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| I have an opportunity to go musky fishing in a West Virginia river in the middle of July. Generally speaking, is there an appreciable risk in musky mortality during the warmer months? I like to catch-and-release not catch-and-kill. If the risks of hurting the musky are too high, i'll simply fish for something else. |
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Location: oconomowoc, wi | yes |
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| The general rule is when the water gets to 80 and above delayed mortality becomes an issue. |
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Location: The desert | Go fish. The fate of the species doesn't hang in the balance. |
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Location: minocqua, wi. | no problems … fish away ... |
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Location: Oconto Falls, WI | jonnysled - 6/29/2014 9:25 PM
no problems … fish away ...
I wouldn't exactly take this advice. To say there are no problems is being a poor steward of our natural resources. As water temps increase so does the probability of mortality. As the first poster commented the general rule of thumb is to not fish for muskies once the water temps reach 80°, and is followed by most musky anglers around the U.S.
Do a search for warm water temps and you will find a lot of lively discussion around the topic. |
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Location: Waukesha, WI, USA | Thought the main stewards of our natural resource was the DNR. If it's so bad, why dont they regulate. They have all but eliminated walleye tournaments in the hot months on most lakes. Their records show they are not afraid to be proactive in these types of situations. Instead of telling the guy not to fish, how about educating him on possible ways to handle fish if one is caught in warmer water. Things like short fight, releasing boat side in water without removing from water, barbless hooks etc. Dam, with all the vacationers fishing for musky all these years in August, it's surprising that we have any fish left......... He says tongue in cheek. |
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Location: Chisholm, MN | Sunshine - 6/30/2014 8:05 AM
Thought the main stewards of our natural resource was the DNR. If it's so bad, why dont they regulate. They have all but eliminated walleye tournaments in the hot months on most lakes. Their records show they are not afraid to be proactive in these types of situations. Instead of telling the guy not to fish, how about educating him on possible ways to handle fish if one is caught in warmer water. Things like short fight, releasing boat side in water without removing from water, barbless hooks etc. Dam, with all the vacationers fishing for musky all these years in August, it's surprising that we have any fish left......... He says tongue in cheek.
Because the DNR is limited by government legislators and the public. They would make rules to protect the resource, but there are many other factors that limit their ability to manage the resource the best way for the fish.
Edited by Kirby Budrow 6/30/2014 8:19 AM
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| Sunshine,
Fishermen and the DNR are stewards of the resource. You are right in that education helps. And it is a fact that hot water increases delayed mortality. Now if you want to fish warm water, that is your right. The DNR cannot put a water temp limit, unenforceable. But as stewards of the resource, musky fisherman can police themselves. Just hang the rod up for a few weeks. In my opinion, not doing so is irresponsible. And for a novice? It is a teachable moment. But for a guide or tournament fisherman? Again, irresponsible.
Falling back on why doesn't the DNR regulate is just a statement that one would make when trying to rationalize a poor decision to keep fishing. Tying it into barbless hooks, short fights, water releases...etc again is an attempt to convince yourself that it is okay. |
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Posts: 2015
| just to play devils advocate 
1) Surface temps are 78 - You catch a nice one a hold it up out of the water for 30-45 seconds to measure and take pictures
2) Surface temp is 81 - You catch a nice fish and you water release the fish (never take out of the water)
Which fish has a better chance of delayed mortality? I just get a kick out of the 80 degree mark ...but oh its 77-79 were still good |
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Location: Chisholm, MN | IAJustin - 6/30/2014 9:03 AM
just to play devils advocate
1 ) Surface temps are 78 - You catch a nice one a hold it up out of the water for 30-45 seconds to measure and take pictures
2 ) Surface temp is 81 - You catch a nice fish and you water release the fish (never take out of the water )
Which fish has a better chance of delayed mortality? I just get a kick out of the 80 degree mark ...but oh its 77-79 were still good : )
Agreed. Just be careful with each fish no matter the water temp |
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Location: minocqua, wi. | IAJustin - 6/30/2014 9:03 AM
just to play devils advocate
1 ) Surface temps are 78 - You catch a nice one a hold it up out of the water for 30-45 seconds to measure and take pictures
2 ) Surface temp is 81 - You catch a nice fish and you water release the fish (never take out of the water )
Which fish has a better chance of delayed mortality? I just get a kick out of the 80 degree mark ...but oh its 77-79 were still good : )
^yup
try to remember the summer 3 and 4 years ago, compare it to this summer … then apply some logic and common sense. you know when it's a bad deal and not just for the fish, sucked being on the water back when we had it bad. this year at least around here … go fishing. |
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Location: Smith Creek | WV ain't WI.
