I have recently found a new place to fish. It is about five different ponds all that are within a half mile of each other. Now I know when I am on a boat the fish locator can give me water temp. But what about a pond that is all bank fishing?

These ponds are in the panhandle of Texas, and in this area it can get close to freezing at night and then in 70's during the day.

I have a little pencil lookin thermometer that I purchased at a local tackle shop. It has a place to tie on some string (I used a piece of mono)....just dunk it in and give it a few minutes and you have your temp.

HH

Minn Kota makes a portable temp gauge. Works really well and works off one AA battery! I picked one up at Wally World. Hope this helps!

before I got my "fishin buddy" which, by the way you can use from shore, I used to use a swimming pool thermometer.  Bought it at Wal-Mart.

I use one of these so-called "stream thermometers." They're usually found in stores and catalogs with fly fishing equipment. They're inexpensive and easy to store.

The ponds I hit in Texas depending on the size, is usually with finese tactics.  the water temps gets cold, the fish aren't as active, I mean they don't want to chase as much, but do feed,  a slow presentation is needed.  If we have at least 3 days of warmer weather, the fish will chase a slow moving bait better after the sun as gotten up overhead.    

Matt,

I had really good fishing when I was out there last week. I started out w/ the slow presentation, and was getting nothing. I switched to the old reliable H&H white spinner. Caught three four pounders that last ripped the blades and the skirt of the spinner. When it got warmer in the afternoon I put on a senko three more 3+ lbers. Early in the evening switched to a Hart's white spinner. Two more 2+ and one 3+ lber.

I would have thought that the average nighttime temperature being in the thirties would have pulled the water temp way down, thus slower fishing. But, I don't guess that this is the case yet.

No ducks and geese flying down yet.  That tells a story as to no real cold weather yet.  But in your neck of the woods, you will experience colder temps and more often than us.