What Time Do You Start Fishing?

[jslacker]

Do you need to be fishing at the butt crack of dawn to catch big bass? I know people who start at 6. I usually start around 9, am I missing anythihg in those 3 hours?

[BassHunter954]

i honestly dont think so cause i caught some nice size big bass at 11, 12, 1,4,5,6 using top water and it works out finew well for me here in florida. :/

[Long Mike]

I'm retired. I do not fish tournaments. I fish for pleasure. I am not a morning person. 9:00 AM suits me just fine. According to Doug Hannon "The Bass Professor," the majority of big bass are caught between the hours of 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. That said, my PB was caught at around 7:00 AM. That's the fish in my Avatar.

[vapredhunter]

It depends on the time of the year, water temps, weather. Most of the bigger bass I've caught seem to come between 10am and 2pm. But I start early maybe it just takes me that long to dial them in LOL. Lots of things to think about in the winter when water temps 45ish I don't get on the water till after 9. In the spring here bass feed heavy at night during the shad spawn so they seem to be full at first light and feed more later in morning. Once they move deeper in the summer I like to start early hoping to get a couple on topwater bite while there shallow in the morning. Early in fall as well till water temps start dropping.

[Jake P]

Temps above 60=safelight. Anything under 60= 9 is fine, or when the sun is out and it is a bit warmer. I am NOT a morning person so waking up early is strike 1 & 2. Strike 3 is being cold on top of that.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

My PB was caught around noon. The bigger ones for me this year have been between 11am-2pm. I usually get out 7:30am and finish mostly around 3:00pm dont get to fish the evenings much.

[flukeking]

I generally leave my house by 330 in the am to be at Pickwick on the water by 530. Something about that water and those fish makes me a morning person.

[North Ga Hillbilly]

According to Doug Hannon "The Bass Professor," the majority of big bass are caught between the hours of 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM.

I have to say my experience has supported this

NGaHB

[Bluebasser86]

For me if it's safe light I'm getting there late. I have caught most of my biggest fish from about 10am on but the number of quality fish I catch is way higher at night-9am during the summer months. Once the water cools off you can sleep in and during the winter there isn't really a point to being on the water before 9am.

[Fishing Rhino]

I prefer to start early. Is the fishing better? It really doesn't matter if it is or isn't.

I like to get to the ramp early enough so I need a flashlight to make sure everything is connected or disconnected before launching. A glow in the east provides enough light to see the outlines of trees at the ramp and enough visibility to walk around without bumping into them. But to check the drain plug and other items prior to launching, I need the light, unless I do it by braille.

By the time I'm on the water with the seat mounted, the gear out including my pfd, and on the trolling motor, I can see well enough to fish without light. If I need to tie on a bait, I need the light for the first half hour or so of fishing.

The upside is, it's the best part of the day. It's usually the calmest and quietest part of the day. I can get in four or five hours of fishing before the jet skis and party barges begin their assaults on the pond. The only distractions are the break of day birdsongs, and the occasional splash of a fish breaking the surface of the water. I'm on the water for an hour or two before the next boat shows up at the ramp.

No rush, no line of rigs waiting to launch, no one to bother or be bothered by. I don't know for sure if the fishing (catching) is better or not, but the fishing (trying to catch them) is definitely better. I can fish for seven or eight hours and still get home in time to mow the lawn or do other chores around the house. Maybe even get home in time for lunch.

[RobertBG]

I usually start around 9, am I missing anythihg in those 3 hours?

yeah 3 hours of fishing although I'm lucky if I make it to the water by noon on the weekend(80 hour weeks) The majority of my fishing is afternoon or after work plunking in my family lake or the local pond,I wont complain as I catch fish and my pb was on a last cast after dark on my family property................I just started realing in my senko as fast as possible,as I was leaving.I had given up when a 26 incher slammed it just a few feet from my feet in just inches of water.The way that fish smacked that lure at my feet was addictive .......................hence the reason I am here.As for the fish I had hooked him in the gullet(1st time) and sadly instead of being able to toss it back he ended up on the dinner table(I did throw him back but after going belly up I waded in for him).That night bass fishin went from a ecape to a obsession for me.............and I dont regret it.As for my PB,my wife and i enjoyed our first LMB ever for dinner but honestly I would have enjoyed him more swimming off to get bigger.

[Jim McC]

I normally start fishing about 5 pm and fish until dark

[Sam]

Slacker, to answer your query in a word...YES!

Yes! You are missing out on some of the best fishing of the day.

Hit your favorite body of water right before sunrise and throw a buzzbait (Cavitron) or other topwater.

You will not only get a lot of strikes but you may land your personal best.

