early morning fishing

[mic]

I am wondering if getting up before sunrise,to get to the water at dawn is really werth it.i have read that browns feed at night,so I thought mabey its a good time to get one on the line.

 

[lv2nymph]

Yes, especially come summer when daytime temps get high.

 

[J55tyger88]

I say we go find out for ourselves with the MOTOS!

 

[salmonoid]

Define "worth it". I've never regretted getting up early to be on the water. In the summertime, it can be the difference between catching fish and getting skunked. If fishing a pressured stream, it can be the difference between being the first angler on the stream and the fourth angler on the stream. In some places, it can be the difference between getting a parking spot and not getting a parking spot.

By dawn, generally the big browns have slunk away to their lairs for the day. You want a really early dawn for them, like 10PM - 3AM

 

[Chaz]

This time of the year not as important, as during the summer, but for large browns it's it's always important. The big issue is water temperature for browns, they like the feeding range from about 55 to 68 degrees. During the winter things are a bit different because all trout slow down feeding during the cold weather months. I've found that trout, no matter what time of the year you go fishing, like the places where the sun hits the water early, and that's where you'll find them most active when the water is coldest. This is especially true during the trico hatch.

 

[afishinado]

mic wrote:
I am wondering if getting up before sunrise,to get to the water at dawn is really werth it.i have read that browns feed at night,so I thought mabey its a good time to get one on the line.

A lot of good info in the above posts.

Often trout are more lethargic when the water is cold this time of year. They are usually more likely to feed when the water warms a bit. In the early morning, water temperatures are most always at their lowest point of the day. Many times, the same thing is true for the hatches in cold temps. Early season hatches often happen when the water temps rise a bit.

I agree, it's great to get out early before the crowd. If you plan to fish most of the day, than get there early in the morning and give it a go. If you only have a couple of hour to fish though, this time of year, I would chose to be on the stream for the warmest part of the day.

The complete reverse is usually true in the warm season. Get there early to fish and skip the mid-day period when the water is warmest.

In addition, near dusk is a great time to be on the water, especially when the sulphurs begin hatching. Also night fishing can be really productive in the warm season.

 

[boychick]

Generally, it is worth it. I agree with Chaz. A good general rule; when the water is cold, fish will feed best where the water warms first. On days when I go out early and fish until dark during the winter, I find that the best winter fishing happens as the daytime temps rise and peak. Hourly forecasts can be very helpful for this. I'm pretty sure it is due to fish metabolism, but I also think that the bugs get more active as the water warms. It seems olives come off at the warmest part of a cold day in the late winter/early spring.

 

[marcq]

ill go against what everyone elso is saying and say for trout no not so much. unless its mid summer time and stream temps are up. there are other think like you are targeting big browns at night or trico hatch in the am. I don't look at trout as much as a nocturnal feeder as I do a fish like catfish.
like my usual saltwater rant I think morning and night are the best time to fish. there are a lot of factors that go into it. tides winds moon phases. in spring you can got all morning getting stripers in the bay but once it hits 12.00 the fishing will die off. the blues in the middle of the bay will hit but bass turn off during mid day.

 

[pete41]

Ray Bergman said it best in "Trout".
Once the sun comes up,it's just another day.
as an avid night fisherman for trout I found that once the water temp dropped below the preferred temp it was time to switch back to days.
In midwinter some of the best fishing can be from 11am to 3 pm unless snow melt shuts them off.
Hard to go wrong if you try to be there when the water temp is closest to their preferred temp..
Be it 3am or 3pm.lol

 

[mic]

Thanks for the replys,you guy's are great. I agree,any time in the water fishing is worth the effort.I learned a lot at the newbie jam,and can tell i'll learn a lot on here.Thanks for all you'r help.

 

[pcray1231]

Generally speaking, just before dawn and just after dusk are very good fishing. That said, it depends on time of year, and somewhat on the stream too. Through about May, if I have to choose one or the other, I'm fishing the evening and staying out till after dark, then sleep in in the morning. Typically late May/early June, you get a switch, where you'd rather fish the morning. And that becomes especially true later in the summer.

Think of it in terms of water temps. Optimal water temp is 60ish. If you are not right around that temp, fishing will be best when the temperature is moving in that direction. Water temps peak just before dusk and are at their lowest just before dawn.

Hence, as long as temps are on the cool side of optimal, afternoon through evening is best. When on the warm side, morning is best. When right around optimal, anytime is good, so follow the food.

 

[Stagger_Lee]

Mic .. once it warms up I love fishing in the real early am. There is just something really peaceful abt fishing at that time. Very few if any on the water, sounds of nature, sun rising, etc ... I really enjoy my time alone at that time of day.

As the guys say, and I concur ... in my short fishing life span I've caught most of my warmer weather trout in the AM and evening.

 

[bigslackwater]

I like to go out for an hour on my way to work in the late spring/early summer. I have a nice spot that I go to between 6 and 7 AM. I usually only fish dries and typically catch more fish in my pre-work power hour than I do when I go out for longer stretches during the day. I think it's a combination of the time of year, time of day, and making it count ie..not messing around because the clock is ticking!

 

[mic]

yea sounds good stags,its allways good to see the ''morning dew roll away'' while fishing.i am going to try to fish as much as I can this summer.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I will say this, too. Some of the most memorial moments I've had fly fishing have been in the summer, early mornings. Not just because the fishing was good, but there's something very unique about being in the forrest on a small stream as the woods wake up. Last summer on my family vacation, I knew I couldn't leave my wife back at the cabin all day alone w/ my daughters, so I would get up at 5:00am every day (my camp is fortunate, I can be on a dozen different streams w/in 20 minutes), and would fish til about 8:30am or so. I'd get 3 hours of fishing in, be back to make the family breakfast! It was some of the most peaceful moments I'v had fly fishing, ever.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

I like early morning in summer. Fish tricos then switch to terrestrials or caddis or whatever presents itself. On the other hand I would go any time of day. Don't limit yourself. I have arrived when the morning trico crowds were leaving and done well in the heat of the day. Fish when you can.

 

[buzz]

behavioral drift can make fishing in the mornings unreal,scuds for example are on the move for the first hour of the morning. as for the winter i wouldn't bother but i wonder if there is a behavioral drift? its no wonder spin guys are there at the crack of dawn.