by Rex Trulove

Created on: October 18, 2008

There are few beginning fishermen who haven't asked themselves when the ideal times and conditions are for fishing. Many people who have been fishing for some time ask themselves the same thing. Have you ever noticed though, that some people go out and seem to have great fishing luck, every time?

They do have a secret. It is this: In the real world, there are rarely "ideal" conditions and times for fishing. Instead, they key on the "most" ideal times and conditions, which is something entirely different because of the word "most". That is taken to mean, if these conditions exist, your chances of success are better when trying to catch fish.

Even the question of what the most ideal times and conditions for fishing can be difficult to answer, though, because of a few important factors. What are you fishing for? Are you fishing in a lake, stream, river, or the ocean? Are you fly fishing, lure fishing, or bait fishing? It sounds complex, but it really isn't. Each type of fish, body of water, and type of fishing simply combine to dictate the most ideal times and conditions for catching fish.

This can be broken down a little, and it is often easiest to talk about when the least ideal times and conditions are.

For instance, fishing for trout or salmon in a river, stream or lake may not be the best if it is during or right after a full moon. In the summertime, the full moon at night brings out the insects, so the fish can feed extensively. Fish that are full from a night of feeding aren't nearly as receptive to taking the fisherman's offering, regardless of the type of fishing you do, as fish that are hungry.

For trout, salmon, and other cold-water fish, the best times of day are still shortly after dawn, and shortly before darkness. During times of the full moon at night, though, just before dark will probably result in a larger catch, since the fish haven't fed a great deal during the day.

On the other hand, if you are fishing for catfish, and provided it is legal in your area to fish after dark, nighttime is one of the most productive fish times. Even with catfish, though, nights with a full moon tend not to be quite as productive since the more moonlight they have, the more insects attracted to the water and the harder it is to get the fish interested in your bait rather than in something else in the water.

The temperature of the water plays a large part, too. Even warm water species like bass, perch, bluegill and catfish, become sluggish if the water gets too warm. They

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