I did a search and found that many liked the William Joseph Digital thermometer, but I was wondering about long gevity of a digital product as well as if it was totally waterproof if I dropped it in the water.
The three thermometers that I am considering are the C&F designed one that has more than one function, the Fishpond and the WJ digital. A push in the right direction would be wonderful. Here is a link with all three. http://www.fishwest.net/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?
I’m also a guy that doesn’t like to spend more than I have to so if anyone knows of any deals going on right now, I would appreciate a link or a PM. Thanks,
While the fanciness of a digital is appealing to me; the practicality of a regular thermometer that doesn’t have batteries or a weird shape that I can’t put anywhere keeps me happily in the old fashioned thermometer camp.
I like the Fish Pond because of its compact size. It’s also accurate enough for my needs.
BUT if anyone comes up with a wireless thermometer that has a DURABLE wading shoe mounted sensor I’ll be all over it!
I, also, like “to keep it simple”, because that fits my personal mentality. So, I’ve used the old style “merc-in-a-tube-ecased-in-aluminum” one for many years,(Fish Pond), and it’s worked just fine.
The new "point and shoots’, if you read the finer print, (on some of them),also state that there “are variables, determining their accuracy.” The style, I use, has only “one variable”…“stick it in the water, remove and read”.
Ask yourself, “How many times, in any given day, will I be actually USING this thing, to take the water temp.??” It’s important, to know, water temps, yes, but it’s not always something you’re doing, 4-5 times an hour, either!? (is it?)
Count me among the anti-hi-tech types. My vest has a thermometer pocket on the inside. I keep my old school thermometer in there. A short cord a couple of feet long is attached to the themometer and I have a duo-lock snap on the other end of the cord. The snap goes onto the zipper pull of my vest. When I first get to where I’m fishing, the thermometer gets dropped in the water where it remains securely tethered to my vest by means of the cord. The next time I have occassion to think about the thermometer, it will have already recorded the water temperature. I then pull it out, note the temperature, then wrap the cord around the thermometer and put it back into its little pocket, still secured to the zipper pull which can ride up to be near the pocket. I’ve lost a thermometer or two over the years so this little trick has helped me out with that.
I like to keep things real simple. I go for the inexpensive (about 8 bucks) liquid crystal strip thermometer. The paper thin 1/2" X 5" plastic strip turns colors with temperature change. It’ small enough to fit in a pocket without even knowing it’s there. It’s waterproof, battery free and unbreakable. It may not be as accurate as a more expensive one but I don’t really need to know the temperature within more than about 2 degrees.
I just use a digital kitchen thermometer I piked up a wally world for $7. It came with a carry tube with a clip for your pocket. Been using it for 3 years know.
I use an old-fashion Taylor liquid-filled thermometer in a blue case with a ring on the end. The case use to be blue and has now turned to more of a gray shade. I bought it originally for backpacking but use it regularly for fishing. I take it everywhere and use it religiously. The thermometer is probably older than many of our FAOL members. I bought it back in 1970. 8T
I was talking to the man at the local fly fishing shop. He said that he returned up to 60% of all of the electronic ones because they failed in short order. It didn’t matter who made it, they weren’t very reliable in his opinion. I ended up buying the FishPond aluminum unit and think that it will do what I need it to do.
I like the regular thermometer precisely because it takes a while. I can be in a rush when I get out because I’m excited to get away from work and relax. The routine of taking the temp makes me stnad and observe for a minute or two and just generally slow down.
