Trout Water: How Warm Is Too Warm?

As the summer heat rages on and dailly reports of stress on rivers and streams seem to increase, it’s a good time to remind ourselves about what responsible fishing is during periods of high water temperature. Here are a couple of guidelines. Always play and land fish as quickly as you can, but especially in warmer water, when additional stress may prevent a released fish from surviving. Most trout prefer water that is 50-68 degrees Fahrenheit, and brook trout and cutthroats prefer even colder water. If you know that the water where you are trout fishing is 70 degrees, pay particular attention to releasing fish quickly, and if the water is 75 degrees or higher, simply don’t fish.