lovely brown from a lovely stream. The temps sound like they hold well there too. I haven't been able to make it out to do readings yet. Life is just too busy sometimes. I will measure the Juniata this evening though as that is a short walk. Someone posted the Susquehanna downriver was at 90°! That's crazy! The Juniata never gets nearly that warm here. There are too many top notch cool-water trout streams that dump into it.

 

[Swattie87]

Baker Run - Clinton County - 07/23 7:00 AM - 60F

Air temp was low 70's.

 

[fayettenamese]

Today- Dunbar FFO-65.8 degrees at 7:45am. Air temp 66. Water was noticeably warmer today with the warm rain.

I use a digital fish tank thermometer. Found them on ebay for $4. Bought 3 of them and first one has lasted over a year so far.

 

[724flyfishing]

Today- a little unnamed Laurel Highlands blueline. The temp was between 60 and 65. Looked closer to 60 on my thermometer, so I'll say 62. I got there at 8:30 am, fished until 11, and it stayed the same temp. The creek was surprisingly low and clear for all the rain this summer. I'd guess it's running half of winter time flows, but I guess that's about normal for summer flows to be roughly half of winter flows for fast gradient freestoners in the Laurel Highlands.

 

[fayettenamese]

Today- A small stream that will go unnamed in Forbes States Forest was 51 degrees!!!!!!!! Air temp was 56. Both temps were at 8am. The stream was absolutely ripping. Fish were extracted from slow water areas.

To the above post by 724flyfishing...

There has been a common precip boundry line that runs east to west across the laurel highlands almost all summer long. To the north, dry conditions persist. To the south, water abounds. I store precip maps after each storm.

 

[724flyfishing]

fayettenamese wrote:

To the above post by 724flyfishing...

There has been a common precip boundry line that runs east to west across the laurel highlands almost all summer long. To the north, dry conditions persist. To the south, water abounds. I store precip maps after each storm.

That makes sense. I was in the North end of Chestnut Ridge. Westmoreland/Indiana/Cambria County boundary area.

 

[Hook_Jaw]

Many streams in my area are still fishable with good temps yet.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Even with the flooding rains, Valley Creek in SEPA was 65 yesterday, albeit chocolaty. Air was a cool 75 when I quit at 9:30 AM, but we have had weeks of mid-90s leading up. A basic black bugger scared up half a dozen...

 

[sarce]

Sunday 7/23 Monocacy River in Frederick MD was 80 degrees at 11 a.m. Fishing sucked, one 8" smallmouth in 3 hrs, plus a bunch of sunfish.

A small mountain wild trout stream on Catoctin Mountain was 72 degrees at 4 PM Sunday. A brief downpour moved through minutes later, and had no impact on the temperature when I checked again at 6 pm. I did not fish here.

Potomac River at Little Falls USGS gage reached 92!!! last Friday.

Nice sustained cool weather we have for a few days now, I bet the smaller streams will start fishing well again.

 

[jifigz]

I still have yet to make it to a trout stream but yesterday evening the Juniata was at 78° and the smallies were destroying a size 10 clouser minnow.

 

[fayettenamese]

A blue line in Fayette Co, near the mason dixon line was 54.5 degrees at 8am today. Air temp was 66.

 

[troutbert]

What do yinz think is the optimum water temp for trout fishing?

IMHO it is right at about 56F.

 

[Jessed]

I'd say around 60^ I've noticed browns optimal temp is more broad than rainbows and brookies.

 

[fayettenamese]

58-62 seems the best for me

 

[Swattie87]

In my experience, Browns are dialed in at about 60. Brookies perhaps a couple degrees colder, high 50's.

I don't have a ton of experience with Rainbows, and nearly all of that is stockies, but they seem to be very active well up into the 60's, approaching 70 even. Anyone else notice this?