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Contrary Creek
Virginia · River
57°F: in the optimum range for rainbow trout
Fisheries research puts the optimum for rainbow trout at this temperature. It says how they would grow and feed if they live here, not how many you'll catch. We don't list which fish live here yet.
- Water 57°F at RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER NEAR FREDERICKSBURG, VA, 22.1 mi away, as of Wednesday, Oct 28, 6:15 AM EDT (the water here may differ).
- Season: fall.
- Waning Gibbous, 84% lit; solunar major 2:50 AM–4:50 AM and 3:22 PM–5:22 PM (folklore, see below).
Provisional reading from the USGS stream gauge: RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER NEAR FREDERICKSBURG, VA (22.1 mi away), taken Wednesday, Oct 28, 6:15 AM EDT. That's a different stretch of water, so the temperature here may differ.
Where 57°F sits for common freshwater fish
Temperature ranges from fisheries research. They describe how the fish feed and grow, not a catch forecast, and they don't apply to salt water. We don't yet list which of these live in Contrary Creek; check your state's fishing guide.
- TroutBest range
In the 54–64°F optimum for rainbow trout.
Based on rainbow trout. USFWS Habitat Suitability Index: Rainbow Trout (1984)
- BassSlow
Below 59°F largemouth bass grow very little.
Based on largemouth bass. USFWS Habitat Suitability Index: Largemouth Bass (1982)
- PanfishSlow
Cooler than the 64°F where bluegill start to spawn; they feed best far warmer.
Based on bluegill. Wisconsin DNR bluegill review (2015)
- CatfishSlow
Growth is slow below 65°F.
Based on channel catfish. Mississippi State University Extension: catfish biology
Moon and solunar times
Thursday, Oct 29 · Waning Gibbous, 84% lit · times in EDT
| Window | When | Centered on |
|---|---|---|
| Major | 2:50 AM–4:50 AM | Moon overhead |
| Minor | 11:17 AM–12:17 PM | Moonset |
| Major | 3:22 PM–5:22 PM | Moon underfoot |
| Minor | 8:28 PM–9:28 PM | Moonrise |
Anglers swear by solunar tables: the idea, popularized by John Alden Knight, is that fish feed most when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major windows, about two hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor, about one hour). The moon times are real astronomy; the evidence that fish keep to them is thin. Treat them as a fun tiebreaker, not a forecast.
Sources: water temperature from USGS; species ranges from the sources linked on each card. Moon times are computed from standard astronomical formulas and agree with the US Naval Observatory to within a few minutes. A fishing license is required; check local regulations before you go.