I will probably go out next weekend for the first time this year. I like to go out in the morning because you get the lake to yourself but as you are figuring things out you miss prime time – evening is nice, I get out drill some holes pick up a couple and figure out where to set up for prime time-then some lakes have more of a evening or morning bite-any formula to that? Ideas?
Really early has been best to me for gills. Late day for crappies.
The local lakes near me I prefer the panfishing from about 2 till 8 PM. But that doesn’t mean I’m not out at 5 or 6am. I just notice the bite is better toward evening, more consistant. When I morning fish I tend to have 50 holes drilled and fish each one a max of 3 to 5minutes if I’m not getting bites. And In the evening I hunker down and set up shop in 1 spot and wait for schools to come through
So far this year been fishing from about 9 to about 430. It’s been good.
Local watering hole is 9-2. I guess the answer is lake dependent!
I think it is lake dependent…
Mark
More than lake dependent, I would say spot dependent. Basin, shallow flats, weed bed, rocky point, target species all play a factor. I would say fishing is great 24 hours a day somewhere fishing for something, somehow.
I think it is lake dependent…
Mark
For sure. It’s best to be early to community holes, before all the commotion occurs. If you’re all by your lonesome, the entire day can be good. Bluegill seem to hunker down about a half hour before sunset. Crappie bite well in the last couple hours before dark and can be good an hour after dark, as well.
It varies so much that it is hard to really answer. Every angler has their own opinion based on the areas they fish and pressure (just as everyone else has said). Panfish can and will bite nonstop throughout the day or in short windows.
For me, I do best from about 2 hours before dark until dark. I have usually by that time eliminated most of the unproductive water/area nearby and have started to put together a pattern (dead stick, small spoon, spikes on tungsten, etc.).
Mornings are usually most successful when it is a place I am super familiar with or have been on quite a bit in the past week. This is why I generally start my day in a familiar area from sun-up until 9:00am or so, and then start to wander or even load up and try different river areas during the day.
My preference is Morning but afternoons can be as good. I guess on community spots I tend to get there early. Less noise and less pressure usally dictate better fishing. Agree with many that each lake has its own preference and identity.
For crappies I would definitely lean towards afternoon into evening.
On lakes that clearly have a morning bite you still see people all year prefering to go in the afternoon. If you say PM is better are you really out there comparing apples to apples? So the PM guys are there at 3 and fish till dark. When you have tried the morning did you START in the dark and fish a few hours past dawn?
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