What Is the Best Time of Day to Go Fishing?

Too many hot days in the summer and cold temperatures during winter can make fish in shallow lakes, rivers, and ponds sluggish. But why? Remember that all fish are cold-blooded, and therefore they can't keep their body temperatures at a constant level the way humans and other warm-blooded animals.

Since the most ancient of times, anglers or fishers have known the natural cycles of the world and how it affects fish, from dusk till dawn. Fishing at the right time improves the chances for a successful fishing trip. If you don't know how to identify the right fishing times, your catches will mostly be disappointing. It doesn't matter if you have the best fishing spots and all the right equipment. A good angler keeps note of the time, and he doesn't despise it. 

So, the temperature of the surrounding affects the fish's body temperature, hence affects their body functions too. If the temperature is too high or too low, it lowers the amount of oxygen in the water, and that makes fish less active. Read along to find out what every angler should know about the best fishing times.

Factors That Affect Fishing Times

If you want to know the right time to go fishing, consider the factors explained here. They affect how fish behaves so that you can determine the time when you can catch fish in abundance.

Light and Temperature

Just like humans, fish also prefer the early morning and evening sun to the intensive sun of midday. The morning sun warms the shallows and creates a water temperature that is more comfortable for fish to move and jump around as they feed. That makes the perfect time to cast your net or line. Late morning is even better since by then the sun will have had more of a chance to warm up the shallows. Warm water temperatures usually make bait fish more active and available to the game fish on cool early spring days.

When the sun it bright and hot, fish tend to move to cooler, deeper waters to stay more comfortable. If you practice shallow and top water lures, early morning and late afternoons are the best times for you to go fishing. The temperatures at these times are cooler, and the lights are lower, and that is exactly what fish wants. This is the time when they cruise the shallows for meals.

During midday when the sun is bright and extremely hot, hot water surface temperature, reduced surface oxygen, and increasing winds cause fish to move to the deeper parts of the water. In such a situation, deep fishing baits, lures and rigs are the best methods to apply as an angler.

Moon Phase

Moon phases have effects on fish a great deal. Fish like to hang around near the water surface in full moon. By why do fish like a full moon? The reason is simple. Fish like to feed when there is light. During a full moon, the light attracts them so that they use it to find food. Just like temperature and tides, moon phases also fluctuate on a daily basis. However, there are two times that are consistently suitable for fishing; between dawn and dusk.

Seasons

Like all animals, fish also have behavioral patterns affected by seasons. They come out in great numbers in particular times of the year. Spring is not a season to depend on entirely since fish bite on and off, but you can have better luck towards the end of the season when things get a little warmer. Summer is a good fishing season if you can avoid the hottest times of the day. Fall is an inconsistent time, but it can also be a time that comes with plenty of fish. And finally, winter is never a good time for fishing at all.

Wind

The pattern and strength of with can greatly affect your fishing success. The wind pushes water and surface fish foods to the distant shore, with bait fish following behind it, and with game fish coming after the bait fish. Therefore, if you are fishing from shore on a windy day, the best place to fish is a point where you have to cast into the wind. When you do that, your lure moves with the wind and with surface food and with fish.

Tides

Tides affect fish activities and behaviors. Rising or falling tides allow fish to move to shallow areas to look for new food. They take advantage to access the newly shallow areas for new food sources. Fish tend to move with the moving of the tides. Stay observant of the way the tides are moving and pick the right spots for fishing. If you do your math right, you might end up catching a lot of big fish like you've never seen before.

Cloudy Days

Cloudy days presents good fishing times since the clouds prevent direct light penetration. Cloudy days signals when to fish since cloud make fish to cruise through the waters more vigorously in search of food. They are more active on a cloudy day more that they would on a bright day when they like to hide and stay close to shades. On an overcast, fish will less likely stay hidden at specific structures areas or spots. Fish are more likely to scatter all through the water on a cloudy day. With just a little effort at such times, you can carry home a big catch.

As you gear up to go fishing, you hope to catch a lot of fish. You will be shocked by the number of anglers who don't know how to keep fish friendly times. Many anglers still don't understand how fish operate in their fishing grounds. Several factors affect fish behavior, and once you understand what they are and how to use them to determine the best fishing times, you will increase your chances of catching a lot of fish wherever you are, especially the big fish.