High water temperatures

[Tony Scime]

The Lake Erie/Niagara River water temperature has been hovering around 77 degrees. When water temps are that high the stress experienced by angled muskies increases significantly. This increases the chances for post-release mortality.  Larger muskies are the most vulnerable to this stress.

For these reasons I try to avoid fishing for muskies whenever the water temps are over 75 degrees. If you do catch muskies with these higher water temps it is utmost important that you do not take the fish out of the water for any amount of time. Again, this is especially important for larger fish. 

My experience is that if we don't take the fish out of the water (no bump boarding or out of water photos) the fish will swim away with little problem. It they're taken out of the water, especially larger fish, they're likely candidates for post-release death.

[John Jarosz]

When I was salmon fishing a couple of weeks ago, we noticed the same phenomena with the big ones. About 1/2 way thru the fight, it was like pulling in a log (or a walleye). By the time they got into the boat, they were dead. When they hit the bait down below in the cold water, they were full of fight, but once they started getting into the warm surface, life was sucked out of them

[Tony Scime]

Problem is the warmer the water the less oxygen.

The warmer the water the higher the muskie's metabolism.

The higher the metabolism the more oxygen the muskie needs.

When hooked, the muskies need even more oxygen, which can further stress all their vital metabolic functions, eventually resulting in their death.

Muskies need the most oxygen at a time when the available oxygen is at its lowest.

Big muskies need more oxygen than small muskies and are the first to die due to metabolic failures caused by a lack of oxygen.

River waters have been at an elevated temperature for as long a period that I can remember. Most years it never exceeds 75 degrees.

This year it has been 77 to 79 degrees for over 30 days. (surface temps can vary during the day - coolest in the morning and warmest in late afternoon)

Removing a muskie from the water totally eliminates oxygen.

Be smart or at least know what you're doing when fishing for muskies in high water temps.