by David Zacker

Created on: June 15, 2010

The question of the century, what makes a fish bite? And the answer to this age old question is it depends on the fish, the time of day, the weather, and the angler's approach and presentation.

  Here's the break down for you.   Species of fish, not all fish follow the same protocol when it comes to dinner time.  Some fish are predators and will attack at will in shallow or deep water, Some fish simply lie in wait near the bottom not chasing it's food source and just wait patiently for something to happen along while other fish like the cover of rocks, docks or Lilly pads and also like a meal that might happen to pass by.   You have to know what your fishing for and the feeding habit of the fish you seek to catch.

  You also need to use the correct set up, lures, or live bait.  Research the feeding habits and type of food the fish desire most and also research tips on catching this particular breed of fish.

  Time of Day

  One of the best times to find hungry fish is in the wee hours of the morning before the sun is even up. Fish will be in a feeding frenzy and feed in close along the shorelines, near docks, and along rock formations.  Fish will hit in spurts, you may get a good quantity of fish early morning, then later in the morning or mid morning. When the afternoon sun hits the fish go out to deeper water and you still can catch them however they aren't as easily tempted. Night time is also the right time to catch a boat load of fish.  Late evening is a great time to go fishing and the fishing is always an exciting adventure. You may want to use a bell on the tip of your rod to hear when the fish hits.  So early mornings and late evenings are the best times to catch hungry fish.

   Weather  

 The weather and the direction of the wind will play a key role in the amount of fish you catch.  Winter ice fishing score great numbers of catches. During and immediately after a rain the fish bite best. Fish seem to hit better in calm water rather than choppy water and high winds like right before a front comes in. Remember the fisherman's golden rule, if the wind is from the east, the fish bite the least, if the wind is from the south, the hook is in the mouth.

  Presentation

  A great deal depends on your presentation when it comes to getting fish to take your bait. Again not all fish are the same or have the same feeding habits. When working Lilly pads using a spinner, reel it in fast..this will catch the attention of the fish and you will catch more fish this way.  Again what are you fishing for? Cat fish and carp are bottom feeders so you will want to present them dinner on the bottom, heavy sinker and hook either below the sinker so it rest on the bottom or close to the sinker so it kind of dangles around the bottom. perch or pan fish, minnows using a perch rig works best where the bait is close together like the bait is swimming in a school because the perch are and you may even catch multiple fish at a time.  

 These are just a few helpful tips on what makes a fish bite.

Good luck and don't let the big one get away!

Learn more about this author, David Zacker.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.