How to fish the first few 80 degree sunny days

[billgator]

In about 2 weeks the forecast is showing some potential 80 degree, sunshine-filled days around the full moon. If you are going fishing on those days, would the heat and Sunshine be a major consideration? I know fish can hold tighter to cover when the sun is out, but I would expect a top water bite could still be on as the post spawn gets cranking. What do you guys think?

[MDBowHunter]

It's really more about water temps then the actual temps, but yes bass don't have eye lids therefore they'll hang in the shadows on real sunny days or go deep in the dog days of summer. As far as the top water bite, I start catching fish on top water when the water hits 65-70 degrees and keep catching them until the late fall. You just have to get on the water early, once the suns up and hitting the area your fishing the top water bites generally dies. That's when I pick up a punching rig and start punching the same grass flats I was just top water fishing as the fish don't leave they just hide below the heavy grass in the shade. Here in MD this time of year when it gets real warm like that, and the water is still cold it will generally pull the fish up tighter to the bank and cover in the warmer water. That's when I usually target the wood.

[Nitrofreak]

Post spawn will have the bass pretty well exhausted, I look for quiet, shady, secluded places along areas of a body of water that the bass have used to spawn, bluffs, docks, coves, this is a period of time where you have a few different things going on at the same time, some are just moving in to spawn, some have spawned and moved out or are resting in these secluded and shaded areas, bluegills or pan fish are moving in to feed and spawn as well, some will be actively roaming picking off a meal here and there so you will just have to determine what the pattern is, if it's a shallow pattern and there are a lot of anglers, move out just a bit from all the pressure and look around.

[F14A-B]

Rocky shallow areas. Especially in the late afternoon.

[slonezp]

We still have snow on the ground

[A-Jay]

3 minutes ago, slonezp said:

We still have snow on the ground

we're getting 3-5 tomorrow - someone shoot me

A-Jay

[Megastink]

On the second or third day, start looking super-shallow. Less than 1 foot. They get up there early on sunny days.

[Knightiac]

LOL It's been in the 80's here the last month or so.

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, Knightiac said:

LOL It's been in the 80's here the last month or so.

I don't like your (l)attitude...

[XzyluM]

1 hour ago, Knightiac said:

LOL It's been in the 80's here the last month or so.

Same here. I'm already ready for winter with these temperatures in the 80s. I don't even remember having a "winter" last year. 

[Gundog]

3 hours ago, reason said:

I don't like your (l)attitude...

Good one 

[flyingmonkie]

Bring some sunscreen, and spend as much time fishing as you can.  You'll have a good time no matter what you do.

[Comfortably Numb]

If the OP is in Ohio, you prob still have a month till spawn time. I know its not post spawn. And you have real cold weather recently.

But yes as said I couple stable days in the 80's should bring them very shallow. I like skipping a wacky Senko against the bank.

[Sam]

Right now, with temperatures in the high 20's, I would go to my double secret pond and fish an 80* day totally naked.

Now, to your queries:

In about 2 weeks the forecast is showing some potential 80 degree, sunshine-filled days around the full moon. If you are going fishing on those days, would the heat and Sunshine be a major consideration? - Nope. Water temperatures will probably be in the high 60's to low 70's which will be great.

I know fish can hold tighter to cover when the sun is out, but I would expect a top water bite could still be on as the post spawn gets cranking. What do you guys think? - First thing in AM, right before dawn, be on the water and start throwing your Cavitrons, frogs, buzzbaits, poppers, and toads. keep fishing them until the sun comes up and the bite goes away.

Now, back to that naked thing................

[WRB]

Bass don't have eyelids....always like the thought process comparing fish to humans, however it has no merit. Bass use shade for ambushing prey, they excellent sight in a wide verity of light condions from dark to bright.

Water is a fair thermal conductor and takes time to adjust to surface air temps depending on the depth or volume of water. 

I would think most of Ohio would be in pre spawn to early spawn, could be wrong. Warmer calm cobitions would increase spawning activity for the balance of the bass population and move bluegill shallower. I would think bluegill lures, slow falling soft plastics and bottom bumping presentations would be good, little early for top water....but try it.

Tom

 

[MDBowHunter]

23 minutes ago, WRB said:

Bass don't have eyelids....always like the thought process comparing fish to humans, however it has no merit. Bass use shade for ambushing prey, they excellent sight in a wide verity of light condions from dark to bright

Tom

 

Light

It is a well established fact that bass hate bright light. When the sun is bright, bass have little choice but to find relief by seeking deeper, darker water areas or finding some sort of cover to shade them. If you like to fish for bass on the surface, a bright sunshiny day will probably not be your best bet. The deeper the sun penetrates the water, the deeper the bass will go. And, the deeper they go, the tougher they are to catch.

For some reason, young bass are not so much affected by the sun. But the lunkers, the ones fishermen want, are. It has long been known that bass bite best just before or after a storm. Protected from the sun by cloud cover, the big bass are free to roam the shallows in search of food.l

[WRB]

Where I fish the lakes are gin clear with very little cover and have no problem with bright clear sunny days.  Bass use lower light periods because they can see better then the pre they are hunting, nothing to do with shading their eyes.

Tom

[ww2farmer]

FWIW...........................I have noticed that the 3rd day of a warming trend or steady weather is when the switch flips. I am not being a wise guy. 3 days of stable, warm, spring weather sets up the situation you often here a lot of pros talking about 2-3 days into a multi-day tournament of "fish coming to you".

[Raul]

On 9 de abril de 2016 at 8:47 AM, billgator said:

In about 2 weeks the forecast is showing some potential 80 degree, sunshine-filled days around the full moon. If you are going fishing on those days, would the heat and Sunshine be a major consideration? I know fish can hold tighter to cover when the sun is out, but I would expect a top water bite could still be on as the post spawn gets cranking. What do you guys think?

 80 degree sun shine filled days around the full moon happen here during the "winter" .

[Dye99]

For me, I fish topwater before the sun comes up, then I fish flukes or wacky senkos on a 3/16 weighted swimbait hook.

That usually progresses to Texas rigs and Jigs as the season starts to see more and more 80+ days.

[everythingthatswims]

On 4/10/2016 at 9:58 AM, WRB said:

Where I fish the lakes are gin clear with very little cover and have no problem with bright clear sunny days.  Bass use lower light periods because they can see better then the pre they are hunting, nothing to do with shading their eyes.

Tom

I'm sure you know/know of Don, I watch him on youtube and I would say 75% of those big swimbait bass are on bluebird days with the sun high in the sky. 

[Simp]

I would think that Ohio is on the same time line as southern Illinois and the crappie are starting to move up to spawn. On the the tail end of that the bass will start. The next week or so look great to trigger the bass in the midwest to start a major feed to start a spawn in late April and early May.

 

BTW when water temps are in the 50s warm sunny days are great for bass fishing. This isn't the dog gays of August and big bass love to sun on a nice big stump!

[Neil McCauley]

They will be loving a warm-up like that. Put the back of your hand against the side of an April bass sometime, it's icy cold just like the water. Their metabolisms need warmer temps. They do still peak in feeding behavior during low-light conditions, but in Spring more because low-light is when prey are easier to nap, not because they're avoiding the sun.