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Ideal Temprature

Sean Smith

Sean Smith

Senior Member
Hi Guys

What is the ideal temprature for getting barbel then as i see a lot of posts with temp readings taking place

Cheers

Sean
 
Higher than it was the day before Sean, if it's above 45c then even better..........
 
At the moment Sean its going the right way . You looking for milder wet days like it has been this fingers cross should put the temps up a bit
 
Sean Smith said:
Hi Guys

What is the ideal temprature for getting barbel then as i see a lot of posts with temp readings taking place

Cheers

Sean
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When it's warm enough to fish in your tee shirt, and the water is cool enough to cool your feet down after a long walk to your swim :p

Low 60's i reckon, May flys hatching, flowers blooming, ducklings, and cygnets swimming, Mmmmmm ! Oops dreaming again !!
 
Ian Crook said:
Higher than it was the day before Sean, if it's above 45c then even better..........
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Presuming you meant 45F, Ian? I've had baths colder than 45C!;)

Ideally, I'd want it a boat load warmer than any UK river is now. Seem to recall the Trent fishing its rocks off last summer with water temperatures getting into the 20-25C range.:eek:
 
Oops, oh yes, derr, 45c would be nice though, you could stand in the water mid river up to your waist with cocktails on one of those floating pool trays ;)
 
Hello Sean one of the main reasons you will see temps being noted is that the anglers taking these readings are not just looking for a specific temp but also a rising temp. A rising temp being a better indicator of things to come that a falling temp, during a session if I have my thermometer I might hang on that bit longer if the temps rising.
 
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I would say that just as important as a rise Clive, is the temperature trend.
Though a rise is most likely to get fish feeding, temperature stability can also offer good sport, and when temperatures have remained below what might be considered optimum for a lengthy period, fish will be inclined to feed.
I have said before too, that at this time of the year, watching the forecast can bring results. Let's say that temperature has remained favourably constant for a week or so but a high pressure system has been forecast for arrival in a few days time, I would be encouraged by such and look to get out beforehand. In my experience fish are well aware of arriving weather systems that they realise will affect their ability to feed and so will take advantage of favourable temperatures to take in what they can before those sytems arrive.
 
According to Phil Smith in a article he wrote in Coarse Angling Today . He suggests a temperture 40 F and ascending is better than 50 F and descending
 
If it's a stable 10 degrees plus after a cold snap, i'm back on the banks! :)
 
For me it is any thing below 43 F is going to be difficult, and it will improve with every degree higher. However the very best is after a cold spell like the one most of us have just seen when heavy rain comes in from the West and brings the levels up to near bank high. This will will raise temperatures by as much as 7 or 8 degrees in a short time, and will initiate a Barbel feeding frenzy when they will loose caution, no longer be tackle shy, and take big lumps of meat.
I think Ian Crook, early on in the thread, got it about right when he said when ever it is warmer than yesterday.
ATB
Colin
 
Mark de Lancey said:
If it's a stable 10 degrees plus after a cold snap, i'm back on the banks! :)
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10C You could be in for a long wait Mark, the way i see it the rivers havent been above 4.5C since the end of November, i have caught barbel well at 5C, the rivers are well on there way to 6C. On that i am on the bank tomorrow....
 
Sean,
as others have said it is a rising trend we are looking for. Two January's back we had a long cold spell with river temps at around 2-3C. A warm spell of rain moved in late January and the river flooded with warm water to 9C, I used this info to time a visit to the river and caught my seasons best Barbel on my third cast. Could be on for similar weather this weekend.
I seldom leave to go fishing nowadays without checking the Met Office weather site and EA river levels site all of which help me make the decision on what bait/tactic/swim etc I'll target when I'm on the banks.
 
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Get in this weekend as the cold weather is due to swamp us again next week.....:(:(
 
Good advice Jon,
as they say, an hour on the river at the right time is worth a week on the river at the wrong time.
 
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