When people discuss water temps used to gauge bass activity, are they taking about surface temperature?  For example....It is said that the spawn will begin when water temperatures reach mid 60's.  Is that surface temperature or some other depth in the water column?  I am assuming that the temperature of the water will be different at depths of a few inches to a few feet to 10 feet.  Anyone have any insight? 

IMHO, bass are kind of like people, they will migrate towards temps that are comfortable. So, I guess to answer your question, that can mean all water column depths during any time of the season providing that there is enough O2 as well as other factors.

Depth of water the bass are in controls their body temperature, they are cold blooded animals.

The colder the water the longer it takes eggs to hatch. General rule for LMB; 62 degrees = 10 days, 68 degrees about 5 days, if the weather is stable.

Bass don't live on the water surface, they are usually at least 2' or deeper.

I wonder the same thing, I think of it like this- like you said bass spawn when temperatures get in the 60s,  and  they prefer shallow weedy flats, for this I think we can look at our surface temperatures to get an idea on whether that flat is an area bass would be spawning in bc the surface temperature of a shallow area will give a good indication of the waters temperature. In that shallow area, if that makes sense.

Correct me if I'm wrong guys... I tried to get my idea off as best as I could as I'm waiting in the E.R to get a metal shrapnel removed from my eye, great friday night!

When we speak of water temperatures, we're normally referring to 'surface water temperatures'.

Incidentally, during the bedding season there isn't much temperature difference

between the surface and 2½ ft below the surface (both are in the epilimnion).

IMHO, bass are kind of like people, they will migrate towards temps that are comfortable.

Hmmm, that view might encounter a few opponents on an ichthyic board ;D

Humans must maintain a core body temperature of 98.6 degs, else run the risk of dying.

For this reason, nature provided man with a built in warning system.

Whenever our core body temperature is challenged by cold or heat

we experience "discomfort". Fish on the other hand are cold-blooded animals,

and have no special body temperature to maintain. As a result, fish have no use

for a built-in warning system, in fact, it's widely believed that fish are comfortable

in all water temperatures. Indeed, water temperature influences the body processes

and disposition of cold-blooded animals, but these can take place without causing discomfort.

Roger

My .02 would be that when people say that bass start getting active at 60 degrees, for example, they are referring to the surface temp that registers on the sonar unit as opposed to some specific depth where the bass may actually be holding.

We have to have a "gauge" to use and it is the surface water temperatures as shown on our fish finders and sonar units.

Animals react to temperatures, the length of daylight, biometric pressure, moon phases, tides, weather conditions and the seasons.

Animals have a keen sense of what to do and when to do it based on their environment.

So when we say "water temperature" we are talking about the surface temperatures and we react on those readings.

Bass spawn and digest their food based on water temperatures. They also will feed under specific circumstances, such as a cold front moving through an area.

Since we do not stop and lower a thermometer into the depths to note the exact water temperatures two, five and ten feet below us, we base our techniques and baits on the surface water temperature.

Hooksetdon, hope you are doing OK. How about sharing that story with us in the Everything Else section?????

By the way, at a Bassmasters University I wrote down how long it takes bass to digest a minnow depending on the water temperatures. That was a fantastic discussion and study on bass behavior. 

Surface Temp....That answers my question.  Thank you!!