[LIbodyboarder]

so the water i belive will be colder this weekend or by sunday at least, i hear alot of you talking about waiting for the water to get cooler, but now what happens? does it happen that day or when the winds turn back onshore? clue less and mad

 

[SurfaceStrike]

Coldwater - who needs it?

LI, After a couple of years observing and listening to a few of the sharpies the water temp does not have a lot to do with the Bass showing up. Many of the Bass get here when the water is cool, not becasue the water is cooler. The Bass show up in the spring and in the fall because of their migration patterns out of and into the Hudson river and the Chesepeake Bay area. If you doubt what I'm saying just check the Montauk surf reports N'oreast has been posting lately. People catching 20+ Bass at a clip and the waters 71 degrees. The fish are not tremendous in size but the Bass are out there in force. Now something I'd like some of the sharpies to comment on is does the cooler water bring the cows in close to the beach.? Or do they migrate at a slower rate and just get here when the water happens to be cooler. Another comment I would like to throw out there is someone will say they follow the bait. But the bait has been here in droves since late August but no Bass. Why because the have not migrated yet. When they get here they will have a feast.

 

[matt17]

cooler water temps

The water temps dropping is one of the factors that trigger the migration... fish don't have calendars.

 

[614347]

When the water temperature reaches 82 degrees, Striped Bass start to die.

The water temperature in the Western Sound at the end of August had reached 79 degrees. From 79 degrees, to 71 degrees is a drop in my book. Ever hear of the "Summer Doldrums"?

Think about Wintertime, and fish that are "trapped" in a warm water outflow. If they leave it, it might be fatal. Fish seek their comfort zone, and obviously, water temperature and dissolved oxygen are more important than bait. The abundance of bait in our waters will HOLD them, but it won't "attract" them, because they are following their next meal right now. Only "discomfort" will make them move.

Cape Cod may have food right through December, but the predators will be long gone by then!

Flounder