I have been attempting to catch fish for more than two decades and have spent a ton of time fishing for almost every species of freshwater fish and it seems to me that one question gets asked above all others when it comes to “fishing” and that question is when is the best time to go fishing. When I hear this question my mind immediately hearkens back to the old adage, anytime that you can, but the truth is that there are certain times of the day, week, or month when “fishing” is much more productive than it is at others.
In this article I will outline some factors and ideas to be aware of and pay attention to that will help you determine when the best time to go fishing is. Now bear in mind that there is no single answer to this question, it’s not as if you can say that on the tenth of September at two thirty in the afternoon, when the moon is in it’s waning crescent and the sun is rising is the best time to go fishing. The best time to be fishing is when certain common factors are more conducive to catching fish than they are at other times, and planning your fishing trips so that you are one the water when these factors are in your favor as an angler.
The first factor to consider is the rising and/or setting of the sun. Most everyone is aware of this rule, but it’s nonetheless needs to be mentioned. Fish are more susceptible to being caught in the early mornings and/or late evenings as the sun is either rising or setting than they are during the middle of the day. This is because the changing light conditions created by the rising or setting of the sun makes it easier for fish to ambush their prey, therefore fish tend to feed more heavily when the sun is either rising or setting.
The next factor to consider when attempting to determine the best time to go fishing is what the weather is doing. The weather, and more specifically the barometer and the movement of pressure systems, has an incredible impact on the feeding activity of fish, mainly because fish can detect these pressure changes through their lateral lines. Learning some of the simple rules pertaining to the weather and fish behavior will go a long way towards determining the best time to go fishing.
Along with the weather, another force of Mother Nature has an incredible impact on the feeding activity of fish and that force of Mother Nature is the moon. The moon, and more specifically what phase the moon is in, has quite an affect on a fishes feeding level. For example when the moon is full at night, for the three to four days surrounding the full moon fish will tend to be feeding more heavily than during many other (but not all) phases of the moon. And when fish are feeding more heavily, they are more susceptible to being caught.
The bottom line is that determining the out and out “best time” to go fishing is impossible, but the odds can certainly be tipped into your favor by paying attention to the aforementioned factors and planning your fishing trips accordingly. As a matter of fact, have you have ever had one of those phenomenal days fishing where it seemed as if you could do no wrong and you caught a ton of fish, like no matter what you threw into the water resulted in fish being caught? Well, it more than likely had to do with with two or more of the factors outlined above being in your favor than it did with your skill as a an angler or simple fisherman’s “luck”.