If your goal is to catch a muskie, take Sled or Pointer's advice.
If your goal is to catch and safely release a muskie, make sure there's plenty of current and keep the handling to a minimum, or fish for something else.
Edited by Flambeauski 6/30/2014 9:31 AM
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Location: Waukesha, WI, USA | Carp guy,
I and many others will not call you irresponsible for fishing in July. As said earlier, there are many articles on the subject. Here is one where a DNR rep is quoted. http://www.outdoornews.com/August-2012/Help-stop-delayed-mortality-...
If you are a Muskie inc member, you Probually should abide by their suggestion of not fishing at all when water temps reach 80°. And please remember to hold the fish the way people tell you to or they will burn your house down. And please please use only their method of using suckers or you will be labeled a terrorist. God made the 10 commandments but remember that in Muskie fishing "the purists and elitists" will condemn you first if you do not abide by their holy than thou rules (there's more than 10 by the way). And please please forget that it is only a fish. ROTFLMAO |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Put it this way.....
Will you enjoy your time more by going fishing or not going fishing because some dope on the Internet told you not to?
Life is short, go fishing. Good grief. |
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Location: oconomowoc, wi | ahh.. Summernet |
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| So basically when the temp is 79.999999 it's bombs away but when it crosses to 80 you better shut it down? Got it...
What if you have a piece of underwater structure where one side it reads 80.1 but a few yards away it's 79.9?
Or do you just opt for using common sense and limiting how much you handle a fish by avoiding the need to stroke your own ego with a bunch of pictures, opting for total water releases and not netting fish....
Not all 80 degree water is the same and common sense needs to be used whether temps are in the high 70's or if they are in the low 40's. There are conditions where even 65 degree water can have little to no oxygen and fish can die if fought in that sort of stuff. There are also conditions where temps could be over 80 and the water will be packed with dissolved oxygen.
Not all temp gauges/sensors read the same. I have three different tools to read water temps in my boat and they all read differently. A friend recently rigged two identical Lowrance units on his boat...same model, same size, had two identical transducers, etc. Right out of the box they had a difference of 2 degrees.
To a large extent Pointer is right, just go out and fish but do so using common sense. 80 degrees is basically the accepted benchmark but circumstances to occur where 65 degrees is worse than 85 degrees. |
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Location: Smith Creek | The OP didn't ask if he should fish or stay home. He asked if mortality increases with temps (it does) and mentioned if it did he would fish for something else. Not stay home or kill himself, just fish for something else, like the rest of us do when it's too hot.
My goal when deer hunting is to make a clean kill, so I won't take a 800 yard shot, even though it's legal and there's a chance I will achieve my goal, the chance that I wound the animal is greatly increased. |
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Location: minocqua, wi. | can we reintroduce the bass and hot water = please?!!
may have to do a thread search today. |
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Location: Hayward, WI | Flambeauski - 6/30/2014 10:27 AM
The OP didn't ask if he should fish or stay home. He asked if mortality increases with temps (it does) and mentioned if it did he would fish for something else. Not stay home or kill himself, just fish for something else, like the rest of us do when it's too hot.
My goal when deer hunting is to make a clean kill, so I won't take a 800 yard shot, even though it's legal and there's a chance I will achieve my goal, the chance that I wound the animal is greatly increased.
Good post here. Sometimes many are taking things too literally. The OP is concerned for the resource and asked a responsibe question. No need to receive a bunch of sarcastic answers.
