Water temps

[bdrieck]

I know not many people have been out but does anyone have a current water temp in close and around reef complex?

[skipper9]

I do.
Wild wings beach 46 degrees
Cone reef 41.5
C can 42.2
Mouse island 42.6
East harbor 45.2

[BlueWalleye]

Hey Jim, do you happen to also have temps out a bit further around Kelleys or the other islands? I'd imagine it would be a bit colder farther out? Thanks!

[Jim Teasdale]

I do not know the meaning of water temperatures. Would someone mind explaining the meaning of water temperatures. Thanks!

[BlueWalleye]

I am relatively new here, but from what I have gathered, as the water temps approach 50 degrees and above, crawler harnesses can start to outproduce crank baits (reef runners, down deep husky jerks, bandits, etc)

[Just One More]

http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/glcfs/...ram=swt&type=n

Try this link for water temps (Surface)

http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/glcfs/...ram=bwt&type=n (Bottom)

[Capt Juls]

This might help...
http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/erie/e1.html

[West Basin]

I've posted this before but since this thread is about water temperatures I'll mention it again. Water temperatures are generally taken at the surface or a few feet down. Your depth finder / fish finder is the same. This time of year through mid to late June there is a thermocline in the Western Basin. As spring advances and the water warms, it is the surface layer that warms first. It might be 42 degrees at or near the surface but the bottom, where the walleye are spawning, might still be 38 degrees. This is especially true out off the reefs in the deeper water. The shallow reefs do warm more quickly and winds / currents mix the water there faster, but the thermocline is usually still present. If you really want to know the water temperature where the walleye are get and take along a water temperature thermometer. You can purchase them pretty cheap, from simple standard mercury tube to fancy electronic. Once you get out to the area you expect to fish drop it over and take the temperature just off the bottom. If you find an area with a little warmer bottom temp that's probably a better place to fish, everything else being equal or similar.

[Jim Teasdale]

Thank you for the information!!!

[skipper9]

I've posted this before but since this thread is about water temperatures I'll mention it again. Water temperatures are generally taken at the surface or a few feet down. Your depth finder / fish finder is the same. This time of year through mid to late June there is a thermocline in the Western Basin. As spring advances and the water warms, it is the surface layer that warms first. It might be 42 degrees at or near the surface but the bottom, where the walleye are spawning, might still be 38 degrees. This is especially true out off the reefs in the deeper water. The shallow reefs do warm more quickly and winds / currents mix the water there faster, but the thermocline is usually still present. If you really want to know the water temperature where the walleye are get and take along a water temperature thermometer. You can purchase them pretty cheap, from simple standard mercury tube to fancy electronic. Once you get out to the area you expect to fish drop it over and take the temperature just off the bottom. If you find an area with a little warmer bottom temp that's probably a better place to fish, everything else being equal or similar.

Right now today the thermocline is at 22 feet. So any water shallower that 22 feet the water on surface and bottom will be very close in temp. The water deeper than 22 has about a two degree between top and bottom. According to my fish hawk