Ice out time of day

[walt-14]

Wondering your thoughts on the best time of the day to bass fish right after Ice out.  Always heard mornings are typically good but during early spring, morning can be some of the coldest temps of the day, meaning water temp would be cold as well.  Would it be best to avoid mornings altogether and just wait until early evening? Also, what about afternoon? Just trying to dial everything in before spring open water gets here. Thanks!

[JediAmoeba]

Afternoon for me.  All of it depends on the weather of course but generally between 3 and 4 o'clock are fire times in March

[Smokinal]

I've absolutely blistered them in the mornings and afternoons.

For me, if there's open water, I fish

[Dirtyeggroll]

Lots of reasons to make up that one time of day is better than the other.

 

Truth is, it likely varies day to day and from body of water.

 

I like fishing mornings. Bass have a unique advantage of great vision in the low light compared to other fishes so I have convinced myself morning is a great time to catch them. I also like to think it’s easier to find them in the mornings, because I like to believe they accumulate on the warmest part of the lake before the sun starts to warm up other things. Rocks and cement hold heat about the best so I figure the bass all group up there until the sun gets bright and warm. Fishing rip rap and rock piles has worked out pretty well for me on cool spring mornings.

[The Bassman]

I fish smaller lakes and ponds. Give me a bright day with a SW breeze, above 50*,mid/late afternoon. I'll head to the windward side and usually the fun starts real fast.

[Ksam1234]

All depends honeslty .. I have fished at 7-8 am in April and killed them and the bite shut off during the afternoon. Then also fished the afternoon and killed them and didn’t get much in the morning .. just fish all times of the day and figure them out. Depends maybe on wind , rain etc 

[scaleface]

Afternoons .

 

[DitchPanda]

I think after being iced up for 4 to 5 months the best time of day to fish at ice out is whenever your awake!

[Michigander]

I either do late afternoons or right when the sun comes up. I don't seem to get much predawn or around noon. I think my fish like the long shadows. That being said, I'm usually jonesing so hard just to be fishing at that point, catching is kind of irrelevant. 

[Bankbeater]

For me it depends on the fish. 

[Bluebasser86]

Early morning for me. Sun gets up and the bite dies a lot of the time until late in the afternoon.

[nascar2428]

Highest temperature of the day.

[scaleface]

Ice out and the first spring like weather I like to target steep , sunny banks with crankbaits and jigs. Starting around 11 o'clock till later in the afternoon . I dont expect a lot of bites but its a good time to catch a hawg . I parallel cast med. diving cranks along the bank and retrieve agonizingly slow . My favorite has been crawdad colored Arbogast Mudbugs  but they are no longer available . The Ozark anglers use Wiggle Warts the same way .

[NHBull]

I really struggle at that time of year.  I fish when I can but do spend more time in the north end as the water is a tad warmer

[Paul Roberts]

Any time you can go. Don't be afraid of any time.

[Ogandrews]

Here in Minnesota I always find its best in the afternoon for bass and northern. For the week or two after ice out the water is usually in the 30’s so a degree or two difference in the afternoon can make a big difference. Once the water gets into the 40’s I find them to start biting much more regularly throughout the day 

[papajoe222]

If you look at it logically,  a sunny day, mid to late afternoon, in the northeast section, slight to moderate breeze from the southwest and you should be gold.  Now if you wait for a day like that when you can actually be on the water, the bass will probably have spawned and the water temp will be pushing 70. 

Go when you can, you never know until you try.