Sun or Shade?

[jaystraw]

When you are at a lake and are starting to fish, do you pick the side that is getting more sun or shade?

I'm going to hit my local pond tomorrow morning, and I'm trying to decide which side I should fish first.  Sometimes it's all about which way the wind is going to push my canoe, but I think it will be very calm tomorrow morning.

So, would you fish the side that the sun is hitting first, or the side that stays darker longer?

And for what it's worth, I seem to catch more fish in the shady spots and sides of lakes/ponds/whatever.

[Jake.]

During my most recent pond outing, the fish were concentrated on shady, wind-blown banks that had some type of cover/structure in it. Since you are going in the AM, I would definatly try a buzzbait.

[jaystraw]

I have never caught anything on my buzzbait, but I'll give it a shot.  The topwater bite has been pretty good at this pond lately.  I've caught nice smallies on torpedos and jitterbugs.

Oh, and the pond (small lake really) is primarily smallmouth fishing if that makes any differance.

[MemphisFisherman]

Whichever side the fish are on.  I don't pay much attention to sunshine or shade, I just go to my normal hole's.  I pay alot more attention to which direction the wind's blowing.

[stilldontlikeyou]

Whichever side the fish are on.  I don't pay much attention to sunshine or shade, I just go to my normal hole's.  I pay alot more attention to which direction the wind's blowing.

Hey Memphis, in terms of wind direction, should I be casting away from, or into the wind?

And to the original question, I've found I get a couple bites in the sun, but a lot more bites in the shady spots.  

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Sunn in the winter and spring shade in the summer and late spring.Fall is up for grabs

[jaystraw]

Whichever side the fish are on. I don't pay much attention to sunshine or shade, I just go to my normal hole's. I pay alot more attention to which direction the wind's blowing.

Well, if there were not fish on BOTH sides of the lake, that would work great.  Thankfully, there are fish almost everywhere at this place.  It's a matter of which side is biting better.

This morning it was cloudy, so it did not matter much.  When it got sunny, the shade was better fishing.

[Hookemdown.]

Hey Memphis, in terms of wind direction, should I be casting away from, or into the wind?

 

Fish the wind blown banks

[MemphisFisherman]

As a boater, I normally through towards the bank if I am bank fishing.  If not bank fishing then hold the boat going into the wind and try throwing something heavy so you don't backlash, makes controlling the boat much easier.  As a nonboater then you don't have much control where you cast, you just sorta cast out whereever there is water, but if given the opportunity, through away from the wind, onto the wind blown bank, alot more control of your lure that way and tighter line if your worm fishing.

[spotaholic]

This really depends on where you fish. In the summer time I pray for the sun. I fish deep water humps from the end May to November and you want the sun out because the fish key in on those areas. When it cloudy they seem to spread out. In April and May are fish school better when the the blue backs come up and that is when the sun is out. In Feb and March I like to sight fish and that is easier when the sun is out. In the winter I look for warmer pockets and banks with rock that heat up better when the sun is out. Hum this seems to be a pattern. This is not saying that I don't like cloudy days when it is 110 degeres but I cach fish better when the sun is out and really don't see that much of a difference in the topwater action. This may only apply to The Hill.