Is fishing better in the morning or afternoon?

 

My best results come in the evening. I rarely have the chance to get out first thing in the morning to fish, when I have it's definitely better than mid day, but not AS good as that sunset bite!

 

After the sun has found its home in the Western sky!

Afternoon/Early Evening for me, work is done for the day so I can just get out there, relax and try to catch a few .

I haven't fished for bass yet but the walleye bite is better for me in the evening. With me just getting into this bass fishing I hope to find it to be the same way

 

Very Early & Late in the season - definitely Mid-Day; looking to fish the warmest part of the afternoon.

During the warmer months, sunrise & sunset bites for me are often about the same, both potentially good.  Sunrise topwater seems better.

But let us not neglect the Night bite here now either.  Even though it's a little spooky it's a still a good time to sneak up on those big tricky bass.

A-Jay

 

 

Right now it's middle of the day. But most of the year, and in SC, it's summer a good bit of the year, I prefer evening until sundown. Once the summer pattern sets in that seems to be my best bet for bigger bass. And I do so love the topwater action. Often times, when I don't have time off, I'll take a few hours in the morning and go to a local place. I'll make the time up by working more later in the week. Then I want to be on the water as early as possible.

45 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Very Early & Late in the season - definitely Mid-Day; looking to fish the warmest part of the afternoon.

During the warmer months, sunrise & sunset bites for me are often about the same, both potentially good.  Sunrise topwater seems better.

But let us not neglect the Night bite here now either.  Even though it's a little spooky it's a still a good time to sneak up on those big tricky bass.

A-Jay

 

 

I want to try a few nights this year.

3 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

Right now it's middle of the day. But most of the year, and in SC, it's summer a good bit of the year, I prefer evening until sundown. Once the summer pattern sets in that seems to be my best bet for bigger bass. And I do so love the topwater action. Often times, when I don't have time off, I'll take a few hours in the morning and go to a local place. I'll make the time up by working more later in the week. Then I want to be on the water as early as possible.

I want to try a few nights this year.

 

Cool, I bet you'll like it.

Check out this recent thread on the subject - has some good info.

A-Jay

Early used to be my go to.  Prefer P.M. now just because it's easier (work schedule, no chill & dew, me being lazy). 

I think they are about the same . 

There is a noticeable difference for me and morning wins out. 

I seem to do better in the early morning but in the summer when it's hot I love being the guy in the middle of the lake in the middle of the day for some reason now. ?

Neither. 

 

Mid day for me.

I definitely agree mid day during the much colder seasons (late fall and early spring)

 

During the dog days of summer tho, I like the evening bite!

 

Ive heard the morning bite is better tho because the water is cooler from the nighttime, before the water has the chance to heat up.. where as in the evening the water temp drops as the sun goes down but not as cold as the morn so the fish aren't as active..

 

But as I said, for me, some reason the 1hr to 45min before dark is so good to slay em, especially top water!

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

There is a noticeable difference for me and morning wins out. 

Same here fishing as the sun just shows up has better results for me. But as far as a personal preference I enjoy both as long as I'm fishing it's all good.. 

Morning for me, although it may have a lot to do with my location.  Being in a desert close to the ocean, many of our days begin with cloudy skies that clear up late morning & lead to bluebird skies the rest of the day.  That scenario also leads to very few people on the water in the morning and tons of pleasure cruisers in the afternoon & evening.

I just go when I can go.

 

Like A-Jay said early and late in the season, middle of the day when seems to be the best...

 

The rest of the year, it depends..........it seems like for a few days they bite best in the morning, then for a few days they bite better in the evening, then for a few days the bite best in the middle of the day. Some days they bite good all day. 

Fishing, like breakfast, is best served in the EVENING.

3 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 

Cool, I bet you'll like it.

Check out this recent thread on the subject - has some good info.

A-Jay

I read that thread when it was new. Good ideas. i bought a headlight a few years ago in anticipation of going one night with a buddy and it stormed. I never did. I would probably be in my kayak, which worries me that a snake might swim up in it with me and I freak out and go swimming.

I get the most consistent action between 9am and 11am then again from 1:30pm to 3pm.  

Since I am an early riser and retired, I really love the morning bite. Love to get out on the water before sunrise and start throwing a buzz bait.

I used to think first thing in the morning was the best but I'm starting to lean towards the evening time.  Looking back almost all of my big fish have come after 10 am and some of the best fishing I've experienced has come after 3 pm.   I also think that pressure has something to do with it.  There's just not that many people around here that fish late in the day.

7 hours ago, Bassguytom said:

I seem to do better in the early morning but in the summer when it's hot I love being the guy in the middle of the lake in the middle of the day for some reason now. ?

never tried mid day middle of lake. I guess I need to learn more on electronics and what to look for. sounds fun tho any ideas on learning more about electronics? catch big ones lonnie

Our fishing time choices are whenever the lakes opens and closes; 1/2 hour after sunrise and 1/2 hr before sunset for most of SoCals public lakes. We get limited night fishing during summer months. I prefer to fish afternoon during the cold water months, mornings during pre spawn and early mornings or nights during the summer.

Tom

 

Evening seems to fish just slightly better than morning where I fish, but due to a flexible schedule in the summer, I fish weekday mornings almost exclusively to avoid other people. The benefits work both ways, as I see it -- I get my (generally small, public) waters mostly to myself at lot of the time, and the folks who only get to fish evenings and weekends have one less angler in their way as well. 

 

I much prefer to fish the late afternoon/evening hours.  That being said Doug Hannon has always professed that the largest bass are caught midday.