Of course there are variables, like is the water 80 degrees at the very surface, or is it also 80+ degrees 15 feet down (like what we had a couple years ago)? I'll be careful, but still fish if the water climbs to just over 80, but only at the first couple feet within the surface, with cooler water below. If the weather has been so hot for so long that water is hot several feet down, it's time to fish for walleyes.
Things to keep in mind is the hotter the water, the greater the risk for the fish. Keep unhooking time as short as possible. Cut hooks right away if it seems removal is difficult otherwise (remember to remove any still embedded hook pieces). If you do want a picture, take just one or two very quick ones rather than a 30-60 second photo session.
Act quickly and with care, and do what seems reasonable. Sure, it's "just a fish," but when there aren't many to begin with, and it takes 15-20 years to get them to the size we all really want to catch, I want as many to survive as possible.
Tucker
Edited by curleytail 6/30/2014 10:54 AM
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Location: central Wisconsin | The bass are on fire right now in Vilas county. That is what we did when we couldn't catch any muskies this past weekend. A lot of 16-17" largemouth and of course we then caught a muskie while bassin. |
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Location: Waukesha, WI, USA | What he asks is "If the risks of hurting the musky are too high". He has heard both sides of the argument. He can now make his own judgement in an adult and analytical manner.
No one here in all certainty can say all muskies will die when temps hit the magic number. Some believe that it happens in a worst case scenario when other unintentional things also occur. Some believe (and are entitled to their opinion) that if one fish dies it is inhumane. Others believe ( and they too have a right to their opinion) that if one fish perishes after hundreds caught and released successfully, it is an acceptable risk for those at the top of the food chain.
Don't let others make you feel bad or evil regardless of your choice. For me, I already know I'm evil.
I'm evil because (in some peoples eyes):
In no particular order
I guide
I tournament fish
I fish for the fun of it not just for food
I think killing a deer is okay
I don't agree with baiting or using dogs for bear hunting
I think trolling for Muskie is acceptable everywhere in Wisconsin
I think northerns are just as important as Muskie
I don't think Indians should spear
I believe jerks come in all colors (tried using another word but site wouldn't let me..lol)
I eat meat
I think it's okay to own guns
I believe wearing fur is okay
I think Obama is trying his best
I don't think wars should be fought over oil
I don't think social security is an entitlement. I think the government owes you the $$ you put in with interest.
Because my wife says so
List goes on and on and on...".... Feel free to add to the list.
Have a good day and keep smiling and laughing at yourself. I'm out of this fight.
Edited by Sunshine 6/30/2014 11:47 AM
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| You had me until the Obama part.... |
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Location: Waukesha, WI, USA | Lol, added a few more. Can't help but try to irk almost everyone. I can only think of one man that was perfect, but then again, he wasn't married. |
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Location: Sun Prairie, WI | Sunshine - 6/30/2014 11:43 AM Lol, added a few more. Can't help but try to irk almost everyone. I can only think of one man that was perfect, but then again, he wasn't married. And even HE hung around with a hooker!  |
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| Thanks for all of the replies. You have all given me a lot to consider. |
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Location: oswego, il | Its all about dissolved oxygen rivers will ha e more of it. 80 is a general guideline, some places will be on at 80 while others will be bad. Alot of people talk the game but when it hits up 80 up north and in Canada, those people spending their hard earned dollars on a preplanned vacation are still musky fishing. Hang around here in August during a hot summer and this will ck.e up. |
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| Will be fishing this summer regardless of water temp |
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Location: The desert | longcastinlefty - 6/30/2014 3:31 PM
Will be fishing this summer regardless of water temp
Should have some extra room with all the folks sitting on the sidelines....
Edited by Pointerpride102 6/30/2014 6:53 PM
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Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | Pointerpride102 - 6/30/2014 9:56 AM
Put it this way.....
Will you enjoy your time more by going fishing or not going fishing because some dope on the Internet told you not to?
Life is short, go fishing. Good grief.