[Crestliner2008]

I've always been a "morning person". I'm always up at or before the crack of dawn, fishing or not. If I'm going fishing, I'm usually on the water just as daylight breaks and I usually pull off around 2 pm. Gives me time to get my gear stowed, get cleaned up and help with dinner.

Besides, I have to get up early to make sure I'm still alive!

[SirSnookalot]

I live in a coastal area, I'm 15 minutes from saltwater, there by 4-5 AM, depending on tide, wind and weather. I'm home about 10 am most days, take a nap, have lunch and then bass fish for a few hours in the afternoon.

[jdw174]

I'm motoring out of the marina as soon as I can see well enough to operate the boat. It's quiet and peaceful...at least for the first hour...and the shallow water bite will be on.

[Nitrofreak]

I am usually on my first spot before the break of dawn, I carry a spot light to travel the lake with, by the time I get all of my tackle out, rods, and trolling motor down, the shad are getting ready to leave their cover, and I am ready to fish.

[Mumpy]

I prefer to start early. Is the fishing better? It really doesn't matter if it is or isn't.

I like to get to the ramp early enough so I need a flashlight to make sure everything is connected or disconnected before launching. A glow in the east provides enough light to see the outlines of trees at the ramp and enough visibility to walk around without bumping into them. But to check the drain plug and other items prior to launching, I need the light, unless I do it by braille.

By the time I'm on the water with the seat mounted, the gear out including my pfd, and on the trolling motor, I can see well enough to fish without light. If I need to tie on a bait, I need the light for the first half hour or so of fishing.

The upside is, it's the best part of the day. It's usually the calmest and quietest part of the day. I can get in four or five hours of fishing before the jet skis and party barges begin their assaults on the pond. The only distractions are the break of day birdsongs, and the occasional splash of a fish breaking the surface of the water. I'm on the water for an hour or two before the next boat shows up at the ramp.

No rush, no line of rigs waiting to launch, no one to bother or be bothered by. I don't know for sure if the fishing (catching) is better or not, but the fishing (trying to catch them) is definitely better. I can fish for seven or eight hours and still get home in time to mow the lawn or do other chores around the house. Maybe even get home in time for lunch.

^^^^THIS^^^^

I LOVE Being on the water when the sun comes up. Just reading this makes me want to be back out there!!!!!!

[ChiCityBasser]

I'm up and out for most of my fishing trips by 5 or 5:30 a.m. and enjoy the peaceful part of the morning after a hectic work week of getting up around the same time. My PB came close to 10 a.m. as well but I like to get up and get out early so I'm back home to relax the rest of the day.

[Bob C]

I've had very few catches early. After 11am the bite gets hot. My PB came at noon.

Bob

[Dwight Hottle]

To quote Al Linder "the fish never start biting until I get there" I'll go early but would rather make it later around 8 am. Both my pb largemouth & smallmouth came between 1pm-2pm.

[out_doors_guy]

I am usually on the water at dawn, mostly because it is quiet and there are few jet skiers and pleasure boaters around and I enjoy watching the sun rise and all the critters on, in and around the lake wake up. As far as the fishing goes, after looking back at my log books, I catch the most fish between 10am and 5pm. My PB and nearly every fish I have caught over 5lbs was caught between the hours of 9am and noon.

[00 mod]

Although the "bigger fish hit later in the day" statement is true for myself, my 2 biggest fish of the year so far have been caught at the exact same time...9:03. I hit the water early, 5ish and fish till about noon-1, when it is hot and all day when it is not. First part of the morning seeing the "other" wildlife and hearing the noises is what it is all about. Just this month I have seen deer, racoons, squirrels, an owl and a bobcat all in the mornings while fishing. Plus the best topwater action is before first light. Here is a bass caught on my first cast..... flash didn't even work well enough....

Besides, getting there early helps you figure out the pattern that way you have em dialed in by the time "the bigguns start to bite!

Jeff

[MCS]

I am at the spot between 5-6:30 because I have to at work by 8:30. But really any time of the day I would fish. I think day break does have certain advantages but might just be a mental thing I tell myself to motivate my butt getting up and ready that early cuz like basshunter I have caught at all times top water and all different times on other lures as well.

[hatrix]

I don't really ever start fishing before 8 a.m. I would say 9-10 a.m. is usually when I get out. I am not a big fan of waking up at the butt crack to fish the same places I always fish. If it is a special trip to a place I don't fish then I will gladly wake up at any time. As for big fish I can't really say what time I catch the most but I can say its never super early. Not starting till around 9 might have something to do with that I can say that for me around 6-8 p.m. has been a good time for big bass. I caught my PB this year on Sunday around noonish. Actually I will get up early if I am going out for perch or something. It can be really brutal during the summer months on Erie you can't just go move to the shady side of the lake.