Early season mountain creek fishing morning vs afternoon vs evening

[C_kreek17]

For all you that fish mountain freestones with wild browns and brooks, what’s your opinion on fishing first thing in the morning vs afternoon vs evening in late April and early May? Do you think the bite is slower early on with overnight temps staying in the 40s and 50s, and gets better as the day warms? To me, that makes sense logically, but what are your thoughts?

 

[wildtrout2]

I always get on my mountain freestone streams early in the morning, to pretty much make sure there's nobody upstream of me. That can make for a very frustrating day! This has proven to be a good strategy in that regard, but the problem with this, IMO, is the streams are at their coldest first thing in the morning, and things can often start out slowly because of it. Again, IMO, warmer (58F-62F) mountain stream temps usually provide for more active/agressive trout.

The trout seem to start hitting a little later in the morning and much better later in the day. I'm thinking about starting later in the mornings and fishing later in the day to see just how much difference it actually makes. I can't fish too late on most of my streams, because I need the time/daylight to get my butt back out of these usually remote areas. Great thread subject.

 

[Tabasco-Joe]

If the air temps in the morning are below 45 deg I let things warm up a bit before starting out. Above those temps I was always a morning person. Not a hard and fast rule as sometimes I'm just anxious to fish and others I might work around other conflicts.

 

[tjsingle]

Yeah I have observed this too. Sometimes it's a little slower and you'll need to rely on subsurface flies to start the day. It's pretty much a year round thing, there's always going to be a prime window to fish a stream. For example, winter I usually am fishing like 11a-4p. That window gets bigger from end of winter through spring, and into summer. It begins to contract again in the fall.

 

[Gibbon]

Depending on the area you are fishing. I usually start the morning on a limestone influenced stream, grab lunch and the hit a brookie stream. These are brookie streams that do not require a long hike like wildtrout2 does, maybe 1/2 hour most.

 

[TroutHunter814]

If I got the day off, and I’m fishing…,I’m early early. Get there first.

 

[Andrwhite610]

It dosnt matter if im fishing a river a lake or stream, for bass or trout I like to be at the pull off or boat launch before the sun comes up. Any time of the year. It’s just my thing.

 

[Tiogadog]

This happened to me a few weeks back on a popular Shenandoah NP stream. I hiked in early from Skyline Drive only to find the fishing somewhat slow until about 10:30. From 10:30 to noon the fishing was really good. I had plans in the afternoon so I had to leave. I should have switched the times of my plans and my fishing but then I would have run the risk of fishing behind someone.

 

[troutbert]

For all you that fish mountain freestones with wild browns and brooks, what’s your opinion on fishing first thing in the morning vs afternoon vs evening in late April and early May? Do you think the bite is slower early on with overnight temps staying in the 40s and 50s, and gets better as the day warms? To me, that makes sense logically, but what are your thoughts?

At this time of year, on mountain streams, afternoon is best, by far.

 

[wildtrout2]

At this time of year, on mountain streams, afternoon is best, by far.

I'd go as far as to say that's probably true throughout the entire season.

 

[Swattie87]

I generally don’t count on reliably good fishing on small freestoners in PA until mid May or so. Regardless of time of day. I’ve had good days in the early season before, but IMO small freestoners fish pretty tough in the high/clear/cold conditions that are common during that time of year.

The big limestoners, and big freestoners too, turn on much earlier in the season. About Opening Day, give or take.

 

[C_kreek17]

All good input! I’m very much in the boat of fish whenever I can. But I prefer getting out early and because of it rarely have time to fish the afternoon. I think I still would rather be the first one there and just know the bite might not be as hot.

 

[tomgamber]

I think it depends on how you like to fish. I find wild fish in small streams to be hungry all the time. But if you want to choose what type of fly you want to use, obliviously the time of day can matter. doesn't mean you cant "make" them take what you want. On days off, I don't make a habit of getting up early if I have a choice.

 

[Dave_W]

Definitely agree with afternoon this time of year.

If, like me, you have the luxury of fishing on some weekdays, the issue of other anglers is much reduced (true on all waters for all species, in PA - you really don't want to follow a bass boat with a good spin fishermen when FFing for smallies).

However, in my experience, pressure on mountain streams is pretty low and the odds of following another angler aren't high, even on weekends (with some exceptions).