When is the best time to fish, exactly? New anglers will find themselves scratching their head and wondering when to hit the water. Some seasoned anglers will swear by early morning while others will go straight to the afternoon for some secretive reason.
For me, evening is when the action heats up; there are less people, and, best of all, you’re more likely to get a bite.
1. You’ll Have More Energy
This is a no-brainer. But it’s worth discussing. You’ve already been awake for hours. You’ve had your coffee and your brain is on. I’ve always found the morning hours can be brutal. Especially with a long drive, a boat launch, last-minute logistical planning, and searching the “hottest fishing spots near me” and lots of coffee. By evening, you’re awake and ready to drop lines.
You Can Fish Into the Night
Rather than racing to fish before it becomes too hot, try fishing as the sun falls. In fact, some species will drop their guard at night as visibility diminishes. This is great for sticking that stubborn bass otherwise too smart to catch during the day.
2. Best Time To Fish: Better Bites in The Evening
During certain times of the year, the water temperature warms later. By this time, the sun is shining straight down on your fishing hole. As a result, some fish will seek cover in response. By the time evening arrives, fish will emerge from cover and hunt the shorelines and deepwater. Some species like largemouth bass can also be caught at night if you have the necessary lighting. For this, I would have in my possession a power source and a floodlight and flashlights, also. If your fishing by boat, having these connected to your main battery is a good idea.
Best Time To Trout Fish
I’ve always found that the evening bite is better for trout, especially on a dry fly along creeks and outflow sources. The reason for this is the weather. As the Fall gives way to spring and the hatch becomes more robust, the late afternoon / early evening temperatures will bring out the bugs, thus bringing out the predator fish. But be prepared! Check out the top spring trout lures here.
3. Use Low Light Conditions To Your Advantage
With a reduction in light, there is less chance the fish will study the lure and line. If you’re lucky, what little light remains will reflect off your spinner, giving just enough flash to entice a bite, but without presenting your terminal tackle. In these conditions, I like to use a bladed lure like a willow leaf spinnerbait for bass and burn it at surface level. For trout, I like to use rooster tails and Panther Martins of any color, as the evening light won’t reflect too heavily off the metal of your fishing lure.
Great Time To Bass Fish
This is a great time to work your topwater lures and spinnerbaits for bass. With lower light conditions, you can get away with bulky, dark-colored lures as they silhouette well and move water, triggering a fish to activate other senses like sound and vibration. The evening is also a fantastic time to throw a topwater frog around shallow cover.
Nature Comes To Life in The Evening
Have you ever been on a lake in the summer in the evening? Yes? Then you’ve hear the low-toned calls of bullfrogs and their offspring across the water. The insects in full force -mosquitos and stone flies. Over head, bats zig zag across the sky. Everything comes to life and much of these organisms are eaten by fish. This gives you plenty of options to play with different lures and hook sizes.
Final Thoughts
If you do choose to fish in the evening, you’ll find that you don’t need any special fishing gear, tactics, or skills – just your rod and reel, tackle box, bug spray, and warm clothes. Instead of racing against the sun, you’ll be pressured only by your own desire to hit the sack, as fishing into the evening and low light conditions are easily dealt with by using a headlamp and flashlight. Give it a try. It might be a game-changer for you!
