Freshwater Fish Temperature Charts

by Louis Bignami

There are regional differences and acclimatization differences in the temperature ranges for fish species. This is a general guideline for most areas and most times of the year.

Species	Lower Avoidance	Optimum	Upper Avoidance
American Shad	60	66	85
Atlantic Salmon	45	62	na
Atlantic Sturgeon	56	66	70
Black Crappie	60	70	75
Bluegills	58	70	75
Brook Trout	44	58	70
Brown Bullhead	65	74	85
Brown Trout	44	56-66	75
Burbot		52
Carp	75	84	88
Pickerel	60	66	74
Channel Catfish	55	82-89	90+
Chinook Salmon	44	54	60
Chum Salmon		57
Coho Salmon	44	54	60
Flathead Catfish	81	85	90
Freshwater Drum		74
Grass Pickerel		78
Grayling			65
Green Sunfish	73	87	91
Kamloops Trout	46	47-55	60
Kokanee		52-55
Lake Trout	42	50-57	60
Landlocked Atlantic Salmon	42	50-58	65
Largemouth Bass	50	65-75	85
Longnose Gar		92
Muskellunge	55	63	72
Northern Pike	56	63	74
Pink Salmon		50
Pumkinseed		81
Rainbow Trout	44	61	75
Rock Bass		70
Shortnose Gar	81	87	94
Smallmouth Bass	60	65-68	73
Sockeye Salmon		55
Spotted Bass	71	75	80
Steelhead Trout	38	48-52	60
Sunfish	50	58	68
Tench			80
Walleye	50	67	76
White Bass	62	70	78
White Crappie		61
White Perch		89
Yellow Bass		81
Yellow Perch	58	68	75