Sunup Or Sundown

[papajoe222]

I know many of us were raised to be on the water when the sun comes up and we also were told that sundown was an ideal time to be on the water.  I'm lucky to have the option to take advantage of both of these prime times on the same day as I no longer am limited by that nasty four letter word. I know, however, that not everyone has that fortune and was wondering which you prefer and why.

Personally, I am partial to sundown. If I could only be on the water for one hour a day, it would be half an hour to either side of it.  My reasoning is simple. First and foremost, I don't have to get up early (yes, I'm an old fart that doesn't get up early.....go figure). What's more important to me is the fact that aside from my PB largemouth, I've caught more lunkers as the sun was going down than at any other time of day and I'm not limiting that fact to one species. Bass, pike, walleye, musky, even crappie; it just seems to me that sundown gets the big ones active.

 

[LMB KING]

I fish both, prefer sun-up, to me its like the morning breakfast bell, The big girls wake up to eat first and then the kids wake up for school, thats the way i see things. I see fishing just like anything else, everything has a routine including fish. I would also like to add that i also believe that people have a better chance of catching a big one on the morning then afternoon, because everybody ate through out he day.

[Raul]

If it were for me ketchin' bigguns then neither, most of the bigguns I've caught were caught between 1 and 5 PM, I'm partial for sundown, there's something magical about the sunset.

[Catt]

Sun down to sun rise!

Down here our daily highs are in the mid 90s already & 100s around the corner.

All night long

[Bankbeater]

I prefer both.  What I usually do on a trip down to one of the big lakes is head out early before sunup.  Come back in around 9 and grab some breakfast. Take a nap and hit the water around 4 or so.

[Jig Man]

A couple of hours before sunrise to a couple of hours after sunrise is my favorite time to be fishing.  For pleasure it is sundown and moon rise.

[Lund Explorer]

It's sunrise for me.  Something has to mark the start of the day, and I can't think of a better way than to watch the sky go from black to that first shade of pink when the big fireball gets ready for another trek across the sky.

 

A summer morning around here often starts as the coolest part of the day and usually has the lightest winds.  The drunks and their speedboats or jet skis are still sleeping off the night before, and about the only noise you'll hear is the call of a loon or the honking of the local goose population.  It's a great time for a little topwater action on the flats before heading to deep water. 

[BrianinMD]

The only time I have a preference is early spring when a day of sun can raise the water temp a couple degrees in the shallower water, at the point the evenings hours are preferred.

[atpns1234]

Sun down for me.

[HeavyFisher]

All my bass over 5lbs+ were caught between 1-3 in the afternoon. At sunset I catch way more fish but they are also smaller. 

[doyle8218]

I am also retired and can fish at anytime. Of the 2 I prefer sunrise. Maybe because I am an early riser anyway.

[notevenanibble]

my favorite places to fish always seem to produce more at dawn.  that being said my life only allows me to fish at dusk

[Choporoz]

I love to be on the water at sunrise.  However, I have always had better luck at sundown.   Dawn is a little more relaxed, though.  At sunset, I tend to press and pressure myself a little more because I want to get every last fish in the boat before it's too dark to get back....or get back safely, anyway

[Mr Swim Jig]

I love to fish both....Some days I prefer and others I prefer sunset....they are all great!

[RoLo]

There's unique beauty in the birth-of-the-day and the death-of-the-day, and each creates its own special feeling.

With respect to the Magic Hour, we've found dawn and dusk to be pretty much equal for both largemouth & smallmouth bass..

 

Oddly, Florida is the only location I've ever fished that doesn't exhibit a pronounced dusk bite.

I can only guess as to why, but it may have something to do with Florida-strain bass,

which are well adapted to strong sunlight and high temperatures. 

 

Roger

[Chris9999]

Me being a night owl makes me like the sundown better but Ill be darned if there isnt something satisfying about getting up and on the water before sunup and fishing for a few hours before I head on with my day 

[BassinLou]

Since my time is limited when I can get out on the boat, I will fish from morning til about 630pm or 7pm. I makes for a loooong day, but I am in my world. When I bank fish, I fish in the late afternoon to about dusk. I don't night fish much at all. 

[einscodek]

Ill take what I am given.. sunup or sundown if I am available.  Noon if thats all there is..

[nascar2428]

Sundown is when my personal best was caught, however this year I'm catching nothing but quality(14"+) in the morning. Have yet to actually get up before daylight. That seems to be a challenge for me. I love catching Z's just as much as Bass!!

[Mccallister25]

I fish in the evening most of the time, because its convinient. I have to be at work by 7am Monday through Friday. On the weekend, I tend to sleep in a little longer, and I have no boat. Only access to local neighborhood ponds. Its not worth it to me to get up before sunrise to bank fish. If I was fishing lakes, I would probably think differently.

Now on that note, I have fished the ponds early morning, and have caught nice fish. I do it from time to time, when I get a wild hair.

[geo g]

I fish 90% of the time in the morning, but in the summer if I had my choice it would be late afternoon.  I have had some great afternoon fishing and you can actively fish until 9:00 and still see at the ramp.  Morning fishing it sooooo nice and cool until about 9:00 AM.  Then the summer heat sets in.  By the time it comes to load the boat its sweltering.  Evening fishing is warm until about about 7:00 P.M. and then it finally cools off.  When you doing all the work at the ramp its nice an cool in the evenings.  I love summer evening fishing!

[K_Mac]

Being on the water before first light is one of life's simple pleasures. That first couple of hours in the morning is a good as it gets in my opinion. With that said, it's all good.   Fishing during the day when it is hot wears on me and I also prefer night fishing when it's really hot. My experience has been like most others though; when it comes to lunkers the middle of the day or at night has always been best.

[gramps50]

I do most of my fishing in the evening. Being I'm a slow starter in the morning. I might get up early at times it it takes hours for me to get going so I end up fishing in the evening.

[MichaelE]

I like sundown because I don't have to die of heat the later I fish. But I fish both

[Oregon Native]

Used to LOVE running up the Columbia river in the morning and watching the sun rise and the mist leaving the water.  Now years later I still enjoy sunrises and watching the world wake up and thanking the good Lord for another day.  Eve's are awesome too if the bugs aren't too bad and watching things get quiet on the lake.  Even though I enjoy eve's it's the worst time for me....that half hour before dark to half hour after.....it's just tuff. 

Like the above individual.....anytime on water is good times unless it's a Holiday weekend!!