Preferred Water Temperatures for Fish
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Freshwater Sportfish Saltwater Sportfish
Freshwater Baitfish Saltwater Baitfish

Freshwater Sportfish (Degrees F)
ALEWIFE 54-70
BASS, LARGE MOUTH 80-82
BASS, ROCK 70
BASS, SMALLMOUTH 65-73
BASS SPOTTED 70-78
BASS, STRIPED 65-70
BASS, WHITE 66-75
BASS, WHITEROCK 70s
BASS, YELLOW 80-81
BLOATER 38-45
BLUEGILL 69-85+
BOWFIN 65 +
BUFFALO, BIGMOUTH 81-90
BULLHEAD, BLACK 70-80 +
BULLHEAD, BROWN 74-78
BULLHEAD, YELLOW 83
BURBOT 50-65
CARP, COMMON 79-84
CARPSUCKERS 80-90
CATFISH, CHANNEL 70-87
CATFISH, FLATHEAD 82-88
CHAR, ARCTIC 53-61
CISCO 52-55
CRAPPIE, BLACK 70-75
CRAPPIE, WHITE 61-71
DRUM, FRESHWATER 74
FALLFISH 70s
GAR, LONGNOSE 92
GAR, SHORTNOSE 82-92
GOLDEYE 70+
GRAYLING, ARCTIC 47-52
KOKANEE 50-59
MOONEYE 72-81
MUSKELLUNGE 63-78
PERCH, WHITE 75-85
PERCH, YELLOW 66-77
PICKEREL, CHAIN 66-80
PICKEREL, GRASS 78
PIKE, NORTHERN 55-65
PUMPKINSEED 82
QUILLBACK 72
REDHORSE, NORTHERN 73-80
SALMON, ATLANTIC 50-62
SALMON, CHINOOK 50-63
SALMON, CHUM 48-57
SALMON, COHO 44-57
SALMON LANDLOCKED 45-58
SALMON PINK 49-57
SALMON, SOCKEYE 50-59
SAUGER 66-67
SHAD, AMERICAN 59-70
SMELT, RAINBOW 40-50
SPLAKE 54
STEELHEAD 48-52
STURGEON, ATLANTIC 66
STURGEON, WHITE 63-64
SUCKER, LONGNOSE 53-65
SUCKER, WHITE 66-72
SUNFISH, GREEN 87
SUNFISHES 55-80
TENCH Below 79
TROUT, BROOK 45-61
TROUT, BROWN 56-65
TROUT, CUTTHROAT 50-65
TROUT, GOLDEN 50-60
TROUT, LAKE 40-55
TROUT, RAINBOW 50-70
WALLEYE 59-68
WHITEFISH, LAKE Below 51
WHITEFISH, MOUNTAIN 48-52
WHITEFISH, ROUND 63

Freshwater Baitfish (Degrees F)
BITTERLING 77
CHUB, BLUEHEAD 59
CHUB, LAKE 45-55
DACE, NORTHERN REDBELLY 70
GOLDFISH 77
HOG SUCKER, NORTHERN 50+
KILLIFISHES 85
MINNOW, BLUNTNOSE 84
MINNOW, FATHEAD 84
MOSQUITOFISH 81-85
MUDMINNOWS 55-84
MUDSUCKER, LONGJAW 72
SCULPINS 45-55
SHAD, GIZZARD 63-80
SHAD, THREADFIN 50-55
SHINER, COMMON 65-83
SHINER, EMERALD 61-72
SHINER, GOLDEN 70
SHINER, SPOTFIN 80s
SHINER, SPOTTAIL 54
STONECAT 59
STONEROLLER 84
SUCKER, MOUNTAIN 60-74
TROUT-PERCH 55-60

Saltwater Sportfish (Degrees F)
ALBACORE 61-80
AMBERJACK, GREATER 65-80
BARRACUDA, GREAT 75-82
BASS, BLACK SEA 55-68
BASS, GIANT SEA 65-78
BASS, KELP 65
BASS, STRIPED 56-77
BLUEFISH 64-75
BONEFISH 75-88
BONITO, ATLANTIC 65-76
BONITO, PACIFIC 58-76
CATFISH, GAFFTOPSAIL 68-95
CATFISH, HARDHEAD 77-99
CERO 70-80
COBIA 68-86
COD, ATLANTIC 44-58
CROAKER, ATLANTIC 61+
CUSK 41-46
DOGFISH, SMOOTH 50-59
DOGFISH, SPINY 46-54
DOLPHIN 78-85
DRUM, BLACK 56-80
DRUM, RED 56-84
FLOUNDER, SMOOTH 30-60
FLOUNDER, SUMMER 65-72
FLOUNDER, WINTER 53-60
GOOSEFISH 32-70
GRUNION, CALIFORNIA 77
HADDOCK 45-52
HAKE, RED 40-50
HAKE, SILVER 40-59
HAKE, WHITE 39-48
HALIBUT, ATLANTIC 37-48
HAMMERHEAD, SCALLOPED 62-86
HAMMERHEAD, SMOOTH 67+
JACK, CREVALLE 70-80
JACKSMELT 77
JEWFISH 72-88
KAWAKAWA 60-88
KINGFISH, NORTHERN 46+
KINGFISH, SOUTHERN 50+
MACKEREL, ATLANTIC 45-68
MACKEREL, KING 70-75
MACKEREL, SPANISH 67+
MAKO, SHORTFIN 64-70
MARLIN, BLACK 75-85
MARLIN, BLUE 70-88
MARLIN STRIPED 65-80
MARLIN, WHITE 70-85
OPALEYE 79
PERCH, OCEAN 32-60
PERCH, WHITE 60s-80s
PERMIT 72-84
POLLOCK 45-60
POMPANO, FLORIDA 70-86
ROOSTERFISH 68-85
RUNNER, RAINBOW 70-85
SAILFISH 75-85
SCUP 45+
SEABASS, WHITE 68
SEATROUT, SPOTTED 65-75
SHARK, BLUE 50-68
SHARK, DUSKY 73+
SHARK PORBEAGLE 40-60
SHARK, SANDBAR 74+
SHARK, SILKY 76-84
SHARK, THRESHER 60-75
SHARK, TIGER 55-85
SHARK, WHITE 50-84
SMELT, RAINBOW Below 59
SNAPPER, RED 57-60
SNOOK 70-86
SWORDFISH 58-70
TARPON 74-88
TAUTOG 46-70
TOPSMELT 77
TREVALLY GIANT 70-88
TUNA, BIGEYE 60-75
TUNA, BLACKFIN 70-82
TUNA, BLUEFIN 56-84
TUNA, SKIPJACK 67-78
TUNA, YELLOWFIN 64-80
TUNNY, LITTLE 65+
WAHOO 70-86
WEAKFISH SS-70
WOLFFISH, ATLANTIC 31-52
YELLOWTAIL, CALIFORNIA 60-80

Saltwater Baitfish (Degrees F)
ANCHOVY, BAY 82
ANCHOVY, STRIPED 59-95
BALAO 70-80
BALLYHOO 70s
HERRING, ATLANTIC 53-89
HERRING, SKIPJACK 75-80
MENHADEN, ATLANTIC 66-96
SILVERSIDE, ATLANTIC 64-77

chart information borrowed from Soucie's Field Guide of Fishing Facts

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Revised: 3/17/2003