Locate Temperature Breaks to Catch More Fish
By Fishing Only in Fishing Tips
by Marc Malkin
When saltwater fishing, understanding and locating temperature breaks can be one of the most important keys to finding and catching pelagic game fish. These breaks are actually notable divisions or "walls" between two distinct areas of water that vary in temperature by anywhere from 1 degree to a few degrees. While novice anglers tend to focus mostly on more obvious visual signs to determine where and when to fish, veteran saltwater fishermen know to seek out temperature breaks, which often hold baitfish and the larger predators that feed upon them. Here are some tips for finding temperature breaks and how to make the most of these prime fishing areas.
What Makes Temperature Breaks?
In simple terms, when cold water currents converge with warmer water, "temperature walls" are formed, creating specific areas that attract and hold baitfish and saltwater predators such as tuna, billfish and sharks. A sudden change of a degree or two along one of these breaks can cause fish to congregate in that area. With this in mind, finding temperature breaks often translates into angling success. The primary reason that baitfish and predators bunch up along temperature breaks is two-fold. Both the schools of bait and larger game fish like the comfort of warmer water – even if the difference seems minimal to us. Hanging out along a temperature break also allows baitfish the opportunity to cross the line into the body of colder water, which is typically richer in the plankton they feed on. They can go back and forth easily from the fertile colder zone to the warmer comfort zone within these areas. Larger migratory game fish also tend to hold on the warmer side of a break, but cross over into the colder side and back again to chase down the schools of bait. The temperature break creates a kind of buffet table for pelagic predators – and make no doubt about it – there is often a crowd lined up to take part in the feast that’s usually there for the taking.
How To Find Temperature Breaks
Most veteran offshore fishermen first obtain detailed satellite charts and current fishing reports (available at various fishing sites online) to get basic data on where current breaks have formed over the last couple of days. Useful information can also be obtained from up-to-date phone-in fishing reports, and of course, through other private boaters. Armed with this information, anglers searching for temperature breaks can set a course for the most likely areas, and then try to locate the exact location of the breaks with electronic aids such as a sounder or a digital depth sensor. Generally speaking, the more dramatic the temperature change along the break, the better. If you detect a line that varies a degree for a distance of a quarter mile or so, this may be a good place to fish. If the variance is two degrees or more, the break is even more likely to produce. Temperature breaks can come in the form of a long, straight line, or they can form a more circular pattern. The circular patterns form pockets of warmer water surrounded by colder water (typically appearing like a whirlpool or eddy on a satellite map). While either type of break can hold fish, these pockets can be veritable honey holes when it comes to attracting baitfish and hungry predatory game fish.
Look for Other Indicators in the Area
Always stay on the lookout for other signs that may be associated with a temperature break, bait schools and feeding predators. Typically, there is a water color change along a break. The colder water will appear somewhat green, while the converging body of warm water will be a darker blue. This can form a visible line that is sometimes easy to detect with the naked eye. Wearing high quality polarized sunglasses can also help anglers better spot these tell-tale sudden changes in water color. Also keep an eye out for areas that seem to hold greater concentrations of kelp paddies or eel grass floating on the surface. Keep an eye out for additional signs that may indicate that a temperature break (and fish) are nearby. Look for circling birds, riffled or "nervous" surface water (that may indicate frightened bait schools), or even a slick of oil on the surface caused by predators feeding on baitfish in the vicinity.
You’ve Found the Break, Now Locate the Bait
Just finding the temperature break is not enough – you have to pinpoint the location of the bait schools attracted to area and the bounty these converging waters typically create. For this reason, it’s important for your boat to be equipped with a good sounder. Once you locate the general area of the temperature break, put out some trolling lures and start a zig-zag trolling pattern, moving back and forth along the "wall" where the colder and warmer waters meet. At the same time, keep a mindful watch on your sounder to see if you meter any bait. If your sounder has an audible temperature alarm, make sure it is set to alert you when you cross areas where there is a distinct variance in water temperature. When you find a spot along the temperature break that is holding bait, you may hook up on the trolling lures. Otherwise, try yo-yoing jigs or dropping down a live hook bait to see if you can interest any game fish lurking underneath the bait. If the fish are hungry, you should be able to entice them either on the artificials or the live stuff.
