Water Temperature
Paranoia and fixation with water temperature readings on the depth sounders is common place with many barra anglers. Summer and Winter fishing will see many anglers in search for the warmest possible waters.
Warm water theories govern angler movements in many cases, but does it govern the fish in the same manner? If we all targeted warmer water in winter we would all certainly catch fish eventually, but is it a necessity for fishing success? Certainly Not!
If all barra searched for the warmest water in a lake in winter, or summer, then 100% of the population would all be in one location, and so would all the anglers. Now that's a lot of fish and boats in one spot. But it's not so. On days where the conditions suit for barra to move shallow in winter, there is also mass numbers of fish staying deeper within the lake core, a minimum of 20-40 ft below in water up to three degrees C cooler than those barra in the warmer shallows. Both schools of fish are catchable with mid lake angling down to 30ft below in 15 Degree Celcius sub pockets producing quality fish at select times.

Barra are poikilothermic, which means their body temperature conforms to that of varying water temperatures. Metabolisms adjust accordingly.They can be caught in water that varies up to 1- 3 degrees celcius on any given day and at times the best fishing comes from water cooler than warmer regions sounded. Current flows, stability in temperature and digestive systems of barra need close scrutiny. This chapter can expand your world.

Average surface temperatures on the day can produce the best fishing in winter. Fishing the fringes in water that is cooler than that of shallower back pockets will see many barra landed, so an angler needs to expand on reasons as to why barra can be caught in contrasting water temperatures. Is temperature as important as one thinks for angling purposes? The winter of 2007 will go down as a harsh period for landlocked barramundi in Australia. Awoonga's daytime surface temperatures dropped to at least 14.9 degrees Celcius.

Chartered barra trips at this time saw up to two and three barramundi hooked per session in these difficult circumstances. Lake Awoonga's barramundi were still catchable in these ultimate extremes amongst chilling South-West winds, so it's almost fair to say that it is never too cold to catch barra in Lake Awoonga, but death is imminent if conditions worsen. It was basically the rock bottom balancing point.

Calm lakes and blue skies allow sunlight to penetrate the surface. A heat transfer occurs. Calm, cloudless nights and cool air eat away at lake temperatures. Stable temperatures in deeper zones as well as fluctuating surface layers are shifted around the lake by wind born currents. Mixing occurs. Ideal circumstances for fish can come and go. Extra thought needs to be applied on when and why for best success.

To add further light on a central topic, successful warm water fishing circumstances may quite often only appear one day a week in winter, leaving an angler who hunts for warm water searching for Loch Ness on the next six. Fish that search for a heat advantage do so at a certain stage of digestion. Depending on what stage of the bodily process these fish are at, some will and some won't strike a lure or food offering.

So when you visit a barra lake you wiill find fish that at times look for the best suitable water to help digest food and others that don't require that added help from mother nature at that time. It solely depends on the water conditions created by the weather. Variances in food item sizes taken by barra are often dictated by times of stability and increase in temperature versus times of fluctuating temperatures. Taking notes on temperature movement and duration is a key. There is so much more than meets the eye. Open minds open doors.

This cool winter morining at Peter Faust Dam saw barramundi on the prowl and striking surface lures just on and after day break. Cool surface water and hungry fish. No need to wait for waters to warm. Why wait for warmer water at noon? Some great fishing is already over.

Johhny Mitchell