Plus the fish are more hungry when water temps are higher... ie... they eat more often.... Just go fish, and get em back into the water asap.. |
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Location: Washington, PA | Depending on the river in WV, good chance water temps won't be as high as the lakes. not to mention there is a lot of dissolved oxygen (again depending on the particular river). I don't generally worry about it in the rivers compared to the lakes. I fish the rivers all summer. |
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Posts: 109
| I agree with tomyv. There is a lot of current in a lot of the wv rivers. I think that helps a lot. The lakes are boiling so I try to stay off them. I caught 47.5 a little over a week ago and my buddy raised presumably the same fish 4 days later. We have been getting a lot of thunderstorms to which helps cool the rivers down.
Anyway there aren't any fish in wv anyways.
Edited by buckner 7/1/2014 7:58 AM
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| ulbian - 6/30/2014 10:22 AM
So basically when the temp is 79.999999 it's bombs away but when it crosses to 80 you better shut it down? Got it...
Use common sense. Obviously temperature and it's effects are on a continuum. Otherwise, you could say what's another 10th of a degree, and work yourself up to believing that fishing in 90 degree water would be fine. Reminds me of the old story (probably a myth) about the Japanese in WWII trying to train paratroopers to jump without parachutes on the theory that, if they could survive 20 feet, then surely 21, and so on into absurdity. |
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Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | Buckner. What lakes are Boiling ??
What does water boil at ? 220*F+ Cut me a break..... |
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Posts: 109
| I'm talking about lakes in wv. Don't get so excited. Just a statement. Excuse my ignorance. They are around 85 right now not boiling but hot.
Edited by buckner 7/2/2014 8:04 AM
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Location: Duluth, MN | Top H2O - 7/1/2014 10:11 PM
Buckner. What lakes are Boiling ??
What does water boil at ? 220*F+ Cut me a break.....
If you want to get on a guy and take things so literally that obviously weren't intended to be, you should probably get your facts straight. Water boils at 212 degrees. |
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Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | ammoman16 - 7/2/2014 8:19 AM
Top H2O - 7/1/2014 10:11 PM
Buckner. What lakes are Boiling ??
What does water boil at ? 220*F+ Cut me a break.....
If you want to get on a guy and take things so literally that obviously weren't intended to be, you should probably get your facts straight. Water boils at 212 degrees.
Haa.ha... I spent a yr. in WV. about 10 yrs. ago and never saw the lakes there get over that Magic Number"80*"......It must be a really HOT summer there this early into the summer........ My Bad. |
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Location: Smith Creek | That settles it. If the OP is heading to WV in mid July ten years ago he won't need to worry about the temps! |
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| I'd love to be fishing the lakes but stonewall was 80 the first week of June. |
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| buckner - 7/2/2014 11:27 AM
I'd love to be fishing the lakes but stonewall was 80 the first week of June.
Buckner is right, and the lakes in WV always get above 80 surface temps. Most streams in my area get above 80 too. I used to fish the lakes/streams when the water was hot but after I was educated about delayed mortality, I stopped. I have read articles about the facts of delayed mortality but I wish a biologist or muskies inc or someone would publish this so more people would at least understand that fishing hot water is not a good thing. |
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Location: Kansas City BBQ Capitol of the world | I"m in Missouri and have always followed the 80 degree rule but have struggled with it too. Here the fish are not natural to the latitude and need to be stocked. Our Muskies don't live as long on this latitude. How long I am not sure but with a lower life expectancy even if I don't fish for them the bigger ones may be dead by the time I fish again.
In the most recent Missouri Muskie Management report the studies have shown that it will take a female 5 to 8 years to reach 36"s based on lake. While it takes the males a few years longer. The studies have also indicated that the life expectancy has surpassed by the time a Missouri Muskie reaches 50 inches.
However, one 50" fish to my knowledge has been caught.
The fish will be stocked so there is no danger of them not producing. A 48" fish may or may not be there this next fall. I want to believe that 48 will turn into a 50 but the data and numbers so far don't support that and if so it's rare.
I think the Southern States need to look at it a little differently than the Northern states where there waters don't get as hot, the fish live longer and where the Muskies are natural spawners to reproduce.
It's a struggle.
Ron |
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Musky - safe to catch in warm water?