First Light

[crypt]

first light is the best time of the day. even if I'm not fishing.but so much better when I'm on the water........

[LrgmouthShad]

Yup easy for me to say that first light is my favorite too. 
 

Start early, start deep (at least off the bank), start with something on the bottom. On a larger lake, that’s how I will roll. 

[A-Jay]

43 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Did it for nearly 30 years fishing tournies, so I’m over it - lol. My old club would start an hour before sunrise, and I always complained that it was because the guys needed a ‘crutch’ to catch fish - lol.

 

I never hit the water before Noon these days. Mornings are peaceful and pretty and all that, but getting good sleep and waiting for the sun to position the fish works for me, especially since I like fishing offshore so much. If I want pretty and topwater, I just stay through sunset ? ?

I knew this was coming, even before I read it.

Can't argue with your success my friend. 

Just wish I could duplicate it.

A-Jay

[Junk Fisherman]

The fish in my avatar (6.6) and my local PB were both caught right at daylight.  If I am going to take the time to go, I want to be out there right at daylight especially during the summer.  Fishing locally, I need to wake up by 3:15 AM in order to be on the water at 5.  There's something special about being on the water right as it gets light.  I enjoy dusk as well but it's not the same.  I do enjoy fishing till dusk in the fall when you're often the last one on the water.    

[Bankbeater]

I get up to go fishing at the same time I get up to go to work, so for me it's not that much of a stretch.  I've noticed a lot of the time around here the bass don't bite at first light.  The bite will start 30 to 45 minutes later. 

[Way north bass guy]

First light is often quite peaceful and beautiful on the water, but for most of the places I fish, especially for bass, I seem to do much better when the sun gets up higher to position the fish. I also seem to do way better in the evenings as the sun is going down. As I get older, I’m also finding myself getting a bit lazier when it comes to getting up real early, so I guess it helps that I can stay in bed a bit longer, then wear the bass out later in the day. 
About the only time I get up real early for the outdoors much anymore is when I’m going out trolling for salmon, or to chase a buck in the fall. 

[Bird]

2 hours ago, Bankbeater said:

I get up to go fishing at the same time I get up to go to work, so for me it's not that much of a stretch.  I've noticed a lot of the time around here the bass don't bite at first light.  The bite will start 30 to 45 minutes later. 

Why is that? But find this to be true.

I'm thinking us fisherman arise before the bass ?

[GRiver]

I love first light, I like to be a my first spot just before then.

Trolling motor down, rods on deck, floating and watching the sky line light up. Listening to the nature waking up. Having a cup of coffee, eating a egg and cheese biscuit.
I believe it is one of the most tranquil times…..

 

[MidwestBassAttack]

I love first light fishing. Something about being up before the sun, taking the truck and that hot cup of coffee out on the road. Pulling into the lake with not a soul around. Many times I pull in to the lot, get out with my coffee in hand, and just look and listen at the scene. Pure magic. No electronics, no emails, no phone calls. Just me and nature…….

 

And then the coffee kicks in and I have to high-tail it to the nearest McDonalds.

[GreenPig]

I always fish first light whether I'm fishing day or night. The value of a sunrise changed after I spent a year being homebound.

[T-Billy]

5 hours ago, Bankbeater said:

I get up to go fishing at the same time I get up to go to work, so for me it's not that much of a stretch.  I've noticed a lot of the time around here the bass don't bite at first light.  The bite will start 30 to 45 minutes later. 

 

3 hours ago, Bird said:

Why is that? But find this to be true.

I'm thinking us fisherman arise before the bass ?

I've also found that the bite slows during the transitional period from dark to light, but the bites I get are often quality fish. 

[The Bassman]

12 hours ago, Team9nine said:

Did it for nearly 30 years fishing tournies, so I’m over it - lol. My old club would start an hour before sunrise, and I always complained that it was because the guys needed a ‘crutch’ to catch fish - lol.

 

I never hit the water before Noon these days. Mornings are peaceful and pretty and all that, but getting good sleep and waiting for the sun to position the fish works for me, especially since I like fishing offshore so much. If I want pretty and topwater, I just stay through sunset ? ?

Must just be an Indiana thing. Pretty much all of my catches have come at peak heating. That also coincides with max wind. Granted, I'm shore fishing so boat control isn't an issue. The only problem is the summer heat. Yesterday was 93 with upper 70 dewpoints. Pretty tough on an old man. Fish didn't care. They stay cool enough being wet.

[Woody B]

I'm at the ramp an hour before sunrise during the Summer.   I'm back at the ramp leaving by the time most of the wake boats are getting started.   

[Catt]

First light during pre-spawn/spawn is magical but so is a full moon on the horizon during the Dog Days of Summer.

[Skunkmaster-k]

10 hours ago, GreenPig said:

I always fish first light whether I'm fishing day or night. The value of a sunrise changed after I spent a year being homebound.

Majestic 

[king fisher]

13 hours ago, Bird said:

I'm thinking us fisherman arise before the bass

May be true, but my parents always told me it was better to be early than late, and that advice has served me well in life.

[Catt]

On 8/4/2022 at 5:50 AM, Catt said:

First light during pre-spawn/spawn is magical but so is a full moon on the horizon during the Dog Days of Summer.

 

First light to y'all is the sun breaking the eastern sky.

 

First light to me is the moon on the horizon.

[padlin]

I thought of moonlight yesterday hoping I could get out even earlier if I could see at all, alas the moon set was about midnight.

 

Fwiw, 1st Light is 30 min before sun rise.

[Spankey]

I'm with you MO on that first light. I launch while still in darkness and make my way up to a few points I want to start on as sun is coming up. Like all you guys I've caught bass at all different hours but just feel this is the best opportunity for me.

 

Might sound corny but being out there at that first light seem to give me a bit of a connection with the man upstairs. Not like I don't need a little of that.

[Big Rick]

If I'm not on my boat deck watching the world wake up then I'm not a happy camper. My biggest reason for fishing is the solitude of interacting one on one with nature at it's finest. And it doesn't get any finer than watching the world wake up to another day. 

 

It's something about hearing that first bird start singing and seeing that first glow in the east that is full of promise of an exciting day on the water. It stirs the soul and brings clarity to my thoughts. I love it. 40 years of bass fishing and I still get fired up about seeing another day come to life. The last two days have arrived with me in my favorite fishing hole watching the Earth welcome another day. 

 

Life is good. 

[the reel ess]

Sunrises and sunsets are a spiritual thing for me. I prefer sunrise because it signals the promise of another day. I can still continue to fish after it.

[Woody B]

On 8/3/2022 at 8:46 PM, Bird said:

I'm thinking us fisherman arise before the bass ?

 

A few week ago a co worker was going fishing the same day, and same landing I was going to.  I texted him a picture from the landing ~1 hour before sunrise and ask where he was.   He texted back "the bass aren't awake yet".   I caught a 4 pounder on my 3rd cast.  I sent him a picture and said "this one is awake".