Introduction

As an angler, it’s important to have a basic understanding of how water temperature affects fish feeding habits and, by extension, fish health. Understanding when fish are susceptible and need special attention can mean the difference between a fantastic day of sport and a bad one.

Fish in rivers, lakes, and canals are susceptible to changes in water temperature. Their location changes throughout the year as they seek cooler water in the hot summer and warmer water in the cold winter, affecting their growth, nutrition, and reproduction. Water temperatures are crucial to the survival of fish stocks under extreme weather.

This makes the topic of fish care in extreme weather conditions a fascinating one. Whether you’re fishing in the hot summer or the cold winter, treating your catch with the care it deserves is important. Let’s find out how to achieve great fish care in this article.

How does Extreme Weather Affect Fish?

It’s not likely that you’ll have much luck fishing during a brutal hot spell or sudden cold snap because fish dislike abrupt fluctuations in temperature and prefer steady temps and gradual adjustments. Extreme weather affects fish in so many ways and some of these include:

The potential species of fish you may catch is affected by the weather’s extremes.

Within reasonable bounds, the colder the temperature, the slower the metabolic rate of freshwater fish, making digestion a slower process. You won’t have much luck catching freshwater fish like tench, crucians, and rudd in the dead of winter because they rarely eat during this period. However, fishes like chub and roach, continue to feed even in extremely cold temperatures, making them prime targets as winter approaches.

The location of fish schools is mostly dependent on the weather

Fish will concentrate in warmer water, which is typically found deeper in rivers and cities than in the countryside, therefore water temperature is another factor in determining fish distribution. This explains why some of the best winter roach fishing can be found in the heart of the city. During the warmer months of the year, fish will congregate in areas of streams with overhanging trees and whirlpools for cooler water and increased oxygen levels.

Extreme weather affects digestion

Fish are better able to digest food, have more energy, and eat more frequently when water temperatures rise. This causes the fish to become more active, making them simpler to catch. However, there is a limit, because the quantity of oxygen that dissolves in the water diminishes as the temperature rises. Summertime drops in lake and river levels exacerbate this problem since there is less water for fish to live in and the temperature of shallow water rises more quickly. 

When water temperatures are high and water levels are low, fish are more likely to contract diseases and parasites, thus we need to exercise extra caution when handling fish.

Oxygen Availability is affected by the Weather

Photosynthesis in water plants and weeds creates oxygen during the day but uses up oxygen in the water at night. This means that early morning, when the air may feel significantly cooler, is the time of day with the lowest oxygen levels in hot climates. This means that morning catches, especially those from weedy, small-scale still-water fisheries, may be especially vulnerable.

Fish like trout and salmon are particularly sensitive to high water temperatures and low oxygen levels, while species like carp and eels are more resilient in these conditions. If your fishery is a fast-moving natural river with lots of riffles and shallows, the water will have higher dissolved oxygen levels in hot weather than if it were a slow-moving canalized river or still water.

Fish Care to Observe during Hot Summer Fishing

Hot Summer Fishing has its challenges and most new anglers struggle. It’s tough to catch fish and even keeping these creatures alive after appears to be an extreme sport. It can be difficult, but if you have an open mind and figure out what the fish desire, you can make a lot of progress.

I get that there are instances when fish die and you can’t do anything to save them, but I’d also wager that you could have prevented 75% of the problems you can have when caring for fish. Here’s how:

Try fishing in the mornings or evenings when temperatures are lower

It’s not just the water temperature that can affect fish survival, but also the air temperature. For example, when air temperatures are above 95 degrees, catch-and-release mortality for striped bass increases from 0.8% to up to 17.2%.

When possible, avoid taking fish out of the water and releasing them into the hot sun

Keep the fish submerged in water while your photo-taking companion sets up the camera. Then fire off a rapid shot and get the fish back into the water as soon as you can! If you can stop the drips by holding it over your head, you’ve probably waited too long.

Mortality during the warm season will differ from fish to fish and from region to region

Research the fisheries you intend to fish in to ensure a successful expedition. Each of us should be aware of the temperatures at which the fish we intend to catch will be distressed, and we should think about switching species or bodies of water to pursue fish that are better suited to the weather.

If the temperature outside is extremely high, you may want to postpone your fishing trip

If you go fishing in an area where fish mortality is high, you might want to bring home a few extra for the aquarium, even if you don’t consume them. Instead of releasing a fish that you are aware will perish and go to waste, consider sharing the fillets with your neighbor.

Keep your livewell Maintained

Fish in a livewell for a fishing tournament should have constant circulation of water and oxygen provided by an oxygen injection device or aerator. This ensures that the livewell’s dissolved oxygen levels remain optimal. 

Best catch-and-release methods should be used at all times

In the summer, anglers who intend to keep their catch should still consider the heat because it is impossible to avoid occasionally reeling in a fish that is too small to keep. These small fish that we release today will become trophies tomorrow, but only if they live to bite and fight another day.

Don’t go after the deep-water, cold-water species

Even if the water at the surface may be 70 degrees or more, some fish, like salmon, could be swimming deep down in water that is as cool as 45 to 50 degrees. It might be dangerous to even reel them up through the 20-degree temperature difference, let alone expose them to air temperatures of 90 degrees. The fish you reel up from deep water always faces the risk of barotrauma injury and death.

Fish Care to Observe during Cold Winter Fishing

You might be tempted to put away your fishing gear for the season now that winter is quickly approaching and temperatures are reaching record lows. Even though most fishermen are forced indoors to keep warm by their wood stoves, fishing may be just as enjoyable in the winter as it is in the summer. 

Freshwater species congregate in the winter, making for an excellent fishing season. However, there is considerable planning and fish care required for cold winter fishing. These include:

Keep Fish in Water While Handling Them

Due to their lack of a central nervous system, fish are entirely at the mercy of the external temperature conditions in which they find themselves. Fish should never be kept out of water for long periods, but this is especially true when temperatures drop below freezing. Soft tissue, such as eyes and gills, are crucial to survival but are especially vulnerable to cold.

To this end, fish should be handled and unhooked in the water whenever feasible.

Take Off Your Gloves

Wearing gloves when fishing is a rarity for me. They’re well-liked by some people. Even yet, it’s tempting to let dry, warm gloves sway you away from the best catch-and-release methods. To avoid losing the slime coating that protects the fish from hazardous fungi, germs, and ectoparasites, it is preferable to remove any form of glove and moisten your hands with water before handling fish.

Ensure You Keep Your Hands Warm

Those hands… Now they’re drenched and probably won’t stop feeling like a fish out of the water until spring. If you don’t warm them up, you might feel compelled to keep your gloves on the whole time you fish, increasing the risk of injury or death to your catch.

Keep your hands warm by tucking a modest microfiber towel into the main compartment of your waders when fishing in temperatures below zero. They’re much easier to clean compared to a pair of fishing gloves.

Final Thoughts

While the vast majority of anglers prefer to fish in stable weather conditions, hot summer and cold winter fishing are great adventures to explore. Using all the fish care tips in this piece, you can easily navigate the hurdles that are involved.

All it takes is extra effort to ensure your catch is in the best condition and treat each catch according to the suitable weather. Hot or Cold, You’ve got this!