1 hour ago, Swamp Girl said:

Thanks! I need my right hand, for sure. I remember one big bass last fall that buckled my hand and freed itself. I've lost a lot of muscle from the pinched nerve.

Anyway, as far as rising early in the spring, I'd be doing it too if our water was soft. I remember standing in the snow last spring and getting skunked, but it was still great to simply cast after the long, dark, cold winter.

I could not agree more. To many take it all for granted.

Yeah on a warming trend you’d be surprised how many big fish will eat a big wake worked slow shallow around dawn.

I do go fishing in the early morning. Sometimes I get fish, and sometimes I get skunk. I've noticed I have better luck on days where the air temps don't move very much.

1 hour ago, Bankbeater said:

I do go fishing in the early morning. Sometimes I get fish, and sometimes I get skunk. I've noticed I have better luck on days where the air temps don't move very much.

Now that’s one I never thought of is steady temp and pressure

I fish year round and always launch in the dark.

Don't pass up any opportunity to fish. You can never get that time back. One thing is for sure. Any day of the year, any time of the day, you can't catch them if you are not on the water. If I was forced to make a choice for time of day in the early spring, with cold water temps. I would pick afternoon, but would prefer to be on the water from sunrise to sunset.

5 minutes ago, king fisher said:

Don't pass up any opportunity to fish. You can never get that time back. One thing is for sure. Any day of the year, any time of the day, you can't catch them if you are not on the water. If I was forced to make a choice for time of day in the early spring, with cold water temps. I would pick afternoon, but would prefer to be on the water from sunrise to sunset.

I've long considered you to be funniest Bass Resourcer, but you are wise too. I agree that we should cast while we still can, that tomorrow isn't guaranteed. I watched Eric Dane's (an actor who died of ALS in just ten months.) video to his daughters and he led with the importance of not delaying, of doing the things you want to do while you still can. There are people who will never know what it's like to launch or cast into the cold dark, hoping that some beast will rise to answer your call, but you don't even have to catch bass. You're out there at a moment beyond the ken of people who live within walls where it's always warm and lighted.

If forced to choose, I will take a warmer part of the day. But if the morning is all I have, I’m still going fishing.

16 hours ago, Bankbeater said:

I've noticed I have better luck on days where the air temps don't move very much.

A comment you don't hear that often but had me thinking.

My most memorable day on the water several years ago in April,

Air temperature stayed consistently in the mid 50's throughout the night and throughout the next day.....dead calm as well.

I pay more attention to a consistent steady increase in overnight lows than anything else. If you have a warm night with a little warm rain (warm being relative and in this case warmer than 32 degrees Fahrenheit - those of us with lakes that freeze) the next morning can produce the biggest fish of the year - especially if the warm drizzle is steady and gentle and consistent.

On days like this, I target flats and places around spawning banks with lipless crank baits and jigs. I also try to target all of the ditches and drains with water flowing in or causing erosion during these warm events with precipitation early in the morning with jigs, especially!!!

26 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

I pay more attention to a consistent steady increase in overnight lows than anything else. If you have a warm night with a little warm rain (warm being relative and in this case warmer than 32 degrees Fahrenheit - those of us with lakes that freeze) the next morning can produce the biggest fish of the year - especially if the warm drizzle is steady and gentle and consistent.

On days like this, I target flats and places around spawning banks with lipless crank baits and jigs. I also try to target all of the ditches and drains with water flowing in or causing erosion during these warm events with precipitation early in the morning with jigs, especially!!!

Since Pat mentioned that one of my couple best days last year were early spring warm rain days. It was like I could call every cast. Or spot I casted to and catch a fish. 20-30 fish mornings in 2.5 hour period.

That said my biggest last year was hottest part of the day in August on a sunny day. Awful day to fish lol. Especially after working all day. But that one bite was amazing

OP, tell us how the fishing went?

I do some early spring mornings here when the overnight temps are consistently high for a few days. Last week I caught two 4s and a 5 before 9am but it was 62 for an overnight low. That's all relative though; you get a stretch of days that are warmer at night than usual...you should be fishing at dawn

Over the years I have figured that the solunar tables really mean something. Early morning majors and afternoon minors can be a good indicator of activity. Now that's not to say they won't bite outside of those windows but it gives a good idea of when you need to be on your "bread and butter" spots that produce fish. Oftentimes that coincides with first light which to be honest is my most favorite time to fish year round because sunrises energize me and really give the day a good start for me especially when its on the water. One thing I have noticed too, I don't know why but during the colder months the sunrise just seems more "vivid"!

1 hour ago, OkobojiEagle said:

OP, tell us how the fishing went?

Got two bites. One on a ned and one on a lipless. Short strikes. Hooked up and lost the one on the lipless. Still was a great time. And nice to be out casting

34 minutes ago, IYAOYAS said:

Over the years I have figured that the solunar tables really mean something. Early morning majors and afternoon minors can be a good indicator of activity. Now that's not to say they won't bite outside of those windows but it gives a good idea of when you need to be on your "bread and butter" spots that produce fish. Oftentimes that coincides with first light which to be honest is my most favorite time to fish year round because sunrises energize me and really give the day a good start for me especially when its on the water. One thing I have noticed too, I don't know why but during the colder months the sunrise just seems more "vivid"!

I just started messing with that I downloaded an app that @FloridaFishinFool recommended. So I can see those days and productive times. I’m excited to use it. And I agree something about being out there when the world is asleep and seeing it wake up

4 hours ago, IYAOYAS said:

...... I don't know why but during the colder months the sunrise just seems more "vivid"!

Less humidity is what I'm sticking with. I appreciate your solunar comments, I can't seem to put them in consideration consistently, but I'm going to try harder.

scott

Early spring/prespawn I usually do the best between about 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM, then it tapers off some till around 2:00 PM.

Colder months, especially after a front, Florida bass are much more active in the afternoon. Cold mornings can be especially tough!