Water temperature is a huge deal with all fish.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Local guide and instructor David Armocido from Colusa, CA just emailed me this morning that many of the lower elevation trout streams are still cold, mostly around 40 degrees.

Maybe this summer some of us could start reporting the water temp in the streams we are fishing along with other important fishing info.

I like to see a stream over 50 degrees for some fly fishing action. If the water was still cold around 50 degrees I would fish more mid-day with the hopes of warming from the sun.

I feel that 57 degrees is a number for excellent starting temp for great action.

After 70 degrees in mid-summer (August) thing can slow too. Water gets too low and clear then with no big bugs hatching.

Because of the light snow pack this will be a good early season with May/June being very good but you still need to find streams that warm up quicker.

[darmocido]

Bill, This spring I have been surveying three watersheds and have found the water water to be very clear, lower than normal, but colder than we usually find this time of year. The water temps have been between 42 and 46 with the exception of one week when the water temps hit 50 but dropped to 44 the following week. I have also noticed that when doing snokling surveys for the spring spawn this year that it was delayed as well. I noticed an average of a 2 to 3 week delay from the last two years. Insect wise the bugs have been around but not in the numbers compared to last year. With the warmer weather the bugs will begin to move as the water begins to rise as in years past. I wish all the fly fishermen good luck this opener. ARMO