Timing

[bradster]

I like to fish for both largemouth and smallmouth bass. In the summer, I try to fish at dawn. But now that it's Fall here in Pennsylvania, it's pretty cold that early in the morning (in the forties). what's more important this time of year: fishing at sun up or waiting till temp warms up later in the day. thanks. 

[Dens228]

I tend to do best so far this year at and within an hour or so of sun up hitting 3-6 feet of water near rocks, in the areas the sun hits.  Depending on cloud cover I then tend to move to the deeper water right next to the shallow spots I just fished. The edges of underwater channels are paying off for me with cranks and swim jigs. 

[A-Jay]

I've had decent success early morning & later in the afternoon in the fall.

While the water temps remain above 50-ish, don't be afraid to get out at sunrise.  Air temp may only matter to us right about then.

Here in northern Michigan, early fall mornings air temps can be in the 30's but the fishing's great !  Here's some info on just such a trip from yesterday.

 

 

 

As the season winds down the warmest parts of the day (with the sun out especially) have always produces better results for me on smallies. 

Good Luck

A-Jay

[ww2farmer]

Moon phase and overnight weather changes play a big part in timing as well.

 

A clear, starlit, bright moon night makes for tuff AM fishing any time of the year, especially in clear water fisheries, and double especially in clear cold water early and late in the season.

 

A pre-dawn thunderstorm can also make the morning bite tuff, as those fish might have had the feed bag on during and leading up to the overnight storm, and by the time day breaks and it's cleared off, it's often shut down city.

 

If I am faced with either of these conditions I sleep in, and hit the lake later in the day...unless there is a tournament, then I have no choice, and have to deal with it.

 

Then you have the strange, once in great while, against conventional wisdom days...like the time I woke up in mid october to below freezing temps, flurries still in the air, and snow on the ground, and against my better judgement went fishing anyways.....and proceeded to catch a limit of 5 and 6 lb largemouth before the sun popped out and the snow started to melt. Which in turn killed the bite despite the warming conditions....go figure.

 

So, until you learn the quirks of your bodies of water, just go when you can go, time on the water will teach you what is favorable or not....most of the time.

[burrows]

2 hours ago, bradster said:

I like to fish for both largemouth and smallmouth bass. In the summer, I try to fish at dawn. But now that it's Fall here in Pennsylvania, it's pretty cold that early in the morning (in the forties). what's more important this time of year: fishing at sun up or waiting till temp warms up later in the day. thanks. 

Fish all day ? Weather is good water is cold, perfect time to start throwing a jerk bait? 

[roadwarrior]

My bigger fish have, for the most part, been caught between 10 AM and 2 PM.

 

[WRB]

SoCal where I fish the majority of our bass lakes don't cool down below 50 degrees, the baitfish however go deeper when the water temps drop to the low 60's and the bass follow. 

I prefer fishing warm mid days but the big bass prefer to hunt in low light.

Tom

[NHBull]

Lately, mid day has been great.

Rock piles and flats moving away from the middle of the lake

[Bluebasser86]

Water temp is more important than air temp. 

 

It was cold here Friday morning, lots of guys fishing low and slow and not doing good. Water temp was still 70-72, I was in 5' or less of water catching them on topwater first thing in the morning

 

[bradster]

Gang,

I really appreciate the input and the fishing wisdom.

I like how members give serious advice based on their real world experience!

Thanks.