I have a question about winter fishing. Seems like evryone is still gong fishing in the early morning, and freezing their butts off.

Question:

Is fishing better, or THAT much better in the early morning ? ? ?


During early Spring and Late Fall, when I have not been able to get out early, I have been just as lucky in the Mid-day, and/or evening. Is this not the norm...

With the weather getting colder, we have been going out later, and still catching fish. Not catching 2 limits, between the 2 of us, but still catching as many as we usually do.

Inquiring Minds Want To Know What The Trend Is....


keith

Yes. It has been for me anyway. Plan on being at the creek at daybreak Saturday.

Put on an extra layer and drink an extra cup of antifreeze (coffee) and get on out there. I'm tellin you, it's much easier to have a line in the water at sunup and leave by 8-9 with your limit than to get there at 10-11 when it's a TOASTY 5-6 degrees warmer , struggle to catch 15-20 fish and leave at 3-4 in the afternoon. Heck, leaving the lake at 9am means a hot breakfast either at the cafe or at the house, then it's fish-cleaning time.

Enjoy your fishing. Go mid morning, quit about 4 pm. Let the duck hunters have the cold sun rises on the lake. Crappie will bite during the day.

I guess youngster's like Anthony AND ME! don't have a problem with the cold. I wooda thot an OLD duck hunter like you Keith, would be equiped for a cold morning on the water in reasonable comfort. HMMMM! Maybe some Geritol would help.

Crappie bite best from about 30 minutes before sunup to 2 hours after sunup. You may catch them later in the day, but the early morning bite is best.

There is another peak period late in the evening, but then the druggies and other nuts are out.

The morning bite is best. At 74 years old and after 50 years of catching crappie I am convinced of it.

I catch plenty of fish in the middle of the day and don't usually go early this time of year. That said, my wife is dragging me to a Christmas party tomorrow afternoon so I'll probably be on the water early, freezing...

Thats what it seeems like to me to, Bud.

Although I haft to go to an occassional Christmas Party, or Family Function. I don't have wife isssue with my Hunting or Fishing. So, I am finding NO reason to show up early, freezing my butt off, and rushing home before the wife wakes up.

We get breakfest on the way to the lake, and get out there about 10am, which is about 10-12 degrees warmer. Fish for 2-3 hours, unless their eaten'm up. Then head home. Catch 25-35 fish, comfortable fishing, and an enjoyable day.

I just don't have 2-4 days a month to rush my fishing in, and haft to go reguardless of the weather or conditions. Wasn't always that way, but it is now, and I love it. Not knocking guys that haft to work around Work, Family and Wives. My son always went with me when he was at home, but the wife never minded. Duck hunted 45-50 days out of about 80 days. Now, I'm fishing, Son is grown, and things are getting better. Lucky Man, I guess. Being retired it is even better.

Thanks for input...

keith

Best time to crappie fish is from 8am to 11am just saying never in a hurry on tournament day cause I know when they will turn on.

I agree it isn't the most comfortable but when I fish.. I want to catch as many fish as I possibly can. Going early and freezing has resulted in about 60 percent of my fish lately.

HERE IS A NEWS FLASH FOR CREEK CRAPPIE CHASERS: CRAPPIE WILL GO BONKERS AT THE WARMEST PART OF THE DAY BECAUSE THAT IS WHEN THE WATER IN THE CREEKS IS MOST COMFORTABLE FOR THEM AND THE WARM (RELATIVELY SPEAKING)WATER MAKES THE SHAD FRISKY! WHEN THE SHAD ARE FRISKY, THE CRAPPIE GET HUNGRY. WHEN THE CRAPPIE GET HUNGRY, AND YOU ARE THERE, YOU CAN STILL GO HOME EARLY WITH A LIMIT! SLEEP IN, GET A GOOD COFFEE ROUND IN YOU, BE TOTALLY IN CONTROL OF YOUR WITS, AND HAVE AT IT! Been doing it for most of my 30 some odd yrs of winter crappie fishing and pics and full freezers speak for themselves! GOT NO USE FOR "CRACK OF DAWN" fishing!

That's my story and i am swearing by it.

Or go late at night, like i have been doing lately. Lake to myself and they were on a feeding binge!