Fish Winter Feeding Habits

[Danny]

Hi.

If fish are cold blooded, why does water temperature make a difference to
their feeding?

[Ergo]

Danny wrote:
> Hi.
>
> If fish are cold blooded, why does water temperature make a
> difference to their feeding?

Because warm water increases their metabolism. The same thing happens with
repties who can often be seen sunning themselves before they become active.
HTH


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Ergo ²°°³
A day without sunshine is like, well, night!
www.eric-gales.co.uk


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[Bryan Hall]

Bugger me, a reasonable question and a sensible answer.
What's this NG coming to
;-)

"Ergo" > wrote in message
...
> Danny wrote:
> > Hi.
> >
> > If fish are cold blooded, why does water temperature make a
> > difference to their feeding?
>
> Because warm water increases their metabolism. The same thing happens with
> repties who can often be seen sunning themselves before they become
active.
> HTH
>
>
> --
> Ergo ²°°³
> A day without sunshine is like, well, night!
> www.eric-gales.co.uk
>
>
> ---
> Don't worry I am virus free atm. rofl
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.541 / Virus Database: 335 - Release Date: 14/11/03
>
>

[Danny]

Good answer Ergo, and I agree with what you said, but then why do Pike and
Perch feed well no matter what the weather?


"Ergo" > wrote in message
...

> Because warm water increases their metabolism. The same thing happens with
> repties who can often be seen sunning themselves before they become
active.
> HTH
>

[Richard]

"Danny" > wrote in message
...
> Good answer Ergo, and I agree with what you said, but then why do Pike and
> Perch feed well no matter what the weather?
>
As a general answer (and skipping Pike and perch specifically) I understand
different species of fish have a different metabolic versus temperature
profile. So as an example in the same situation(s) Chub will appear to feed
'better' throughout the year compared to say Carp.

Richard


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[Ergo]

Danny wrote:
> Good answer Ergo, and I agree with what you said, but then why do
> Pike and Perch feed well no matter what the weather?
>
>
> "Ergo" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> Because warm water increases their metabolism. The same thing
>> happens with repties who can often be seen sunning themselves before
>> they become active. HTH

I slow down at this point, maybe due to teperature. Fish will only exert so
much energy in order to catch their prey. If the water is colder, the prey
fish swim slower and are easier to catch. Ergo (no pun intended) the prey of
Perch and Pike are going slower so they catch them. These fish still feed in
the summer but mainly on fry which hang around to be eaten. If you want to
catch these fish in the summer try small baits. This probably explains why
in the summer you can catch Pike on Maggot.


--
Ergo ²°°³
A day without sunshine is like, well, night!
www.eric-gales.co.uk


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[Derek.Moody]

In article >, Danny
> wrote:
> Good answer Ergo, and I agree with what you said, but then why do Pike and
> Perch feed well no matter what the weather?

They don't.

In cold weather they take longer to digest their prey and do not feed as
much as in warm. The prey is more plentiful in summer though so they are a
little less likely then to take an angler's bait.

Cheerio,

--
>>

[Derek.Moody]

In article >, Ergo
> wrote:

> the summer but mainly on fry which hang around to be eaten. If you want to
> catch these fish in the summer try small baits. This probably explains why
> in the summer you can catch Pike on Maggot.

....and in winter on bread.

Neither of these is the bait of choice though.

If you are flyfishing or plugging/spinnig for pike in the summer you fish
close to the surface over cover and fairly quickly. In winter it's deep,
near cover and dead slow.

Cheerio,

--
>>

[Jim Murray]

I've read that a barbel can digest a lump of meat in 8 hours in water at
68F, at 37F this takes about a week. Interesting, eh?

Jim.

"Derek.Moody" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, Danny
> > wrote:
> > Good answer Ergo, and I agree with what you said, but then why do Pike
and
> > Perch feed well no matter what the weather?
>
> They don't.
>
> In cold weather they take longer to digest their prey and do not feed as
> much as in warm. The prey is more plentiful in summer though so they are
a
> little less likely then to take an angler's bait.
>
> Cheerio,
>
> --
> >>
>

[Richard]

"Jim Murray" > wrote in message
...
> I've read that a barbel can digest a lump of meat in 8 hours in water at
> 68F, at 37F this takes about a week. Interesting, eh?
>
> Jim.
Hi Jim,

Certainly meat is considered a summer bait amongst carp fishermen. In the
autumn and winter a switch is made to more readily digestible
food(s)/bait(s) ..... better for both carp and results.

The same would apply to barbel and other species to a greater or lesser
degree.

Richard


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